Sacha Baron Cohen has explained why he decided to resurrect his buffoon alter-ego Ali G after more than a decade. All the prejudices my characters are designed to expose haven’t just lingered—they’ve metastasized. They’re fueled by the greatest propaganda machine in history—social media—and now by its monstrous child, AI.” The tracksuit-clad character, whose full name is Alistair Graham, returns in “Ali G: Who Iz I?” alongside Morgana Robinson as Julie.
Production of the satirical film was shrouded in secrecy. But his return has prompted mixed reactions, with some people voicing their disapproval of Ali G, who has been criticized for his sexism, cultural appropriation and even racism. At the film’s recent premiere, Baron Cohen – in character as Ali G – was asked by Variety about the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, to which he replied: “The only merger that’s happening tonight is me and Sydney Sweeney’s babylons” – a response that stoked the controversy.
In his essay, Baron Cohen says that’s the point, because the character is a satirical figure designed to expose prejudice. Like a good bouffon, he undermines that establishment—not the culture he loves and borrows from.” In the piece, the actor and writer referenced the history of satire, from Ancient Greece through to “Monty Python.” “Regardless of the madness, the method is the same: make the audience laugh as hard and as much as possible, while holding up a mirror to reflect back things that aren’t always comfortable to see or warn of trends we’d rather look away from.”
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