Sacha Baron Cohen Nominated for Award from Kazakhstan

A leading Kazakh author has nominated Sacha Baron Cohen for a national award for popularizing Kazakhstan.

According to the Associated Press, novelist Sapabek Asip-uly called on the Kazakh Club of Art Patrons to give Baron Cohen its annual award, according to a letter published by the Vremya newspaper, Thursday.

Cohen is the man behind Borat, and "has managed to spark an immense interest of the whole world in Kazakhstan, something our authorities could not do during the years of independence," said Asip-uly, the AP reported. Cohen has come under fire for his portrayal of Borat as a racially insensitive Kazakh television reporter.

"If state officials completely lack a sense of humor, their country becomes a laughing stock," Asip-uly said, according to the AP.

The Kazakhstan government has been more receptive to Borat in the past couple of weeks and even invited Cohen to visit the country.

"I truly hope my initiative will be supported for the benefit of the glorious nation of Kazakhstan," Asip-uly said, the wire service reported.