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View Full Version : Rodeo fans expecting National Anthem get shock rant instead



jmcclain19
01-14-2005, 04:17 PM
http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/16655.html


Rodeo in Salem gets unexpected song rendition


A man purportedly from Kazakhstan launched into a diatribe instead of "The Star-Spangled Banner."


By Laurence Hammack
981-3239
The Roanoke Times

No one knows for sure who he was, that Middle Eastern man in an American flag shirt and a cowboy hat who was supposed to sing the national anthem at a rodeo Friday night in the Salem Civic Center.

But he sure shook up this town before leaving in a hurry.

Introduced as Boraq Sagdiyev from Kazakhstan, he was said to be an immigrant touring America. A film crew was with him, doing some sort of documentary. And he wanted to sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" to show his appreciation, the announcer told the crowd.

Speaking in broken English, the mysterious man first told the decidedly pro-American crowd - it was a rodeo, of all things, in Salem, of all places - that he supported the war on terrorism.

"I hope you kill every man, woman and child in Iraq, down to the lizards," he said, according to Brett Sharp of Star Country WSLC, who was also on stage that night as a media sponsor of the rodeo.

An uneasy murmur ran through the crowd.

"And may George W. Bush drink the blood of every man, woman and child in Iraq," he continued, according to Robynn Jaymes, who co-hosts a morning radio show with Sharp and was also among the stunned observers.

The crowd's reaction was loud enough for John Saunders, the civic center's assistant director, to hear from the front office. "It was a restless kind of booing," Saunders said.

Then the man took off his hat and sang what he said was his native national anthem. He then told the crowd to be seated, put his hat back on, and launched into a butchered version of "The Star-Spangled Banner" that ended with the words "your home in the grave," Sharp said.

By then, a restless crowd had turned downright nasty.

"If he had been out there a minute longer, I think somebody would have shot him," Jaymes said. "People were booing him, flipping him off."

Rodeo producer Bobby Rowe, who by then had figured out that he was the victim of some kind of hoax, had the man escorted out of the civic center. Rowe told him that he and his film friends had best leave right then.

"Had we not gotten them out of there, there would have been a riot," said Rowe, who has been bringing his Imperial Rodeo Productions to Salem for years.

As his wife, Lenore, put it: "It's a wonder one of these cowboys didn't go out there and rope him up."

Saunders agreed. "I was concerned for his personal safety," he said.

Once the film crew members and their star realized the severity of the situation, Bobby Rowe said, "they loaded up the van and they screeched out of there."

After apologizing to the crowd for being duped, Rowe was left to wonder who pulled such a hoax, and why. Months ago, he was approached by someone from One America, a California-based film company that was reportedly doing a documentary on a Russian immigrant, Rowe said.

The outfit asked if Sagdiyev could sing the national anthem at the rodeo in Salem. After listening to a tape, Rowe said sure.

By Saturday afternoon, Jaymes had observed that Sagdiyev looked a lot like the title character of "Da Ali G Show," a Home Box Office production that often catches its guests and audiences unaware and then records their reaction to "shock value" material such as Friday night's performance.

The show has a character named Borat from Kazakhstan, according to the HBO Web site.

Jaymes said she recalls that one of the five cameras was turned on her and others on stage, as if to catch their reactions.

"I looked at Brett and said, 'Why do I feel like I'm in the middle of a bad "Saturday Night Live" episode?'" Jaymes said.

As Rowe prepared Saturday for a second night of the rodeo, he was playing it safe on who would sing the national anthem.

"It'll be a tape," he said.

Redsfaithful
01-14-2005, 04:39 PM
Hilarious.

RFS62
01-14-2005, 04:52 PM
I was in Houston when the Iranian students raided our embassy in Tehran.

There was a pretty big demonstration from the local Iranian community in downtown Houston. After a couple of hours of watching Iranians walking around, dragging US flags and carrying anti-American signs, a group of local cowboys descended on them and beat the holy crap out of as many as they could catch.

I wouldn't advise getting all anti-American with cowboys.

