It’s no surprise that topping Twitter’s list of trending political stories is a scene from the new “Borat” movie in which Rudy Giuliani is caught in a “compromising scene.”
The Guardian, along with outlets like The Daily Beast and Newsweek, are on it:
Rudy Giuliani faces questions after compromising scene in new Borat film https://t.co/PJFTaKje4E
— The Guardian (@guardian) October 21, 2020
"the former NY mayor and current personal attorney to Donald Trump is seen reaching into his trousers and apparently touching his genitals while reclining on a bed in the presence of the actor playing Borat’s daughter, who is posing as a TV journalist." https://t.co/EwYsWp4Y0F
— Garance Franke-Ruta (@thegarance) October 21, 2020
“After she removes his microphone, Giuliani, 76, can be seen lying back on the bed, fiddling with his untucked shirt and reaching into his trousers. They are then interrupted by Borat who runs in and says: ‘She’s 15. She’s too old for you.’” https://t.co/uxHj96Xd3y
— Matt Pearce ? (@mattdpearce) October 21, 2020
“Apparently touching his genitals.”
Even a former Hillary Clinton adviser deleted his tweet reading that Guiliani was caught “fondling himself in front of a woman he thought was 15 years old.”
So to recap:@Zac_Petkanas was lying his ass off and had to delete the tweet. pic.twitter.com/GhmSrgwMZw
— RBe (@RBPundit) October 21, 2020
The screencap is making the rounds, but Mother Jones editorial director Ben Dreyfuss has seen the scene and says it’s not quite what Twitter is making it out to be.
I have now seen the scene with Rudy Giuliani and though it is creepy for other reasons it is being described on twitter in a false way. He does not have his hand down his pants in a sexual way. He is tucking his shirt back in after she untucks it removing his mic.
— Ben Dreyfuss (@bendreyfuss) October 21, 2020
Also the bat thing is a joke she prompts and he just politely agrees.
— Ben Dreyfuss (@bendreyfuss) October 21, 2020
The scene is confusingly edited for comedic purposes which makes sense since this is a comedy film and not a 60 Minutes expose. It would be good to keep that in mind in light of the flattening of media where everything can seem like everything else.
— Ben Dreyfuss (@bendreyfuss) October 21, 2020
There are parts of this scene that are creepy though! In the same scene he pats her on the lower back in a very weird way. You will be able to find stuff you don’t like watching it. But I do not think the description of the “hand in the pants” thing is fair.
— Ben Dreyfuss (@bendreyfuss) October 21, 2020
So she untucks his shirt, and then he tucks it back in, which is “apparently touching his genitals.”
You are a thief of joy
— Tim Miller (@Timodc) October 21, 2020
Bitter grifters hardest hit
— eric (@eriContrarian) October 21, 2020
You just ruined my day
— 208Poolside????? (@AimeeTruchan) October 21, 2020
I despise Giuliani but I value the truth.
— Adrian R Archilla (@r_archilla63) October 21, 2020
Yeah, that's what I thought when it was described.
— AmishDude (@TheAmishDude) October 21, 2020
He is laying on a hotel bed.
— buttonslives (@buttonslives) October 21, 2020
He leans back to tuck in the long shirt he is wearing because you can’t do that when you’re at a 90 degree angle.
— Ben Dreyfuss (@bendreyfuss) October 21, 2020
I hate being fair to this clown but, if you are a man with a big gut the only way to neatly tuck in your shirt while standing up is to drop your pants, or at best open them up. Lying back was probably better with another person in the room.
— J Milo Baker (@milount) October 21, 2020
Wouldn't the mic's transmitter be clipped on his belt? Why would he untuck his shirt to take it off? And why would he lay down on a bed to tuck it back in?
— xmaximus (@congakitty) October 21, 2020
you run the cable from the mic to the transmitter under the shirt
— Jeff Folmsbee (@FolmsbeeJeff) October 21, 2020
If this is the lengths they are going to to discredit Giuliani they are really in deep trouble.
— The Mondolorian (@TheMondolorian) October 21, 2020
Relatedly, Sacha Baron Cohen’s Borat people once emailed to bait me for one of his stunts. https://t.co/LDbH6wotfd pic.twitter.com/im5ZuPMaJX
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) October 21, 2020
It’s a Borat movie … the whole schtick is to capture people in embarrassing or compromising situations. It’s a comedy, guys — see it when it comes out and judge for yourself if you’re still unconvinced.
Related:
Daily Mail: Rep. Adam Schiff's staff engaged with Russian pranksters claiming to have dirt on Trump https://t.co/CkrNFnRRjR
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) February 7, 2018