Booyakasha! Ali G is back – but even he can't match the absurdity of modern Britain
Sacha Baron Cohen’s character once exposed the contradictions of an emerging multicultural nation. But nearly 30 years on Britain has changed – and so has the joke
TL;DR
- Sacha Baron Cohen's character Ali G is returning in a new mockumentary titled 'Ali G: Who Iz I?'.
- The revival has sparked debate, with some defending it as necessary satire and others condemning it as a 'racist caricature'.
- The interpretation of Ali G's humor has shifted since its debut, with initial views seeing it as satire of liberal elites, while others, particularly Black British comedians, saw it as mocking Black street culture.
- Sociologist Paul Gilroy viewed Ali G as a reflection of multicultural Britain's coming-of-age and cultural hybridity.
- The article questions Ali G's relevance in 2026, given the hardening of political boundaries around national belonging and the shift to an online, more racialized environment.
- The original comedic mechanism of using interviews to expose powerful figures may no longer be effective as Baron Cohen is now a famous figure himself.
- The article suggests the joke may no longer work because the cultural mix Ali G parodied is now mundane, and the character is no longer transgressive.