Ali G answers his critics: ‘Me ain’t the first intellectual to get haterz’ | Sacha Baron Cohen
Sitting in a chicken shop in Staines, Ali G starts the interview with some typical chaotic energy, initially mistaking the meeting for a date with Amelia Dimoldenberg. Once they get the interview on track, the conversation quickly turns to ordering enough chicken to push the bill to £500, paid for by the Guardian.
Twenty-four years after Ali G Indahouse, the character makes his big screen return in Ali G: Who Iz I?. The trailer has sparked fresh criticism, with some saying the Rastafarian persona and fake dreadlocks now feel more like an outdated caricature than satire. In the interview, Ali G sports four watches for different time zones and a diamond teddy bear he swipes was stolen from the Queen. He expresses pride in the petition to erect a statue of him in Staines, joking that the only difference between him and the statue is that he actually sells weed in the town centre.
He opens up about becoming a dad, sharing a wild story about buying a marble Jacuzzi on eBay to prepare with his partner Julie and a woman from Abrakebabra, which ended up crashing through the floor and killing his nan. He laughs about his six-month-old baby already being a breasts enthusiast who can read audiobooks.
Facing the backlash, Ali G defends his return, saying he isn’t the first intellectual to face haters—pointing out that Jesus, Gandhi, and Brooklyn Beckham all dealt with them. He claims the only person of colour supporting him is Jacob Rees-Mogg, which is all he needs. He also complains about influencers copying his style, calling them cultural appropriators.
Looking back on his career, he names Donald Trump as the stupidest person he ever interviewed, wondering how he married such fit women. He also shares his ultimate dream: interviewing God in heaven about why bad things happen on Earth, like wars and Coldplay. The new movie hits cinemas on October 23rd.
