I thought we were all in on the joke.

As the credits rolled, and the Kazakh national “anthem” played over the closing credits, I assumed myself and my fellow moviegoers were laughing at the revealing satire of Sacha Baron Cohen aka Borat.

However, as the audience filed out of the theater sucking out the remaining droplets of soda, I was hearing startling comments.

Borat’s cringeworthy and guilt-inducing cracks were being taken seriously by some.

In case your Internet connection has been down for a couple months, and you’ve neglected to read any entertainment publications, Borat is America’s newest favorite funny foreigner. (Sorry Roberto Benigni).

In the faux documentary, which opened in theaters Nov. 3, British comedian Cohen (“Da Ali G Show”), travels across the U.S. as Kazahkstan’s famous TV journalist. On his journey to learn about American culture “for make benefit glorious nation of Kazakhstan,” he’s randy and racist – and with minimal prodding, he gets real people to reveal the same colors.

Everyone from rodeo riders to moronic frat boys to car salesmen, gun dealers and big city power brokers serve up xenophobic, homophobic, sexist and anti-Semitic slams in the presence of the toothy “journalist.”

Sure, it’s scary stuff, especially since Cohen as Borat rarely gives a wink and nudge to let his interview subjects know it’s a put-on.

The funny-because-it’s-true concept makes for good satire, and should ideally compel the viewer to take a moment for introspection. Good satire peers out at the world while also holding a mirror up to our own faces.

“Borat” is funny-because-it’s-too-true. At least with some of the people I saw the film with, it wasn’t hysterical because it was exposing ignorance in the “greatest country in the world,” but because the foreign guy was getting away with openly calling for slavery and such.

The satire is so good that it fools parts of the audience along with the dupes on film.

Sacha Baron Cohen is clearly a gifted comedian, and his film has people talking about prejudices in this country, which is important.

But while Cohen (who is Jewish) shines light on the issue, he’s also hurting the discourse by only doing interviews in the Borat character where he continues his bigoted remarks – and the medi.)