Sacha Baron Cohen Revives Ali G: Satire in an Age of Amplified Prejudice

LOS ANGELES — More than two decades since he first burst onto screens, Ali G is back. Sacha Baron Cohen has resurrected the iconic, controversial character for Ali G: Who Iz I?, his new mockumentary feature hitting theaters October 23, and in a candid essay published by TIME, the 54‑year‑old filmmaker explains exactly why now is the right, and necessary, moment for his return.

Why Bring Ali G Back Now?

“The fact that Ali G is outdated and problematic is the very reason I resurrected him,” Cohen writes. It is a striking admission that acknowledges the criticisms long attached to the character while making clear he believes there is still vital work to do. “The world he’s returned to is, in many ways, worse than the one he left 20 years ago. All the prejudices my characters are designed to expose haven’t just lingered th; they’ve metastasized.”

For Cohen, the dangers he first targeted decades ago have not faded; they have grown sharper, louder, and more accepted. What once simmered beneath the surface now often boils over in public view, making satire not just relevant but essential.

The Joke Is on Him

Cohen has always been clear: Ali G is not a hero, nor is he intended to be admired. He describes him frankly as “extremely dumb,” “a white imbecile, a delusional cultural appropriator who steals the fashion and lyrics from his favorite gangsta rap and dancehall idols.” The character’s blunders, misplaced confidence, and absurd questions are not meant to be imitated; they are meant to be seen for what they are: ridiculous. “The joke is on him,” Cohen says firmly.

Crucially, the joke also extends to those sitting across from him. When Ali G asks absurd, ill‑informed questions to serious experts and public figures, he creates a space where unexamined assumptions, biases, and prejudices come spilling out, often from people who should know better.

Ignorance Goes Mainstream

That dynamic, Cohen argues, has shifted dramatically. “Twenty years ago, Ali G would sit next to world experts spouting absurdities. Today, fed a steady diet of disinformation and conspiracy theories by social media influencers and TikTok news we have created an entire world where ignorance reigns, and truth is inverted.”

Where once it took careful setup or a few drinks to draw out prejudiced views, he notes, such perspectives are now openly expressed online, in public, even in positions of power. “Back when I first created Borat, it took a few minutes or a few drinks to get people to reveal the racism that often simmered below the surface. Now, those views have gone mainstream.” From abuse directed at athletes to public displays of hate, the warning signs are everywhere.

Defending the Purpose of Satire

Cohen addresses the criticism that his characters blur the line between exposing bigotry and embodying it. “I’ve always designed my characters and comedy as vehicles to expose prejudice, bias and stupidity, though I realize not everyone sees them that way,” he writes. “As someone who has opposed bigotry and injustice throughout my life and partnered with civil rights groups, I don’t recognize myself in the warped portrayals of me that I sometimes see on social media, lumped in with the bigots I lampoon.”

He looks to the trailblazers who came before the creators of Monty Python’s Life of Brian and other brave works who used biting, sometimes uncomfortable humour to challenge injustice. “They were doing something important: using biting and at times cruel humor to undermine systemic injustice.” Satire is not always gentle; it is not always kind. But its purpose, Cohen insists, remains the same: to hold a mirror up so society cannot look away.

A Legacy of Bold Provocation

This film continues a career defined by risk. From Da Ali G Show to Borat, Brüno, and beyond, Cohen has inserted himself into real‑world situations to reveal uncomfortable truths often at personal risk. His wife, Isla Fisher, has noted that he shares details of dangerous stunts with her in advance, a reminder that this work demands courage as much as creativity. Whether through Borat exposing anti‑Semitism or Ali G revealing elite cluelessness, the method is consistent: disarm, engage, and listen.

Ali G Returns October 23

Cohen serves not only as a star but as a writer, director, and producer on Ali G: Who Iz I? marking his feature directorial debut. It is a project he has nurtured and shaped from every angle, carrying the weight of everything he has learned, seen, and feared in the years since we last met the character.

Ali G is back, older, arguably no wiser, and more necessary than ever. Whether you find him funny, frustrating, or somewhere in between, Cohen wants you to ask one question as you watch: who is really being laughed at? And who, in the end, is being revealed?