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It's the best medicine, yet you may lose your head doing it. Hyenas and policemen are renowned for it. And it's always good to get the last one all the way to the bank. Laughter is infectious and the people covered over the next eight pages will have had you rolling in your aisles. Our comedy special kicks off with who has upset everyone from Tony Benn to the Welsh nation. This racially ambiguous interrogator is steeped in the grand prankster tradition but is the frontrunner of British comedy already on last legs? WOrds: Brian Donaldson
JUST WHO IS ALI G? HE'S A WHITE GUY TRYING TO BE BLACK; no. he‘s an Asian guy trying to imitate a white guy trying to be black: no. you‘re all wrong. he's a hall—caste trying to grasp for a defined sense of identity. no matter what it is. and
funn
busines
y
asking a set of questions varying born the l‘rankly dumb to the outright ol‘l‘ensive. To \Vclsh Labour MP Ron Davies: ‘no disrespect. but me heard that Wales is a hit crap'. To Sue Lees. a l’rol'essor ol~ (lender Studies: ‘would you trust a woman lilying your plane"? 'l‘o .lttdge Pickles (despite his name. he‘s not a Di ): ‘when is it OK to murder someone"? 01‘: ‘when can you plead the l‘il'th Amendment"?
Ali (i may he a mystery. but surely it can be cleared tip by his creator. Sacha Baron Cohen"? To keep the intrigue rolling along. (‘ohen has yet to do any media interviews. A wise move considering the nature ol‘ his act. The corridors ol power and the snug bars of Soho l'ill quickly with rumours that a hoax interviewer is on the loose. Not even Sir Rhodes Boyson would he l'ool enough to get himsell' into a rootn again with a relatively unknown interrogator to talk about being caned in school or getting confined in a debate about decimalisation.
(‘ohen has let the mask drop
tailing miserably.
Whatever his heritage and aspirations. Ali (i is undoubtedly the hottest new comic on the box. having slowly risen to cult status with his interviewing interludes on The // ()'(‘/()('/\' Show. 'l‘hereal‘ter followed a full-length video with 'null unseen footage and a lace-oil with the Queen on (‘hristmas Day. And soon to be upon us is the most eagerly- anticipated solo comedy series since Johnny Vegas bombed with his 1997 pilot.
ll~ you don't know the Ali (i schtick yet. you're in an ever- shrinking minority. ()n getting celebrities. stars and personalities into an interviewing situation
(presumany on the pretext of
being the l‘rontman for a yotith programme for which he requires the most basic of information) he warms up the victim before I
g r“. ‘u
Talk of the clown
So, what is he bangin’ on about? Keep it real with the Ali G glossary.
Aaaye Yes.
Batty boy A non-heterosexual male. Booyakah! Jolly good!
Booyakasha! Exemplary!
Brothers Coalminers who black up.
Caned Drug punishment in schools.
A Chocolate Orange Stanley Kubrick's banned film.
De Massive My associates.
Drinking from the furry cup Sex act between consenting females.
Eating from the bushy plate See ’drinking from the furry cup’.
For real Undoubtedly.
Fox Attractive lady being hunted in the countryside.
Gaelic Language of Irish homosexuals.
Having the painters in Menstruating.
lnnit? Wouldn't you agree?
Junglist posse Young enthusiasts of popular dance music. Punani Female genitalia. Rag week See ’having the painters in'. Strikers Workers having time off after a particularly heavy weekend. Ti'isexual Trying anything sexual. Trying feminism Sex act between consenting females.
Wales The country which is home to the fish with the biggest dick in the ocean. (Ali G/Brian Donaldson)
just once. at the British (‘omedy
Awards in January. Dressed in a tux. he hopped on stage to accept his prize for Best TV Newcomer. insisting that had Ali (i been there. he would have been too busy trying to bone (‘arol Smillie to make an acceptance speech. Since then he has been unmasked as a privileged Jewish lad and a former public schoolboy who went to (‘ambridge where he was politically active and a member ol the liootlights.
Now though. his hard work truly begins. The nature ol. (‘ohen‘s role as Ali (i has such a brief shell-lite that the creation of new characters is imperative. l‘or his new show. (‘ohen has come tip with just the one and. inevitably. that is under wraps. As (‘hris Morris has l‘ound. disappearing from the l‘rontline is better than flogging a potentially dying horse and he had the honour of making Mad Frankie l‘raser. Vanessa lielt/ and Noel lidmonds all suffer terribly at his merciless hands during Brass live.
Paul Kaye‘s Dennis Pennis had to be withdrawn from public life. having spent too long throwing abuse at lilm premieres. Dom Joly's Trigger Happy 'I’V can't tire on many more cylinders; who will trust an over—
age scout. again'.’ Still. as Ali (i will recognise soon. it's better to have lost your character in laughs. than never to have had laughs at all.
The Ali G Show starts on Channel 4, Fri 31 Mar.