This is a clip from the Ali G Show, a British television show done by Sacha Baron Cohen, the actor who played Borat. In the Ali G Show, Cohen plays Ali G, a white suburban man who views himself as a "wannabe" thug. The premise of each episode involves Ali G interviewing political or cultural figures, in this case he interviews individuals from the FBI. Cohen is comedic genius and this clip helps to illustrate this.
It seems to me that this video and actor is such a hit because it is taking a middle class man acting as someone else, to make those who he interview (ones with authority) look like fools. In addition, there is the irony that the man talking to the FBI is dressed as "thug" which many people would stereotype as one who would be committing crime. Some parts of this could be controversial because he is disrespecting someone who has an important role in our society, like the FBI. This could be why many viewers find this video entertaining. I also find it interesting that when he asks a question or when another person talks, before they are able to get a sentence out, he always has something to say, making it harder for the other person to talk. By doing this it could be sending a message that be based off of his uneducated responses and him not understanding certain things, “thugs” or “gangsters” are ignorant as to what those with superior careers have to do and what is going on in our society.
I feel since Sacha Baron Cohen is a well-known comedian/actor it gives him the ability to push the boundaries. His somewhat offensive material is perceived as comical because of whom he is. I agree that by him dressing like a thug he might be sending the message that they are less aware and educated than a middle-upper class person. If he were to dress as a wealthy individual it would almost be confusing and much less comical. When the FBI agent gives a fake scenario in order to better explain crime, Cohen's character responds with defensive comments denying any criminal actions he may be a part of. This is giving the image that most thugs are involved in illegal acts. I feel his humor is more accepted and liked by the younger population.
This clip is interesting because it shows how the movies represent the FBI through what Cohen asks. Movies show the FBI breaking in doors and doing things to people, and when asked about it, they deny it. Does that mean they are lying about it, or it really doesn't happen? Another thing that makes this clip interesting is how Cohen is always used in the "examples." This is showing that thugs are always portrayed as being the ones who commit crimes and participate in illegal activities. A reason why people think this way is because that is what the media is showing us and we have no reason to think otherwise. What makes this clip so interesting and funny is that this scenerio would never have happened if it was an upper- or middle-class citizen. Cohen wanted to appeal to people in a certain way to make them like his shows so he would become popular.
In this clip what I find very intriguing is that Cohen always addresses the FBI as the FB instead. Throughout the show, Cohen seems to be mocking each and every member of the FBI being interviewed, but does such in a way that appeals to the audience so that it isn't seen as being rude. In trying to uphold the thug portrayal, Cohen takes offense every time an FBI member tries to put a situation in to a perspective that is relatable to him. The way he overdoes being the stereotypical thug is what makes the audience find the clip so comical because it brings about the realization that the stereotype isn't very accurate. What "thug" is going to sit down interviewing and criticizing members of the FBI in real life? Also, the people being interviewed are not once bothered by the fact that Cohen is interrupting them, while they are trying to benefit him. Each and every one of them just complies with whatever Cohen says, which makes the FBI member seem like the upstanding citizen while he looks like just another rude "thug".
I think it's funny that in the beginning of the clip Ali G states that over 15 people are murdered in the U.S. every second. This would be ridiculous, this would mean that 1,296,000 people would be murdered every day, one person out of every 231 people would be murdered every day, everyone would be dead in less than a year. It's interesting that they portray this "thug" to actually believe something so ludicrous. Even though it's just a show it makes it seem to the viewer as if a lot of "thugs" might actually believe something like this.
I find it interesting how the questions that Ali G asked the FBI agents were all very simple and things that you think everyone would understand and know about. But the fact is that the population knows only by watching television shows about criminal investigations and most of the time these are unrealistic representations of what the FBI actually does or considers a certain type of crime. Cohen pokes fun at this facts and shows the viewer how their perception of the FBI is incorrect and also how they are similar to a thug whose things the same thing. I also agree with Tali about the stereotype a thug has, or even a person dressed like a thug has, but what I find most interesting about that whole concept is that the FBI agent agrees with the stereotype when he should really be impartial because of his job. He shouldn't assume that all thugs commit crimes, yet he seems to give the impression that he does believe this.
What I find interesting in this video is the general theme that the "audience laughter" responds to. As Cohen views himself as a wannabe thug, he noticably uses slang like "aiight" for the I in FBI, and impromper pronunciation such as "integorration" instead of "interrogation". There is an audible response from the audience after each of these. Also, the audience laughs while the character is very defensive as the first man he interviews tries to make an example of him engaging in criminal activity therefore implying that because he is a thug, the situation is very likely. I think it is intersting to see the portrayed contrast between Ali G and the well-dressed men. Overall, this video uses stereotype characteristics of "thugs" to appeal and entertain the audience in a comedic way.
