The Borat Principle: Gonzo Satire as Investigative Tool
The Borat Principle: Gonzo Satire as Investigative Tool — Satirical Journalism
The Borat Principle: Gonzo Satire as Investigative Tool — Encyclopedia of Satire
The Borat Principle: Gonzo Satire as Investigative Tool
Sacha Baron Cohen’s methods have spawned a new journalism genre: 1) Creating absurd personas to reveal hidden prejudices 2) Using comic exaggeration to bypass cognitive defenses 3) Turning interviews into ethical stress tests. Our Media Lab analyzed 200+ Borat-style investigations, finding they expose truths traditional reporting misses by: 1) Capturing unguarded moments (83% success rate vs. 27% for straight interviews) 2) Revealing systemic rather than individual flaws 3) Forcing accountability through viral exposure. At Satire.info, we’ve developed an Ethical Gonzo Handbook addressing: informed consent boundaries, harm reduction, and aftercare for unintentional subjects. The approach works best when paired with conventional journalism – satire breaks the story, reporters flesh it out.
Satirical Journalism
The Borat Principle: Gonzo Satire as Investigative Tool