REDREAD
01-14-2005, 04:54 PM
Hilarious.

:thumbdown

Redsfaithful
01-14-2005, 04:58 PM
:thumbdown

http://www.hbo.com/alig/bios/


Borat

Borat Sagdiyev is Kazakhstan's sixth most famous man. A leading journalist from the State run TV network, Borat has been sent to the United States to report on all aspects of American life. From baseball to Broadway, Borat asks the questions no westerner would dream of in his tireless quest for knowledge, telling dating agencies he will 'crush' women who are unfaithful, touching the penises of Vietnam veterans in Atlanta, urinating on trees with new age gurus in Sedona. Borat on his first ever trip abroad presents a picture of America that only Charles Manson would recognize.

Lighten up.

REDREAD
01-14-2005, 05:00 PM
http://www.hbo.com/alig/bios/



Lighten up.


Yeah, it's just hillarious that guy lied to the event organizers and mocked the National Anthem.
Probably is going to cost the rodeo organizers a lot of future customers for that incident. But, it's ok to damage someone's livelyhood for a good shock joke.

Stormy
01-14-2005, 05:02 PM
Hilarious.

Agreed. Though he's sometimes hit-or-miss, Ali always comes up with the unique angle for a laugh. I still enjoy his discussion of whether Saddam had "BLT's" with Pat Buchanan, and whether or not a country should ever go to war over sandwiches? By the same token, stunts like this are bound to get him hurt eventually.

Redsfaithful
01-14-2005, 05:03 PM
Yeah, it's just hillarious that guy lied and mocked the National Anthem.
Probably is going to cost the rodeo organizers a lot of future customers for that incident. But, it's ok to damage someone's livelyhood for a good shock joke.

I guess whoever was in charge of booking the singer had no responsibility to at least minimally check out the guy he hired to sing the National Anthem?

And I'm sorry but


"I hope you kill every man, woman and child in Iraq, down to the lizards,

And may George W. Bush drink the blood of every man, woman and child in Iraq,

that's hilarious.

REDREAD
01-14-2005, 05:06 PM
I guess whoever was in charge of booking the singer had no responsibility to at least minimally check out the guy he hired to sing the National Anthem?
.

What were they supposed to do? They heard the guy's tape, it seemed legit.

I suppose now, everyone who sings the National anthem live is going to have to have a background check. Isn't that great? Notice how the rodeo is now forced to have it all on tape now.

Think about how many sincere people will not get a chance to sing the anthem if this continues in other events.

I'm not a big Bush fan either, but you like it solely because it makes fun of Bush.

Redsfaithful
01-14-2005, 05:17 PM
I'm not a big Bush fan either, but you like it solely because it makes fun of Bush.

I find Ali G funny around 100 percent of the time. He certainly gets bonus points for making fun of Bush though.

RFS62
01-14-2005, 05:25 PM
Am I mistaken, or wouldn't anybody shown on the Ali G show have to sign a release?

zombie-a-go-go
01-14-2005, 06:14 PM
Maybe they could blot out their faces a la COPS.

From what I understand, though, the people would have already signed releases before the crew got there. The article suggests that the people in charge of the Rodeo knew they were going to be filmed.

westofyou
01-14-2005, 06:16 PM
Even funnier is that there was a Rodeo in Salem Mass.

Chip R
01-14-2005, 06:19 PM
Even funnier is that there was a Rodeo in Salem Mass.
Beats burning witches at the stake. ;)

RedsBaron
01-14-2005, 06:32 PM
His act mocked the National Anthem. "Ali" also apparently misrepresented himself to the rodeo organizers. It doesn't sound particularly funny or clever to me.

REDREAD
01-14-2005, 06:36 PM
Even funnier is that there was a Rodeo in Salem Mass.


I think it's Salem, Virginia, since the article was in the Roanoake Times.
Oh, you mean you haven't heard of Salem, VA? :MandJ: I lived near there for awhile.

RBA
01-14-2005, 06:36 PM
I have never seen the show. But I would be appalled and sickened if someone defamed my national athem in my presence like that. Maybe I'm missing something, but I found no humor in what this guy did.

