Ali G: Rezurection

Da Ali G Show

Company type	Television series
Industry	Entertainment, Comedy
Founded	2000 (2000)
Founder	Sacha Baron Cohen
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Area served	United Kingdom, United States, Australia
Products	Television series, Films (Ali G Indahouse, Borat, Brüno)

Da Ali G Show is a British sketch comedy series known for its satirical edge, created and performed by comedian Sacha Baron Cohen. Baron Cohen takes on the roles of three distinctive fictional reporters: the faux streetwise persona Ali G, the eccentric Kazakh correspondent Borat Sagdiyev, and the flamboyant Austrian fashionista Brüno Gehard. These personas conduct genuine interviews with unaware participants, including celebrities and prominent officials, often posing outlandish or provocative questions.

The show's inaugural season premiered in 2000 on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom. Subsequent seasons two and three (2003–2004) were broadcast in the United States via HBO. The second season was released under the title Ali G in da USAiii for audiences in the UK and Australia. In 2005, HBO declared that no additional seasons would be produced.

Expanding the franchise, Baron Cohen produced four feature films spotlighting these characters: Ali G Indahouse (2002), Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006), Brüno (2009), and Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2020).

In 2014, the network FXX reintroduced the series to American viewers, including episodes that had not previously aired, under the title Ali G: Rezurection.

Ali G

Ali G (real name Alistair Leslie Graham) serves as the primary figure in Da Ali G Show. He styles himself as the "voice of da yoof" and leader of the "West Staines Massiv." His character combines elements typical of British African-Caribbean culture with hip hop and American urban influences. Presenting himself as a British talk show host focusing on media and political topics, Ali G interviews unsuspecting guests. He frequently weaves narratives based on their responses, involving his entourage—Ricky C, Dangerous Dave, Rainbow Jeremy ("me Julie")—and family members such as his grandmother or Uncle Jamal. This persona was also central to the film Ali G Indahouse.

Borat Sagdiyev

Borat Sagdiyev is another prominent character introduced as a discovery by Ali G on obscure satellite television. Hailing from a fictional version of Kazakhstan, Borat travels across the UK and US conducting interviews and participating in various activities. Although he appears well-intentioned, his behavior often unsettles interviewees through "Kazakh" traditions and politically incorrect statements, including misogynistic and anti-Semitic remarks purportedly rooted in his culture. The culture depicted is entirely fictional; for example, a Roma village in Romania is used to represent Borat’s "typical Kazakh village." Borat’s dialogue is actually Hebrew, though audiences are led to believe it is Kazakh. He mentions a sport called "shurik," which involves shooting dogs, refers to his deceased wife and brother Bilo, and frequently expresses interest in "sexy time" with those he interviews. This character appears in two films: Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006) and its follow-up Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2020).

Brüno

Brüno Gehard is an Austrian gay fashion correspondent and represents the third persona featured on Da Ali G Show. He portrays himself as the spokesperson for "Austrian gay television," frequently making others uneasy by openly displaying his ostentatious homosexuality. In one segment, Brüno performs cheerleading routines with exaggerated, stereotypical gay gestures alongside University of Alabama cheerleaders, stirring reactions from some Crimson Tide supporters during a 2002 football match. He also persuades students to announce their homosexuality in Polish.

Brüno conducts interviews with fashion insiders and party attendees, revealing extreme opinions about those deemed unfashionable and emphasizing the superficiality and double standards within the fashion world. For example, he elicits statements claiming that fashion has saved more lives than medical professionals, that people with poor fashion sense should be sent to concentration camps, that Osama bin Laden is fashionable, and that if house music had existed in the 1930s, it might have prevented World War II. In 2009, Universal Pictures released a motion picture inspired by this character titled Brüno.

Controversy

Baron Cohen’s method frequently generated controversy. Some participants felt deceived after discovering they had been tricked, while certain remarks provoked outrage among viewers.

In one episode, Borat performs an antisemitic song called "In My Country There Is Problem" at a bar in Tucson, Arizona, featuring lyrics such as "Throw the Jew down the well/So my country can be free." Although many patrons appeared to sing along enthusiastically, subsequent investigations revealed that most understood it was a joke and that Borat was actually a comedian in disguise. The Anti-Defamation League condemned this segment; however, HBO defended it as satirical content aimed at exposing ignorance and prejudice. Baron Cohen, who is Jewish himself, described Borat’s scenes as illustrating how racism thrives on conformity rather than individual hatred.

One particularly controversial interviewee was James Broadwater, a Republican congressional candidate. Borat informed him that the interview intended to educate foreign viewers about American politics. During the conversation, Broadwater claimed Jews would go to Hell if they did not convert to Christianity. This statement drew criticism from Jewish organizations and led Broadwater to publicly criticize Da Ali G Show, advocate for stricter FCC regulation of what he termed "liberal, anti-God media," and express support for Israel on his personal website.

Ali G: Rezurection

On 1 November 2013, FXX acquired rights to rebroadcast the series, including previously unaired American episodes, under the name Ali G: Rezurection, which premiered on 26 February 2014. This edition featured new opening segments with Sacha Baron Cohen reprising his role as Ali G. The series was also available for streaming as Da Ali G Show Remixed on the Australian platform Stan.

Opening sequence

Under the direction of Garth Jennings, the memorable opening sequence features a nude Ali G illuminated by a spotlight as his attire assembles piece by piece accompanied by dynamic sound effects. This iconic introduction has been parodied on The Simpsons and in the 2005 BBC mini-series Casanova, starring David Tennant.

External links

• Ali G on Channel4.com
• Official HBO site
• Boyakasha.co.uk (fan site)