I heard a few minutes of the interview with Sacha Baron Cohen on Fresh Air Friday afternoon. Some of his comments disturbed me. I haven't seen the movie Borat. I hadn't any intention of seeing it. The interview didn't change my mind.

I just listened to the entire interview and I don't know whether I feel any better.

I guess I'm wondering what sort of person engages in discourse with the deliberate purpose of revealing the prejudices of other people. Now, I guess the entire movie isn't about this, a crusade or inquisition across America or just the South, to draw out these bigoted sentiments. There's other segments, equally edifying I suppose, about sex.

Perhaps I am all for letting sleeping dogs lie.

We've all seen Gentleman's Agreement. A superb movie. Only Gregory Peck could do it. He has such integrity. Too hypothetical for you? Need some reality TV? Fiction isn't real enough? Balderdash. We are capable of learning from fiction ... and no humans were harmed during the making of that film. PETA would be proud.

Whenever I encounter some incriminating tidbit that's submitted ever so matter-'o-factly to incense me - say, like the charge that the leader of another country is killing his own citizens - I try to fit it into familiar terms so that I can understand it - the death penalty is legal in how many US states? Same with this Borat phenomenon. For the sake of argument, let's pretend that anti-Catholicism rivals anti-Semitism in my social circle. Would I go in, baiting people, asking about the Pope's funny hat or Sister Mary Margaret's ruler?

I suppose the saving grace is that Cohen moves among strangers. Would he show as much heart around his close friends (remember Gentleman's Agreement, poor Kathy, what a disappointment she was)? Would he really want to know?

I don't think that any of us would be happy to know that our friends and acquaintances are uncomfortable about this or that. Think the best of others. I guess that's what bothers me, he's thinking the worst. Sure, he isn't disappointed, but he ought to be.

I tried to talk with Jeff about this interview but the kids were still up and he said it wasn't an appropriate time to talk about it.

Besides, he was trying to watch Family Guy, one of the worst shows on TV. And, at that very moment, Peter mentioned a trip to Las Vegas to see the "Jew Man Group". I just rolled my eyes at Jeff: the kids can watch this but I can't talk about something intelligent? Visual images make a greater impact on young minds than adult conversation.

Just a quote or two from the interview. I hope I don't get in trouble. Just remember, y'all borrowed one of Jeff's photographs for your Talk of the Nation blog. Fair use. Fair use.

This is Cohen talking about what influences his character, Borat:

"I think Borat’s impression of Jews is really, you know, has its origins in the medieval ages, you know. So, his Jew has horns, you know. It is that kind of medieval, anti-Semitic portrayal of, you know, this, eh, demonic creature."

I gotta hand it to him, he pronounces "anti-Semitic" properly. Not too long ago someone corrected his host. It's a word often heard on NPR.

I actually agree with this statement:

"The path to Auschwitz was paved with indifference. Indifference is actually quite dangerous."

For I generally find that my reaction to anti-Catholicism is indifference. Like, uh, so what, who cares? It reflects poorly on the bloke who uttered it, can't you all see that?

And then the host says this kiss-up thing:

"I’m bracing myself for all of these people who aren’t nearly as talented as you are, taking the baton and kind of taking their characters into the real world and being a real nuisance.

Sometimes the snootiness of public radio grates on my fragile, mediocre sensibilities.

But, I'll tell ya what: if I want Ella to fall asleep, I just turn on NPR. Especially when Gottlieb is on, bless him ... she drifts right off ... now that's a public service!