I think a big aspect of this video is breaking down certain stereotypes that people have. The viewer is presented with a laid back interview between FBI agents and Cohen's character. The FBI has a stereotype of being very serious and humorless, and here they are talking and explaining things with Cohen's very comical character. Cohen's character comes across as an uneducated criminal, for instance when they are talking about the mafia or when he is used in examples. I think this destroys the stereotype people have when they think about criminals or what you would think when you saw him
This humorous clip, like Paul said above, is heavily based on stereotypes. It is interesting to see how the video breaks these stereotypes into two aspects. It's almost as if the clip uses the character of the "thug" to poke fun at the stereotypes that middle to upper class individuals hold. Contrastingly the clip uses the misconceptions about the FBI to poke fun at stereotypes held by the common public. This video does a good job in taking false (and sometimes valid) notions about thugs and the FBI and poking fun at them.
I find this video funny because it shows the stereotype that thugs find criminal justice almost as a joke. I agree with brooke that its important to point out that Sacha is mispronouncing the terms to show that thugs are not familiar with law and examples of what is not accepted in society. This is also an example of ethos because the use of Ali G. If someone like me tried to do this it would be seen as offensive and lead to serious consequences. Ali G has the power to show viewers a meaning while bending the rules of how to act in society
As Brooke mentioned I also found it very intriguing that he only ever addressed the FBI as the FB as well. Throughout the clip it seems that he is more mimicking the fact that the 'I' is more relatable to ignorance than investigation. Everything that he talks about with these individuals is all based on things that everyone has seen on television rather than trying to get a real understanding for what they do. Throughout the entire clip everytime there is a hypothetical scenario being presented he always takes it for face value and assumes that these things have actually happened or are going to occur. Showing that his character as a 'thug' is completely blind or ignorant to reality and the way in which society operates. The videos whole purpose was for laughs and it accomplished that through making fun of all of the facts that television shows present us with daily as facts about how these departments operate.
I think the most interesting part of this video is how the FBI tries to lighten the look on their organization. Cohen is a well-known comedic person and the FBI is well aware of this. By taking this interview at all they have to know that they are going to be made fun of, but they go through the interview anyways. The first man talks about some misconceptions about the FBI that the public has due to movies and the media. He talks about interrogation techniques and how the FBI gets a bad reputation due to inaccurate movies and media. By taking the interview and making themselves look a little foolish the FBI actually may improve the public outlook of their organization. They show the citizens that they are normal people and not a secretive organization like some may think. However, it also may undermine the respect that the FBI needs in order to properly do its job.
I find it interesting to focus on who this television show was made for. As stated in the description of the clip, it's a British television show hosted by a well known comedian. During this particular clip, the host is obviously making fun of the FBI, which is an American organization. I wonder if the motivation behind this skit is the fact that many other countries around the world view the United States as a joke. Therefore, the target audience, Britons, are more likely to enjoy this skit, rather than Americans who might find it offensive or rude.
Not surprisingly, I'm going to have to agree with many who have already posted, and say that the clip plays upon the role Cohen decides to take. It is interesting to note, however, that all of this is only possible because Cohen decides to take on a role counter-intuitive to that of an FBI agent. Because he acts as a 'thug' of sorts, he is able to portray an individual who has an unrealistic view of the FBI. This, in turn, allows him to ask questions as if he really believes that what the X-Files show can be taken as fact. Although the clip makes a base assumption that the audience's view of the FBI can relate to that of Cohen's portrayal, it succeeds just because such stereotypical media is widespread all over the nation. While the commercial pokes good fun at what we commonly see today, it is somewhat frightening that the media's influence has expanded to this degree.
First of all, this video is really funny. Based on the interesting, the video can spread out and more and more people will watch it. After watching it, I found out Ali is making fun with the FBI and wears like a gangster. Usually, FBI behalf mysterious, powerful and everywhere but in this video FBI becomes so normal and everybody can laugh at it. Now the viewer knows that FBI is not such untouchable and violence. When the video is so interesting, people would like to watch it and people also can know the meaning in it, interesting helps the video spread out faster and worldwide.
The video clip’s main actor Cohen uses the humorous tone and acts as “thug” to present the most frequent terms “FBI” in everyday life. I noticed that in the conversation, he speaks a strong British accent; he couldn’t even correctly pronounce the words “FBI”, but “FB----alright”; he always interrupt the interviewer’s talking by pretending only to understand the superficial meanings. On one aspect, this may show the ignorant of “thug”; on other aspect, this may show British’s disrespect of American. But we cannot exclude that it may just is an appeal to audience so that the concept will not be too boring to learn. I noticed that in the end, Cohen interviewed a man who worked in FB----alright. He then asked how young people could get into FBI. To my surprise, instead of the answer such as brave, an insight to people, and ethos when face emergency, the man’s answer----study hard, get into college, and stay away from drugs----seems very naïve. But when I think about it later, I found out that that are truly the prerequisites of being a FBI. Sometimes people just forget the most basic thing but try to reach the end. If someone does not reach the basic criteria, no matter how he is brave and insightful, he just does not get the chance.
