Ali G

Ali G is a satirical UK hip-hop-type character invented and played by the comedian Sacha Baron Cohen.

History

Ali G first appeared on Channel 4's The Eleven O'Clock Show as the "voice of da youth". He interviewed British public figures, who, too scared to appear "uncool", were completely fooled by his idiosyncratic interview technique, based mostly on the simple stratagem of pretending to be stupid.

Related Topics:
Channel 4 - The Eleven O'Clock Show - British - Pretending to be stupid

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One particularly memorable interview was with a fashion designer. He suggested that the Wonderbra should be banned as it misleads guys into thinking a woman's breasts are bigger than they are, retelling a story of having been disappointed when a girl he'd 'pulled' proved to have been wearing a Wonderbra. He also asked his interviewee if he was pleased Gianni Versace was killed, because it meant less competition, and suggesting that he'd heard a rumour that Calvin Klein did it. This was a clear satire on the feuding which followed the deaths of the rappers 2Pac and The Notorious B.I.G.

Related Topics:
Wonderbra - Gianni Versace - Calvin Klein - Rapper - 2Pac - The Notorious B.I.G.

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Other examples of his style of interviewing include coaxing a bishop into saying that he believed God created the universe, then asking "and since then he's just chilled?" (a variant on the 'doubting Thomas' philosophy), and suggesting that film censorship should be done by a younger person who knows the crude terms being used (after asking James Ferman whether a succession of his made-up vulgarities would make a film an 18).

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He is a member of the "West Staines Massiv", and lives at 36 Cherry Blossom Close in the heart of the "Staines Ghetto". He was educated at what he calls "Da Matthew Arnold Skool". http://www.alig.com/dafacts.html Staines is a middle-class suburb of London that has been the butt of jokes for many years. Anywhere further from an American inner city ghetto would be hard to imagine. This fact is lost on Ali G, who believes himself to exemplify "Gangsta" culture. He likes saying "bitches".

Related Topics:
West Staines Massiv - Matthew Arnold Skool - Staines - Suburb - London - American - Inner city - Ghetto

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Ali G has subsequently become a UK media phenomenon, with his own TV show. He was featured in Madonna's music video for her song "Music" as a limousine driver and subsequently recorded his own record with the rap/reggae performer Shaggy. In 2002 he was the central character in the feature film Ali G Indahouse, in which he became elected to Parliament and had to foil a plot to bulldoze Staines. He is now the main character of HBO's Da Ali G Show, which also features two other characters, Borat Sagdiyev (a reporter from Kazakhstan) and Bruno (a fashion reporter for Austria's Gay TV).

Related Topics:
TV show - Madonna - Music video - Rap - Reggae - Shaggy - 2002 - Ali G Indahouse - Parliament - HBO's - Da Ali G Show - Borat Sagdiyev - Bruno

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