Who is the Ali G character?
Ali G is a comedy character played by British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen. He first appeared on the U.K. Television series The 11 O'Clock Show. He is a fictional interviewer and prankster who pretends to be a clueless, slang-speaking figure. A new feature film, Ali G: Who Iz I?, brings the character back.
Why it's in the news
Sacha Baron Cohen returns as Ali G in Ali G: Who Iz I?, a feature film sequel to Ali G in Da House from 2002. The film has drawn strong reactions, including a boycott campaign and criticism of the character as outdated.
- Ali G Who Iz I — Sacha Baron Cohen returns as Ali G in new film
Background
Ali G originated on The 11 O'Clock Show, a British television program. Sacha Baron Cohen performs the character, who sets up interviews and hoaxes with people who do not know the joke. The character's style relies on slang and on guests who reveal their own views. The 2002 film Ali G in Da House was a feature film built around him.
Ali G: Who Iz I? Is a sequel to that 2002 film. In the new story, Ali G is washed up, short of money and unpopular. He travels to the United States with his partner Julie, played by Morgana Robinson, and the film returns to a series of hoaxes. Other characters from Baron Cohen's Who Is America? Television series also appear. The film is described by critics as broad and crass, and some reviewers say parts of it are funny.
Baron Cohen has said the film will be his last guerrilla comedy of this kind, including Borat and Bruno. He has said similar things before, including before the 2020 Borat sequel. A campaign to boycott the film has formed, and critics have accused it of relying on an outdated caricature. Some critics say the film uses cultural appropriation as a plot point. A premiere clip showing a man being removed from his seat has also drawn coverage.
What people are asking
What is the Ali G movie?
Ali G: Who Iz I? is a feature film starring Sacha Baron Cohen as Ali G. It is a sequel to Ali G in Da House, which came out in 2002. The new film follows Ali G, his partner Julie, and a series of hoaxes in the United States.
Is this the last Ali G movie?
Baron Cohen has said Ali G: Who Iz I? will be his last film of this style. He has made similar statements before, so it is not certain whether he will keep to it.
Where did Ali G come from?
Ali G first appeared on The 11 O'Clock Show, a British television series. Sacha Baron Cohen performs the character.