Sacha Baron Cohen's Undercover Comedy Exposed
The 55-year-old comedian has spent over half his life tricking real people into revealing their thoughts and feelings through iconic characters like Ali G, Borat, and Bruno
Sacha Baron Cohen has made a career out of rendering himself unrecognizable as hilarious fools to trick real people into exposing their real beliefs. At 55, he has been doing his undercover comedy for more than half his life, increasing the complexity, moral stakes, and physical danger entailed in his deceptions.
His first iconic character was Ali G, a persona he experimented with for years. An early version, known as MC Jocelyn Cheadle-Hume, was upper class but had many of the same catchphrases as Ali G. He took the prototype for a test drive to the skateboarders of London with the intention of airing the sketch on a youth culture show he was hosting on cable.
Ali G's 1998 debut on a satirical late-night show was the stepping stone to 'Da Ali G Show', which spawned an HBO series and a feature film. Sacha Baron Cohen interacted with a range of public figures, politicians, and celebrities, including former United States Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, as Ali G. He even pitched then-businessman Donald Trump on a bus as Ali G.
Sacha Baron Cohen's character Borat shows the kindness of people, but also exposes the layer of hate and bigotry below the surface that people normally wouldn’t go on air and show. His upcoming directorial debut 'Ali G: Who Iz I?' has faced accusations of racism and some U.K. watchdog activists have urged theaters not to screen the social satire. The film will be in theaters for one weekend only on Oct. 23.
## Why it matters Sacha Baron Cohen's brand of undercover comedy has made viewers both laugh and think. By deploying his creations to get real people to reveal their thoughts and feelings, he has invented his own genre of comedy. The complexity, moral stakes, and physical danger entailed in his deceptions have increased over the years, making him a rare combination of a mission-driven public intellectual and an adrenaline junkie.
## What happens next As Sacha Baron Cohen continues to push the boundaries of comedy, his upcoming film 'Ali G: Who Iz I?' is set to spark controversy and conversation. With its limited release, the film will be a test of the comedian's ability to make viewers laugh and think, while also facing criticism and accusations of racism.