The most impressive scene after finishing the video is that Ali usually interrupts the FBI agents’ talking by his facetious words, something like that he deliberately said “FB” without “I” and added “ aiight” then after the agent is talking. He also asked “who” while the agent was just making a hypothesis” one of your friends tells me you are selling drugs” and said “I will shoot you first” while the agent was explaining the murder and making a hypothesis about him. In those situations, everyone knows that they were just examples, but Ali still replied in a serious way, which makes the viewers laugh all the better. FBI department always gives the public a kind of mystery through the media. And the Ali leads us to get the answers about some questions in which the audiences really interest in by a relaxing way. His “thug” appearance and the curious attitude during the whole process make the viewers easy to accept. For instance, when he got the place where the agents rehearse the true scene, he acted what the media shows, kicked the doors and put the gun out very fast. He also had fun with the bogus human. That is really interesting because he behaved what others want to behave, like a real agent.
Although Cohen plays into the audience's hands with the majority of his comedy, I find this video to be counter productive. I realize that this is simply a comedy skit and is intended to be funny for those viewing however, it creates a very negative image for multiple United States platforms. First of all, the FBI agents are persistent with acting professional throughout the video. There are multiple ways to view this. What if I were to say that they are continuing to feed into the comedy act because all FBI agents are ignorant or even dumb? In a situation like this, it would show the FBI in a very negative light. Although it is good to see the willingness of the FBI to cooperate with a skit such as this, it also shows them as very open to external involvement. The FBI is an agency that handles some of the most important legal situations within the United States. What do skits like this do for the image of the FBI as a whole? Another negative image that is created through the skit is that of the United States population. Cohen speaks in a way that is not common for citizens which again creates a negative image for many people. It is a misrepresentation of a large group of people by one individual playing a role in a comedy skit. Another approach to it is the idea of a "wannabe" thug. Does this mean that anyone who dresses like him or even uses the same vocabulary as he does in the video is a thug or even a "wannabe" thug? All of these questions are things that may have more of a negative impact than what people realize by misrepresenting different parts of life in the United States.
I find this video very interesting and humorous because it deals with the portal of the FBI in a sarcastic way. Ali G gives the viewer a look into the FBI by asking questions influenced by the stereotypes of the media. A good example of this is the segment about torture. Ali G asks the question, does the FBI physically torture those it interrogates? He does not directly ask this, but instead describes what he would do and if the FBI agrees with his tactics. Mr.Gennett says while the FBI is not perfect it certainty is portrayed in an extreme way by the media. The way he describes the FBI is that it is a group that respects and abides by the law, that they are “not above the law.” This shows that people should not be fooled by the media and that even a “thug” can find out who the true FBI are.
It seems to me that this video and actor is such a hit because it is taking a middle class man acting as someone else, to make those who he interview (ones with authority) look like fools. In addition, there is the irony that the man talking to the FBI is dressed as "thug" which many people would stereotype as one who would be committing crime. Some parts of this could be controversial because he is disrespecting someone who has an important role in our society, like the FBI. This could be why many viewers find this video entertaining. I also find it interesting that when he asks a question or when another person talks, before they are able to get a sentence out, he always has something to say, making it harder for the other person to talk. By doing this it could be sending a message that be based off of his uneducated responses and him not understanding certain things, “thugs” or “gangsters” are ignorant as to what those with superior careers have to do and what is going on in our society.
ReplyDeleteI feel since Sacha Baron Cohen is a well-known comedian/actor it gives him the ability to push the boundaries. His somewhat offensive material is perceived as comical because of whom he is. I agree that by him dressing like a thug he might be sending the message that they are less aware and educated than a middle-upper class person. If he were to dress as a wealthy individual it would almost be confusing and much less comical. When the FBI agent gives a fake scenario in order to better explain crime, Cohen's character responds with defensive comments denying any criminal actions he may be a part of. This is giving the image that most thugs are involved in illegal acts. I feel his humor is more accepted and liked by the younger population.
ReplyDeleteThis clip is interesting because it shows how the movies represent the FBI through what Cohen asks. Movies show the FBI breaking in doors and doing things to people, and when asked about it, they deny it. Does that mean they are lying about it, or it really doesn't happen? Another thing that makes this clip interesting is how Cohen is always used in the "examples." This is showing that thugs are always portrayed as being the ones who commit crimes and participate in illegal activities. A reason why people think this way is because that is what the media is showing us and we have no reason to think otherwise. What makes this clip so interesting and funny is that this scenerio would never have happened if it was an upper- or middle-class citizen. Cohen wanted to appeal to people in a certain way to make them like his shows so he would become popular.
