Sacha Baron Cohen, creator of Ali G, Borat and Bruno has shocked Galwegians today with the revelation that “Warty” Nora Ward is just a character in his upcoming film Nora. Cohen has been roaming the streets of Galway in character for the past five years.
“I mean, that’s the most surprising part” said one confused Galwegian “I thought Warty Nora was around for the last twenty years. There’s no way she’s only there with five, when was that time she made front page of the advertiser?.”
Set for release in June 2010 Nora looks set to be typical Cohen fare. Nora Ward, simple country girl leaves Kilronan with hopes of making it as a model in the big city, only to find herself thwarted by the prejudice of those mainland savages.
One memorable scene sees a local councillor stumble out of O Connells pub singing “Hey Nora” – the local ditty sung along to the tune of DJ Otzi’s classic. The councillor is now seeking a high court injunction against the film.
“They’re making it out in such a way as I’d come off a savage. It’s gross misrepresentation of the highest order. These people are out to destroy me” said the councillor.
“I read Synge’s account of his stay on the Arann Islands” said Cohen of his inspiration. “It struck me that the Islanders thought the mainlanders were savages. I thought it’d be interesting to play that out as a character, and it turned out to be really fertile comedy ground.”
“As a Jew, I’ve always hated the Catholic Church, but you guys have only jumped on that bandwagon recently. After this Ryan report, people have been out burning churches, spitting on Convents, lynching priests, all that sort of thing. It’s all great work, don’t get me wrong, but I thought it’d be interesting to hold a mirror up to that sense of self righteousness. Nora is a twenty first century mirror of the social deviants of the Catholic age, unmarried mothers, lads with long hair, gays.”
Cohen’s comments have come at an opportune time, after the findings of the Inspectorate for Mental Health Services on the standards of psychiatric care were published recently.
“This is going to be great” said Perez Hilton “You really are the last Victorians. Watching Borat and Bruno, you thought you were so un-American. Just wait till you see Nora chasing cigarettes on a fishing line. Now that all the money’s gone, you’ll be the laughing stock of the world again”
Nora is set for release in June 2010.



