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Sacha Baron Cohen brings Ali G back amid controversy over racist stereotypes

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Sacha Baron Cohen is bringing Ali G back in the film “Ali G: Who Iz I?”, nearly 20 years after the character’s last appearance.
  • The film has prompted a boycott campaign accusing the character of reinforcing racist stereotypes, with organizers saying they sent more than 41,000 emails to 15 cinema chains.
  • Baron Cohen defended the return sarcastically, while the UK Cinema Association said cinemas should not act as censors.

Ali G is returning to the screen, but the character’s comeback has already become a fight over the limits of satire. Sacha Baron Cohen’s new film, “Ali G: Who Iz I?”, was made secretly over the past year and marks his directorial debut.

The mockumentary follows Ali G’s life after “the world went to hell,” alongside his pregnant girlfriend, played by Morgana Robinson. Amazon MGM Studios plans to release the film in theaters on October 23. Sony Pictures UK has promoted it with the slogan, “He’s back. We’re not responsible.”

Ali G is a cover to laugh at Jamaican culture.

— NewsCord campaignThe campaign accused the character of using satire to reinforce harmful stereotypes.

Criticism intensified after the trailer appeared. NewsCord, a British media monitoring platform, launched a campaign urging cinemas worldwide not to screen the film. Campaign organizers said more than 41,000 emails had gone to 15 major theater chains by Sunday.

The activists argue that Baron Cohen uses satire to disguise racism. “Ali G is a cover to laugh at Jamaican culture,” the campaign wrote on X. “The character enforces harmful stereotypes of how a Jamaican man behaves in society.” It also said, “The world laughs at Ali G, but the real butt of the joke is Black people, and specifically Jamaicans.”

The character enforces harmful stereotypes of how a Jamaican man behaves in society.

— NewsCord campaignThe activists described the portrayal they object to.

The campaign pointed to earlier criticism from Black comedians, who called Ali G “an alibi for racism” in 2000. It also cited author Jeanette Winterson, who questioned how the character differed from racist minstrel shows.

The world laughs at Ali G, but the real butt of the joke is Black people, and specifically Jamaicans.

— NewsCord campaignThe campaign argued that the character’s satire targets Black people and Jamaicans.

Baron Cohen, 54, answered in his familiar sarcastic style: “In an age where a comedian’s career can be ended by a single un-PC joke, I thought I’d play it safe and bring this guy back.” UK Cinema Association chief executive Phil Clapp told Variety that cinemas exist to entertain a broad audience, not to decide what that audience should like. Variety also reported that Picturehouse had not agreed to boycott the film, correcting claims based on an automated customer-service response before screenings had been scheduled.

Ali G first appeared on Britain’s Channel 4 in the late 1990s and became a cultural phenomenon before Baron Cohen retired him in 2007, after the actor became too recognizable.

In an age where a comedian’s career can be ended by a single un-PC joke, I thought I’d play it safe and bring this guy back.

— Sacha Baron CohenBaron Cohen responded sarcastically to the boycott campaign.
About this summary

Originally published by Jerusalem Post in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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