Picture this: It’s Opening Day for the Mariners, the uniforms are clean and crisp, fans have winning on their minds and hot dogs on their breath. A quiet energy buzzes through the Tokyo Dome as hats are dutifully removed and prideful hands cover hearts, preparing for the national anthem. Then, out of the speakers, it blares: “America . . . America . . . America, F*$% YEAH!”
Relax. This did not happen in Tokyo (phew!), but it’s basically what went down in Kuwait during the recent closing ceremony of the International Shooting Tournament. The Kazakhstani gold medal winner stood, hand on heart, waiting for the Kazakhstan national anthem to wash over her. Instead, the parody anthem from Sacha Baron Cohen’s movie Borat was accidentally played . . . in its entirety. The medalist stood stone-faced as Borat sang of prostitutes and potassium. This might have been overlooked if Ricky Martin’s “Livin’ la Vida Loca” hadn’t mistakenly replaced the anthem last month at a Kazakhstani sporting event. Yes, I’m serious.
Kazakhstan . . . F*$% YEAH!
