Storyline · entertainment · 2 reports from 1 newsroom
Sacha Baron Cohen revives Ali G
First reported Oct 16, 11:00 AM ET · Latest Oct 20, 12:40 PM ET · Explainer updated Oct 20, 1:02 PM ET
Where things stand
Variety reports that Sacha Baron Cohen is returning to his Ali G character in a new film called “Ali G: Who Iz I?” slated to premiere on Oct. 23, and that “60 Minutes” will air a profile of him on Oct. 18. He also wrote a cover essay for Time magazine explaining his decision.
What changed
The latest Variety piece adds Baron Cohen’s own justification, saying the character’s “outdated and problematic” nature is why he brought him back, a detail not mentioned in the earlier “60 Minutes” announcement.
What the reporting says
Each fact is matched to the exact words of the report it comes from, and checked that those words really say it. Open one to see the source.
- He resurrected Ali G because it is “outdated and problematic.”
Source
- ““The fact that Ali G is outdated and problematic is the very reason I resurrected him,”” — Variety
How this story developed
- New: He resurrected Ali G because it is “outdated and problematic.”
Questions we’re following
- It is unclear how audiences and critics will react to the revived character, and whether the film will address the controversies it may provoke. Open
Background
Ali G is a satirical “buffoon” persona that Baron Cohen first performed on British TV in the early 2000s, using exaggerated slang and ignorance to expose prejudice. The new film marks his first return to the role after more than a decade.
What to watch
No specific future date is given beyond the Oct. 23 film premiere and the Oct. 18 “60 Minutes” broadcast.
Ask this story
Answers come only from our reporting on this story, with the sources they rest on. If it doesn’t say, we’ll tell you.
Timeline of reporting
- Sacha Baron Cohen Defends Bringing Back ‘Problematic’ Ali G Amid Controversy: He’s ‘Designed to Expose’ Prejudice — Variety
Sacha Baron Cohen has explained why he decided to resurrect his buffoon alter-ego Ali G after more than a decade. “The fact that Ali G is outdated and problematic is the very reason I resurrected him,” Baron Cohen writes in a cover essay for Time magazine. “Th
- ’60 Minutes’ to Profile Sacha Baron Cohen (EXCLUSIVE) — Variety
“60 Minutes” will air a profile of Sacha Baron Cohen on Oct. 18. The episode comes ahead of the Oct. 23 premiere of “Ali G: Who Iz I?,” a film in which he reprises the role he first played on Channel 4’s “The 11 O’Clock Show” and Channel 4 and HBO’s “Da Ali G
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