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Borat's Global Popularity Becomes Character's Demise

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 22, 2007

Borat is dead.

Sacha Baron Cohen tells The Daily Telegraph that he is retiring the clueless Kazakh journalist, as well as his other alter ego, aspiring rapper Ali G.

"When I was being Ali G and Borat I was in character sometimes 14 hours a day and I came to love them, so admitting I am never going to play them again is quite a sad thing," the 36-year-old actor-comedian says in Friday's edition of the British newspaper.

"It is like saying goodbye to a loved one. It is hard, and the problem with success, although it's fantastic, is that every new person who sees the Borat movie is one less person I 'get' with Borat again, so it's a kind of self-defeating form, really."

Nelson Gives Back To Early Supporters

Willie Nelson hasn't forgotten the town that knew him before he was famous.

The singer has donated $40,000 to Vancouver, Wash., where he sold some of his first records.

Nelson, 74, performed at The Amphitheater near Vancouver on June 30. He promised to share some of the proceeds with the city and area charities.

In the late 1950s, Nelson worked as a disc jockey for Vancouver station KVAN. He financed and recorded the single "No Place for Me" and sold it to some of his listeners.

Vancouver received the $40,000 check three weeks ago. On Wednesday, the city gave $15,000 to the Humane Society of Washington and $15,000 to the Boys and Girls Club. The other $10,000 will be spent on ecological projects.

Judge Tells R. Kelly He Must Fly

R. Kelly avoided having his bond revoked Friday, but a judge admonished him for missing an earlier court hearing in Chicago.

The R&B superstar apologized to Cook County Judge Vincent Gaughan, who set a May 9 trial date.

Kelly, 40, has pleaded not guilty to child pornography charges. He is accused of videotaping sex acts with a young teenage girl in or before 2000.

He missed his appearance Wednesday when his tour bus was delayed in Utah because its logbooks didn't document enough rest time for the driver. Next time, he must fly, Gaughan said.

He also ordered the singer to cancel a Jan. 13 concert to ensure that he makes a Jan. 14 court date.

Spirit Awards Get Writers' Waiver

The Independent Spirit Awards will go on, despite the writers' strike. "The Office" star Rainn Wilson will host.

The writers' union granted a waiver to the show, which will air live Feb. 23 on the Independent Film Channel. Wilson, a Writers Guild of America member, will contribute to the writing on the program.

"The Spirit Awards and Film Independent have a long-standing, positive relationship with the Writers Guild," Film Independent executive director Dawn Hudson said, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Today's Birthdays

Actor Hector Elizondo is 71. Singer Robin Gibb is 58. Actor Ralph Fiennes is 45. Singer Jordin Sparks ("American Idol") is 18.

Sources: The Associated Press, People.com

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