New Orleans Makes Jokes To Draw Tourists

by Jonathon Morgan on

17 months after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, officials are trying bring tourists back to the city with a new advertising campaign focused on humor.

In the run up to Mardi Gras next month — the time of year when the city generally sees the highest influx of visitors — Big Easy advertisers will run campaigns like one featuring an image of the city’s Aquarium of the Americas with the caption: “This is the only part of New Orleans that is still underwater.”

Before Katrina, tourism was a booming industry, generating $5.5 billion annually, and funding one-third of the city’s operating budget. Bringing back visitors is seen as essential in rejuvenating the battered city’s fledgling economy.

Have you been to New Orleans post-Katrina? If not, would a humorous ad campaign convince you to give it a shot?

Borat’s: Face of Kazakhstan?

by Adrienne Wilson on

Strangely this isn’t the first time Sacha Baron Cohen has received mention here on Gadling. Erik wrote a short blurb on the star back in November of last year when word on the streets was Kazakh government was going to sue Mister Borat / Ali G. / Cohen. According to Erik’s piece the gov officials didn’t like the way Cohen was portraying them as sexist, racist, and stupid louts. Well, I don’t know how far that lawsuit went, but Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan is set for nationwide release on November 3, 2006.

After seeing the absurd previews in theaters last night I couldn’t help placing this one on my ‘to-watch’ list. What? Huh? Yup, I said it. I’m hoping to catch this one on the big screen in stadium seating, DDS surround sound – the works. Personally I find Borat disgustingly funny. Not because I feel he’s poking any sort of fun at Kazakhstan through his character, but simply pointing out the same age-old stereotypes Americans have created over time. Cohen who is Jewish makes joke about Jews, Blacks, Cowboys, and various other American folk he runs across in his great road-trip across America. Offensive and crude cinema – yes.

My only hopes for those who do know very little about the country of Kazakhstan is that they’ll go pick up a book or do some research online. It’s not that hard to learn something a little factual about the place. In fact – start by clicking here.