Watch Ali G, Innit
- N/A
- 2015
- 1 Season
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7.6 (2,017)
Ali G, Innit was a satirical comedy show that aired on Channel 4 in the UK from 1999-2000. It was created by and starred Sacha Baron Cohen, who played a character named Ali G, a wannabe gangsta rap star from West Staines. The show also featured the character of Alex Alonso, a Cuban-American lawyer and Ali G's "legal adviser."
The premise of the show was that Ali G would interview various public figures in his inimitable style, asking questions that were often absurd and always provocative. His interviews ranged from politicians like former British Prime Minister David Cameron and U.S. Senator Bob Dole, to celebrities like Victoria Beckham and Donald Trump. The interviews were often edited in a way that made the interviewee appear uncomfortable or taken aback by Ali G's questions, which were sometimes intentionally offensive.
One of the key features of the show was Ali G's use of language. He had a distinct dialect that mixed elements of Jamaican Patois with London working-class slang, and often used words and phrases that were invented by Cohen himself (such as "booyakasha" and "respek"). Ali G's speech patterns and mannerisms were often imitated by viewers and became a cultural phenomenon in the UK.
The show also featured a number of sketches and segments, such as "Ali G's Guide to Britain," in which he explained British customs and slang to a group of bemused American tourists. Another popular segment was "Keep it Real," in which Ali G would invite various guests to his studio to discuss a topic, but would then interrupt them and accuse them of not "keeping it real."
While the show was often criticized for its use of offensive language and its treatment of interviewees, it was also praised for its satirical take on popular culture and politics. Ali G, Innit was seen as a precursor to other satirical shows like Da Ali G Show (which aired on HBO in the US), The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and The Colbert Report.
Overall, Ali G, Innit was a groundbreaking TV show that introduced the world to the character of Ali G and established Sacha Baron Cohen as a major comedic talent. While the show may not have aged well in terms of its use of language and treatment of some interviewees, it remains a significant cultural artifact of the late 1990s and early 2000s.
