Stereotypes, Satire and Who Is Really In On the Joke

There’s a new Ali G movie coming, and not everyone is happy about it. For those who are unfamiliar with the character that launched actor Sacha Baron Cohen’s career; Ali G was a satirical portrayal of “a dim-witted white man imitating urban British hip-hop and Jamaican culture.” His character routinely played up stereotypes about other cultures, insulted people and offered a “faux rude boy” persona that amassed him lots of fans. Other comedians too have portrayed satirical versions of stereotypical characters like Stephen Colbert with his right-wing pundit portrayal or Paul Sun-Hyung Lee’s brilliantly stubborn Korean patriarch “Appa” in Kim’s Convenience. The question they all seem to pose is one that has become more central to humor itself: what topics are acceptable to satirize and who should do it? Should Cohen’s portrayal of Ali G be treated one way because he is portraying a different race versus Lee’s Appa because he is ethnically Korean? Or should being funny be the only test, and if they can deliver humor then all else is ok? These are the sorts of questions that some people spend a lot of time thinking about while others never do. Maybe you’re somewhere in between. If the question strikes a chord for you, I’d love to hear what you think about it. Let me know and share a comment with me by email.