Sacha Baron Cohen
‘Alice Through the Looking Glass’ film premiere, Los Angeles, America – 23 May 2016
The English actor, Sacha Baron Cohen, known for playing crude roles such as Bruno and Borat, has a new show called “Who Is America?” where he interviews America’s politician, along with famous and not so famous people and provokes them with his over the top characters.
“Who Is America?” is being “teased by the network in a brief video as “perhaps the most dangerous show in the history of television”” (Nordine). Although, that might seem as an extreme overstatement, it could be true as he is talking to politicians on there. Well, tricking them into interviews with his crazy characters. He also makes them do some interesting things on camera and, of course, they do it for the views.
Most viewers know Cohen’s other crazy characters from his films and shows, but what made him go into this type of comedy? The 46-year-old from London created the character of “Ali G – a satirical figure who wore a bright yellow tracksuit and was part of the “Berkshire Massif” group” (Clarke). Even though his characters are more comedically crude, he has also been in more notably serious films like Les Misérables (2012) and Hugo (2011). 
He’s the son of a movement instructor and a clothing store owner. He was educated at a private school and then studied History in college. He had interest in performing arts as a teenager and then acting with a youth group. He took part in plays like “Cyrano de Bergerac” and “Fiddler on the Roof” (IMDb).
He moved on to work as a host on a TV station and he put a tape featuring his early prototype character for Ali G which became so popular that he made a spin-off show called “Da Ali G Show” in 2000 and then a film in 2002 called “Ali G Indahouse” which he also produced.
“Who Is America?” is his latest project and is “a seven-part undercover satirical comedy series and marks his first full TV series since Da Ali G show in 2004” (Clarke). Over a decade since his last full-length show by him so it should be something to watch out for. But also, something to be warned about because in an article by Vulture, the posters for the show said “You’ve been warned” and “features a man peering out from under an American flag” (Nordine).
In the first episode, Cohen poses as an ex-con that turned into an avant garde artist and tells an art dealer that he made a paintbrush out of pubic hairs and asks if she can contribute to it and she actually goes through with it on camera (Hornshaw, Owen).
“Who Is America?” is a for-front of Cohen’s comedy that deals with over the top characters making people do some interesting and funny things on camera. So, if you are going to watch it, be warned for the type of humor that is Cohen but also try it first because it might open your eyes to some of the people that is in this world.
“Biography.” IMDb, IMDb.com, www.imdb.com/name/nm0056187/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm.
Nordine, Michael. “’Who Is America?’: Sacha Baron Cohen’s New Trump-Themed Show Revealed.” IndieWire, Indiewire, 8 July 2018, www.indiewire.com/2018/07/who-is-america-sacha-baron-cohen-trump-showtime-1201981965/.
Clarke, Emma. “Here’s All You Need to Know about Sacha Baron Cohen.” The Sun, The Sun, 6 Aug. 2018, www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/5569954/sacha-baron-cohen-wife-isla-fisher-borat-who-is-america/.
Hornshaw, Phil, and Phil Owen. “Who Is America?’: The Best Jokes From the First Episode of Sacha Baron Cohen’s New Show.” TheWrap, TheWrap, 15 July 2018, www.thewrap.com/america-best-jokes-first-episode-sacha-baron-cohens-new-show/.
