‘Borat’ With Bill Simmons and Kyle Brandt
May 19, 2026 · Borat (2006) · Comedy · 1:23:42
Categories
Apex Mountain
Bill Simmons▶ 10:22Considers Borat the peak, calling him 'the funniest' character from the Ali G universe and treating the original Borat film as the high point compared to the disappointing sequel
Kyle Brandt▶ 9:46Suggests Borat is Sacha Baron Cohen's apex, calling it possibly the best mockumentary ever (better than Spinal Tap); post-Borat work (Sweeney Todd, Talladega Nights, Chicago 7) always 'funny' but 'never as good as this'
Horlbeck Runtime Scale
Bill Simmons▶ 25:29Minus 16 on the Horlbeck scale, likely the shortest movie they've done (84 minutes)
Kyle Brandt▶ 25:40Notes an intro clip is longer than the movie, but says the short runtime is fine and could even be shorter
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill Simmons▶ 28:02The opening scene in the town where Borat introduces everyone (running of the Jew, the egg, the town rapist, the mechanic and town abortionist)
Kyle Brandt▶ 29:20The New York street scene where Borat confronts the 'my fucking hero' guy who threatens to pop him in the balls
Dion Waiters Award
Kyle Brandt▶ 30:02Weatherman on Channel 16 (the guy who 'barely can do the weather' during Borat's news segment)
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Bill Simmons▶ 38:19Raises unanswerable poop questions (was it real, did he poop in a bag, where'd they get it), and on the blurred penis question says he thinks it's blurred because Borat's dick is so big, though Sasha Baron Cohen producing may have wanted it to seem bigger; prefers the blurred version to full nudity
Kyle Brandt▶ 38:40Wonders logistically what happens to the poop bag (assumes you just put it in the street trash like dog poop), and questions whether the penis blur is a joke about size or modesty for Sasha Baron Cohen; ultimately says leave it as is
Picking Nits
Bill Simmons▶ 42:18The elevator reaction shot is unrealistic — the people in the elevator underreacted; he'd be way more horrified if two naked guys got in an elevator with him, especially with women present.
Bill Simmons▶ 43:56On the frat guys' 'don't let a woman make you who you are' line: 'I can't decide if that was great advice or incoherent.'
Kyle Brandt▶ 40:48Why did they blur the nudity at all in some shots? It's a half measure — if they're going that far with the scene, just show it fully instead of blurring.
Coach Finstock Life Lesson
Bill Simmons▶ 44:00The frat guys' drunken interview scene where one says he'd 'never let a woman make him who he is' - moral: 'Do not let a woman ever, ever make you who you are' (mocking the frat bros' sexist bravado as the film's target)
Kyle Brandt▶ 44:21Agrees with the frat guy scene as the takeaway moment, elaborating that the guys are exposed as idiots ('I call people and have sex with them and don't call them back... because they don't have my respect'), feels no sympathy/protectiveness for them since they're adults who knowingly performed on camera
Butch's Girlfriend Award
Bill Simmons▶ 58:25The movie's length/runtime is the weak link - he thinks it's too short and needed 1-2 more scenes (e.g. from the road trip), though he also agrees with Kyle that the etiquette/manners dinner lady scene is bad.
Kyle Brandt▶ 59:06The scene where the etiquette/manners teacher (a nice older woman teaching Borat and Azamat dinner manners) is shown the Polaroids of the naked wrestling/genitals photos - he finds it disturbing that this kind woman had to see that.
Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:03:32We as a culture should bring back the kiss left, kiss right greeting instead of handshakes, even among male friends like at a fantasy draft, because it's classy, retro cool, and hands are dirtier than faces.
Casting What-Ifs
Bill Simmons▶ 1:04:33Notes that Johnny Depp, George Clooney, and Steve Martin all wanted roles in the movie because they loved Sacha Baron Cohen, but he turned them down; no actual recast discussed.
Is This Movie Better With
Bill Simmons▶ 1:16:52Suggests adding the 'let that tongue go' guy from Borat to the recurring utility player list, and pitches a bit where Naked Borat and Naked Azamat crash a 1993 cardiologists' conference, working in Dr. Charles Nichols from The Fugitive
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:16:20Riffs on having the 'let that tongue go' guy roast all the Rewatchables hosts instead of directly picking someone for the movie; praises Bill's Dr. Charles Nichols/Fugitive bit as a great inclusion
Best Double Feature
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:20:11Borat and Bruno, watched Bruno which he thought was not as good as Borat but still funny
Movies Referenced (33)
Directors Referenced (7)
Todd Phillips
9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt · Known for Joker, Due Date, Old School▶ 16:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗
Larry Charles
2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Dictator▶ 19:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗
George Clooney
1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Ides of March, Michael Clayton▶ 1:04:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗
Actors Referenced (44)
Sacha Baron Cohen
18 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt · Known for Borat▶ 2:04IMDb ↗Lb ↗
Huey Lewis
8 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt · Known for Back to the Future▶ 1:05:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗
Eddie Murphy
4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt · Known for Harlem Nights, The Nutty Professor▶ 4:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗
Mike Myers
3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt · Known for Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery▶ 6:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗
Alan Arkin
2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt · Known for Argo, Little Miss Sunshine, Glengarry Glen Ross▶ 1:03:08IMDb ↗Lb ↗
Chevy Chase
2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt · Known for Memoirs of an Invisible Man, Caddyshack, National Lampoon's Vacation▶ 4:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗
Writers Referenced (4)
Isaac Asimov
4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt · Known for Bicentennial Man▶ 7:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗
Cinematographers Referenced (2)
Mike Toland
1 mentions · Kyle Brandt · Known for 21 Bridges, Obvious Child▶ 1:10:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