Sacha Baron Cohen is bringing Ali G back after 24 years, but the controversial character’s return has already triggered a fierce backlash, with activists calling for a boycott of the upcoming film and sending thousands of protest emails to cinemas.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the new mockumentary, Ali G: Who Iz I?, is set for release in October. The film follows Cohen’s dreadlocked, wannabe hip-hop alter ego as Ali G attempts to stage a career comeback.
NewsCord, a UK-based watchdog site that uses AI to track media bias, has mobilised supporters to send 37,000 emails to cinemas worldwide, urging them not to screen the Amazon MGM Studios film. The group described Ali G as a racist caricature and cited criticism of the character dating back to 2000.
“Black British comedians called the character ‘an alibi for racism’ in 2000,” NewsCord wrote, although the report noted that the comment apparently came from one comedian. The organisation also cited criticism from author Jeanette Winterson and groups representing Kazakh and Arab communities.
British writer Afua Hirsch also criticised the character in a Substack post, arguing that Ali G’s portrayal draws on outdated stereotypes and includes the sexualisation of Black women and mockery of working-class women.
Ali G, however, was conceived as a parody of a white British man whose exaggerated attempts to imitate Black culture make him the subject of ridicule. Critics argue that the character may now feel dated rather than relevant to contemporary culture.
Cohen appeared to anticipate the backlash. Sharing the trailer on X, he wrote: “In an age where a comedian’s career can be ended by a single un-PC joke, I thought I’d play it safe and bring this guy back.”
Online reaction to the trailer has ranged from enthusiasm to accusations of racism and criticism that Cohen waited too long to revive the character. Some protest messages also contained antisemitic remarks targeting the Jewish comedian.
“Ali G, for decades, has been a racist caricature of black Jamaican, British, and American culture through the voice of a white comedian from England,” one critic wrote.
Another user argued that the character no longer has cultural relevance, suggesting Cohen should instead have mocked “the persona of the 50 year old has been celebrity using a completely outdated character in a desperate attempt to reclaim former glory”.
So far, no major cinema chain appears to have joined the boycott. NewsCord previously claimed that one chain would ban the film but later retracted the statement.
The Danish cinema chain NFBIO defended its decision to screen the film, saying Cohen’s work has long divided audiences between those who find it offensive and those who see it as satire.
The chain said cinemas should offer a broad and diverse programme and should not act as censors by refusing legally distributed films aimed at adult audiences. It added that viewers should be trusted to decide for themselves whether to watch or reject a film.
Ali G: Who Iz I? now faces a familiar question for Cohen’s most provocative creation: after more than two decades away, can Ali G still provoke laughter without provoking outrage?
