No publicity is bad publicity, and no one has proven that more than a badly dressed, racist, xenophobic, anti-Semitic, misogynistic television journalist from Kazakhstan.

The “journalist” is Borat Sagdiyev, a character created by British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen on his short-lived Da Ali G Show. Like Ali G’s eponymous talk show host, Borat interviews subjects using his own apparent obliviousness to make them look, well, really dumb. But while promoting his new movie Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, the actor has turned his subversive schtick into art that would make Andy Kaufman jealous. But his victims aren’t happy.

The chief victim is Kazakhstan itself, which recently placed ads in the New York Times promoting a positive national image and hasn’t ruled out legal action against the actor. True to form, Cohen — himself Jewish — responded as Borat, writing, “I have no connection with Mr. Cohen and fully support my government’s decision to sue this Jew,” the British Daily Mail reported last month.

Kazakhstan even has taken its beef to the White House. While authorities denied the movie was discussed at a recent meeting between Bush and Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Cohen still made lemonade. A few weeks ago, Reuters reported that agents turned Borat away while trying to invite “Premier George Walter Bush” and other “American dignitaries” such as OJ Simpson and “Mel Gibsons” to a screening.

The controversy won’t stop and likely will mean big bucks for Borat, but it brings up a bigger question: A country with notorious human rights issues is one thing for a target, but when Borat duped real people who will be plastered on screens across America in the new movie, did he go too far?

A recent Newsweek article shows his methods are shady at best. His victims told the magazine they received little information before the interviews, signed releases (that they admit to not having read thoroughly) and only gradually realized they were the butt of the joke.

What is telling in this controversy, however, is what the victims are reluctant to admit. During their “interviews,” some needed no coaxing to casually make derogatory comments about Muslims, homosexuals and women. And I doubt they’re the only people in America, or anywhere else, who hold those beliefs.

Baron’s comedy, as abrasive and offensive as it is, works to expose the same ugly traits in our society that Borat heaps on himself. It serves a purpose, and in an era of feigned political correctness and large-scale political and ethnic conflict, we need that.

Plus, it’s funny as hell.