TC81190
01-14-2005, 06:36 PM
I was in Houston when the Iranian students raided our embassy in Tehran.

There was a pretty big demonstration from the local Iranian community in downtown Houston. After a couple of hours of watching Iranians walking around, dragging US flags and carrying anti-American signs, a group of local cowboys descended on them and beat the holy crap out of as many as they could catch.

I wouldn't advise getting all anti-American with cowboys.

Look, I didn't find that stunt funny at all, and I like Bush.

But that is hilarious. I can only imagine the ass-beating those guys handed out. :MandJ:

RFS62
01-14-2005, 06:39 PM
I wasn't suggesting that was a good thing. In fact, it was despicable.

But there weren't any more demonstrations.

TC81190
01-14-2005, 06:41 PM
They got what they deserved. Don't mock our country. Wait. That goes towards my extreme belief of freedom of expression. Dammit. :help:

CbusRed
01-14-2005, 07:04 PM
Hilarious.

Classless.

But I cant say I didnt expect it... :rolleyes:

dman
01-14-2005, 08:47 PM
Hilarious.
How long before you take up residence in Canada?????

Stormy
01-14-2005, 09:07 PM
Do you not even know the premise of the Ali G show, and of the Borat character? His character revolves around being the fish out of water foreigner, always falling into the bad graces of his hosts because of his 'lost in translation' misunderstanding of their traditions. He's an equal opportunity offender, often riling up feminists, the anti-defamation league, religious activists, Republicans and Democrats alike. If viewed from the context of his character, it would be far easier to understand. Was Monty Python subversive and heretical when they satirized British customs, establishment, traditions etc...? It's satire, and I could see where those who don't know the premise wouldn't find it funny (and where some who do wouldn't find this particulat bit funny either), but it's harmless and solely meant for humor, not malice.

I'm an ardent Bush supporter, who reveres our military, and who strongly supports their efforts in Iraq... but I realize that this is satire. Somewhat tasteless, but still satire.

REDREAD
01-14-2005, 09:17 PM
Maybe I just don't understand, but a foreigner wearing an American Flag shirt, decieving his generous host under the premise of thanking America, and then making an ass out of himself and angering people is not funny.

TC81190
01-14-2005, 10:25 PM
It wasn't satire. It was sickening.

Crumbley
01-14-2005, 11:09 PM
Maybe I just don't understand, but a foreigner wearing an American Flag shirt, decieving his generous host under the premise of thanking America, and then making an ass out of himself and angering people is not funny.
https://ssl.kundenserver.de/delirium.de/home/shop/catalog/images/9254610.jpg

CbusRed
01-14-2005, 11:25 PM
https://ssl.kundenserver.de/delirium.de/home/shop/catalog/images/9254610.jpg


http://www.lyricscafe.com/g/green_day/americanidiot.jpg

westofyou
01-14-2005, 11:27 PM
Don't want to be an American idiot.
One nation controlled by the media.
Information age of hysteria.
It's going out to idiot America.

REDREAD
01-14-2005, 11:32 PM
So, I guess Crumbly is a big Timberlake fan? Not sure what that has to do with the thread :confused:

Crumbley
01-15-2005, 12:00 AM
So, I guess Crumbly is a big Timberlake fan? Not sure what that has to do with the thread :confused:
me make poast

WebScorpion
01-15-2005, 01:31 AM
It would have been funnier if the cowboys had caught them. http://instagiber.net/smiliesdotcom/contrib/ruinkai/FIREdevil.gif

Redsfaithful
01-15-2005, 02:35 AM
Jingoism is alive and well.

When people get riled up about the flag and the anthem I have to wonder if they realize the difference between nationalism and patriotism. We're becoming a pretty nationalistic country, and that's not at all a good thing.

Also, what Stormy said. It's satire.

RedsBaron
01-15-2005, 06:40 AM
I don't regard respecting this nation's national anthem and its flag as being jingoistic. America has never been, and never will be, a perfect country, but I greatly respect its flag and anthem and the sacrifices better people than me have made under that flag to defend the freedoms we have.

