Life Story

Sacha Baron Cohen (born 13 October 1971 in London, England) is a comedian notable for his highly successful comedy characters Ali G (an MC from Staines), Borat (a Kazakhstani reporter) and Bruno (a gay Austrian fashion reporter).

Childhood: Baron Cohen was born into a middle-class Jewish family, the second of three sons of Gerald Baron Cohen and his wife Daniella. His father, who owns a menswear shop in Piccadilly, is originally from Wales, while his mother is from Israel.

Baron Cohen attended 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.

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. The show was taken to the United States in 2003, where it aired on HBO. 

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."

Other characters created by Baron Cohen include Borat, a television reporter from Kazakhstan with a fervent hatred of Jews and a misogynistic attitude. 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. His most high-profile guests so far are probably the world renowned historian Gore Vidal, real estate mogul Donald Trump, politician Newt Gingrich, former UN Secretary Boutros Boutros-Ghali, and journalist Andy Rooney.

Cohen often fools guests to appear on his show by sending them letters with HBO's letterhead and type.

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, animated movie 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 European 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. Cohen will co-star as the racing rival to Will Ferrell in the upcoming Talladega Nights.

Miscellany: Sacha Baron Cohen is a cousin of University of Cambridge Professor of Developmental Psychopathology Simon Baron-Cohen. Baron Cohen is engaged to be married to Australian model-actress Isla Fisher.

The government of Kazakhstan threatened him with legal action after the MTV EMA ceremony in Lisbon. The New York Times has reported that Baron Cohen (in character as his Borat persona) has urged them on, stating “Sue the Jew!!”

Sacha Baron Cohen is left-handed.

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