Sacha Baron Cohen

This article is about Sacha Baron Cohen, an English comedian. For the figure skater, see Sasha Cohen. Sacha Baron Cohen (born 13 October, 1971 in Staines, London) is an English comedian notable for his highly successful comedy characters Ali G (an MC and gangster wannabe from Staines), Borat (a Kazakhstani reporter) and Bruno (a gay Austrian fashion reporter). Sacha Baron Cohen is a cousin of University of Cambridge Professor of Developmental Psychopathology Simon Baron-Cohen. ^* and is engaged to Australian model-actress Isla Fisher.

Childhood

Baron CohenBaron is not a title of nobility, but the first part of his compound surname, an anglicization of Baruch was born into a middle-class Jewish family, the second of three sons of Gerald Baron Cohen and his wife Daniella. His father, a Serbian Jew, who owns a menswear shop in Piccadilly, is originally from Wales, while his mother is of Persian descent and was a native of Israel.

Baron Cohen attended Saint Columba's College, an independent Catholic school in St Albans, Haberdashers' Aske's School, a public school in Elstree, and went on to study history at Christ's College, Cambridge.

Early career

In 1994 Channel 4 was planning a replacement for its series The Word and put out an open call for new presenters. Baron Cohen sent in a tape of himself in the character of Kristo, a fictional television reporter from Albania (who later became Borat, from Kazakhstan), that caught the attention of one producer who kept him in mind. Baron Cohen marked time by working for a Swindon based television company. He was also an active member in the Jewish youth movement Habonim Dror.

Ali G and rise to celebrity

Baron Cohen shot to fame when his character Ali G started appearing on The Eleven O'Clock Show on Channel 4. Da Ali G Show began in 2000 and won the BAFTA for best comedy series the next year. In 2002, Ali G was the central character in the feature film Ali G Indahouse, in which he became elected to the United Kingdom's Parliament and had to foil a plot to bulldoze a community centre in his home town of Staines. The show was taken to the United States in 2003, where it aired on HBO. Baron Cohen often fools guests to appear on his show by sending them letters with HBO's letterhead and type.

Other characters created by Baron Cohen include Borat, a television reporter from Kazakhstan with a fervent hatred of Jews, an extreme hatred of gypsies (Roma people) and a misogynistic attitude. Baron Cohen's third alter ego is Bruno, a gay Austrian fashion show presenter, who often lures his subjects into unwittingly making provocative statements and engaging in embarrassing behaviour, as well as leading them to contradict themselves, often in the same interview. This was once done by Bruno asking the subjects to answer the yes or no questions by saying either "Ach-Ja" for yes or "Nicht-Nicht" for no.

Notable interviews have included writer Gore Vidal, real estate mogul Donald Trump, Egyptian millionare Mohamed Al Fayed, politician Newt Gingrich, former UN Secretary Boutros Boutros-Ghali (whom Baron Cohen, in his Ali G character, referred to as "Boutros Boutros Boutros-Ghali"), and journalist Andy Rooney. He also is a supporter of Comic Relief, and for the charity he has done interviews (as Ali G) with, among others, footballer David Beckham and his wife Victoria.

Recent appearances

Baron Cohen played the voice of King Julien the lemur in the 2005 animated movie, Madagascar (and is billed as first person in Madagascar II, which is expected to come out in 2008). He guest starred in the Season 5 finale of Curb Your Enthusiasm with Dustin Hoffman as a guide to Heaven. Baron Cohen has presented the MTV Europe Music Awards twice, first on November 8, 2001 in Frankfurt, Germany, as Ali G, and then on November 3, 2005 in Lisbon, Portugal, as Borat. He also delivered the 2004 Class Day address at Harvard University as Ali G, the day before the commencement ceremony. In the 2006 MTV Movie Awards, Baron Cohen's character Borat introduced Gnarls Barkley's performance of "Crazy". Baron Cohen will co-star as the racing rival to Will Ferrell in the upcoming Talladega Nights.

Major Motion Picture 'Borat'

A major film 'Borat', which is based on the 'Ali-G Show' sketch, is in post production and to be released on November 3rd 2006.

It is stated to be an unscripted mockumentary, but with some interviews with various American citizens. Also, there will be unpredictable performances such as Borat having a naked wrestling match with his obese friend at a meeting.

Controversy

He has had some troubles because of the racist or prejudiced comments his characters make (see Da Ali G Show). HBO spokesman Quentin Schaffer has replied to the criticisms in America with, "Through his alter-egos, he delivers an obvious satire that exposes people's ignorance and prejudice in much the same way All in the Family did years ago." ^*

The government of Kazakhstan threatened him with legal action after the MTV EMA ceremony in Lisbon, and the authority in charge of the country's country-code top-level domain name removed the website that he had created for his character (www.borat.kz) for alleged violation of the law. The New York Times (among others) has reported that Baron Cohen (in character as his Borat persona) has urged them on, stating “Sue the Jew!!” "British comic responds to legal threat against 'Borat'", CBC, Friday, Nov. 25, 2005. He was, however, recently defended by Dariga Nazarbayeva, a politician and the daughter of Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who stated "We should not be afraid of humour and we shouldn't try to control everything, I think"."Daughter of Kazakhstan's president defends Borat", CBC, Friday, April 21, 2006.

Trivia

Sacha Baron Cohen is left-handed.
Sacha Baron Cohen is 6' 3" tall.

Notes

External links

Sacha Baron Cohen interview with NPR's Robert Siegel
Boyakasha.co.uk: The ultimate Ali G / Borat website
Official Borat Homesite (created after the original site, www.borat.kz, was taken down by Kazakh authorities)
Unofficial Borat Homepage
Yahoo biography

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