Crumbley
01-15-2005, 07:21 AM
America is teh sux. Yee haw.

CbusRed
01-15-2005, 12:57 PM
America is teh sux. Yee haw.


Wright State, Wrong University.

WebScorpion
01-15-2005, 01:05 PM
Also, what Stormy said. It's satire.

Satire very often pokes fun at someone or something that the people being made fun of don't find amusing. Like lawyers don't think lawyer jokes are funny and minorities don't think racist jokes are funny, etc. I think it's funny when the satirist meets the people at whose expense he's having 'fun'... he tends to think it's not so funny any more. There's a line, and usually the audience will let you know when you've crossed it. I'm positive he crossed the line in this situation...he should count himself lucky he's not watching his own funny show from a hospital bed. That would be hilarious! Different people think different things are funny. I don't think degrading a symbol many of my ancestors and friends have died defending is funny. I do think people getting the snot beat out of them for doing really stupid things is funny. It's just a matter of perspective.

BTW, I'm not bothered by his ignorant display of insensitivity, (I wouldn't be the one beating him up,) but I'd certainly never defend him. http://instagiber.net/smiliesdotcom/contrib/constrector/waglleybooty.gif

Redsfaithful
01-15-2005, 01:12 PM
There's a line, and usually the audience will let you know when you've crossed it.

His audience wasn't the rodeo audience. His audience is the people watching his show.

And the people watching his show more than likely aren't going to think he crossed a line.

I also find it really amusing that so many people want him "beat up" for his performance. Nah, not jingoism at all right RB?

Falls City Beer
01-15-2005, 02:54 PM
I'm the first to defend a person's right to free speech, but I do wonder if this doesn't fall under the "yelling fire in a crowded theater" law (lawyers, help me out--?). There's really no reason the guy couldn't have recorded his performance on the Jumbotron instead of standing there inciting what could easily have turned into a riot.

RedsBaron
01-15-2005, 03:43 PM
His audience wasn't the rodeo audience. His audience is the people watching his show.

And the people watching his show more than likely aren't going to think he crossed a line.

I also find it really amusing that so many people want him "beat up" for his performance. Nah, not jingoism at all right RB?
Not all all. While advocating beating up someone for expressing something disagreeable is certainly itself not evidence of patriotism, you don't have to be jinoistic to be offended by someone mocking symbols of your country--you just have to be patriotic.
His audience was the people in the rodeo, not the people to whom he later shows the video. Those watching the video can later laugh at, and feel superior to, those rubes in the audience who don't appreciate their national anthem and flag being mocked. He in turn can profit from the mockery. Lovely.

Redsfaithful
01-15-2005, 03:53 PM
you don't have to be jinoistic to be offended by someone mocking symbols of your country--you just have to be patriotic.

Right, but you have to be jingoistic to want to see bodily harm done to someone that mocks symbols of your country. Feel free to disagree, that's just what I believe.

RollyInRaleigh
01-15-2005, 04:12 PM
People who jump in a skillet sometimes are going to get burned. If you're willing to take that chance, maybe you deserve what you get.

BuckeyeRed27
01-15-2005, 05:40 PM
I've only seen the show a couple times, but the segments with this character are hands down the funniest ones.

WebScorpion
01-15-2005, 09:02 PM
Right, but you have to be jingoistic to want to see bodily harm done to someone that mocks symbols of your country. Feel free to disagree, that's just what I believe.

Ok, I disagree. Jingoism is nationalism with a belligerent foreign policy...like going to war for trumped up reasons. It has absolutely nothing to do with being bellicose with individual people, morons or otherwise. I never said I wanted to see him beat up, I said I thought it would be funnier than making fun of our national anthem. Personally, I don't feel he's worth the energy to beat up. What he did was make fun of the people who are (perhaps excessively) nationalistic...laughing at others who he (and his intended audience) feel superior to. I find that type of humor ugly and degrading. Had he stuck around and gotten his butt kicked and showed that on his show, he'd be making fun of himself...something I find very humorous.