ReplyDeleteIn this clip what I find very intriguing is that Cohen always addresses the FBI as the FB instead. Throughout the show, Cohen seems to be mocking each and every member of the FBI being interviewed, but does such in a way that appeals to the audience so that it isn't seen as being rude. In trying to uphold the thug portrayal, Cohen takes offense every time an FBI member tries to put a situation in to a perspective that is relatable to him. The way he overdoes being the stereotypical thug is what makes the audience find the clip so comical because it brings about the realization that the stereotype isn't very accurate. What "thug" is going to sit down interviewing and criticizing members of the FBI in real life? Also, the people being interviewed are not once bothered by the fact that Cohen is interrupting them, while they are trying to benefit him. Each and every one of them just complies with whatever Cohen says, which makes the FBI member seem like the upstanding citizen while he looks like just another rude "thug".
ReplyDeleteI think it's funny that in the beginning of the clip Ali G states that over 15 people are murdered in the U.S. every second. This would be ridiculous, this would mean that 1,296,000 people would be murdered every day, one person out of every 231 people would be murdered every day, everyone would be dead in less than a year. It's interesting that they portray this "thug" to actually believe something so ludicrous. Even though it's just a show it makes it seem to the viewer as if a lot of "thugs" might actually believe something like this.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting how the questions that Ali G asked the FBI agents were all very simple and things that you think everyone would understand and know about. But the fact is that the population knows only by watching television shows about criminal investigations and most of the time these are unrealistic representations of what the FBI actually does or considers a certain type of crime. Cohen pokes fun at this facts and shows the viewer how their perception of the FBI is incorrect and also how they are similar to a thug whose things the same thing.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Tali about the stereotype a thug has, or even a person dressed like a thug has, but what I find most interesting about that whole concept is that the FBI agent agrees with the stereotype when he should really be impartial because of his job. He shouldn't assume that all thugs commit crimes, yet he seems to give the impression that he does believe this.
What I find interesting in this video is the general theme that the "audience laughter" responds to. As Cohen views himself as a wannabe thug, he noticably uses slang like "aiight" for the I in FBI, and impromper pronunciation such as "integorration" instead of "interrogation". There is an audible response from the audience after each of these. Also, the audience laughs while the character is very defensive as the first man he interviews tries to make an example of him engaging in criminal activity therefore implying that because he is a thug, the situation is very likely. I think it is intersting to see the portrayed contrast between Ali G and the well-dressed men. Overall, this video uses stereotype characteristics of "thugs" to appeal and entertain the audience in a comedic way.
ReplyDeleteI think a big aspect of this video is breaking down certain stereotypes that people have. The viewer is presented with a laid back interview between FBI agents and Cohen's character. The FBI has a stereotype of being very serious and humorless, and here they are talking and explaining things with Cohen's very comical character. Cohen's character comes across as an uneducated criminal, for instance when they are talking about the mafia or when he is used in examples. I think this destroys the stereotype people have when they think about criminals or what you would think when you saw him
ReplyDeleteThis humorous clip, like Paul said above, is heavily based on stereotypes. It is interesting to see how the video breaks these stereotypes into two aspects. It's almost as if the clip uses the character of the "thug" to poke fun at the stereotypes that middle to upper class individuals hold. Contrastingly the clip uses the misconceptions about the FBI to poke fun at stereotypes held by the common public. This video does a good job in taking false (and sometimes valid) notions about thugs and the FBI and poking fun at them.
ReplyDeleteI find this video funny because it shows the stereotype that thugs find criminal justice almost as a joke. I agree with brooke that its important to point out that Sacha is mispronouncing the terms to show that thugs are not familiar with law and examples of what is not accepted in society. This is also an example of ethos because the use of Ali G. If someone like me tried to do this it would be seen as offensive and lead to serious consequences. Ali G has the power to show viewers a meaning while bending the rules of how to act in society
ReplyDeleteAs Brooke mentioned I also found it very intriguing that he only ever addressed the FBI as the FB as well. Throughout the clip it seems that he is more mimicking the fact that the 'I' is more relatable to ignorance than investigation. Everything that he talks about with these individuals is all based on things that everyone has seen on television rather than trying to get a real understanding for what they do. Throughout the entire clip everytime there is a hypothetical scenario being presented he always takes it for face value and assumes that these things have actually happened or are going to occur. Showing that his character as a 'thug' is completely blind or ignorant to reality and the way in which society operates. The videos whole purpose was for laughs and it accomplished that through making fun of all of the facts that television shows present us with daily as facts about how these departments operate.
ReplyDeleteI think the most interesting part of this video is how the FBI tries to lighten the look on their organization. Cohen is a well-known comedic person and the FBI is well aware of this. By taking this interview at all they have to know that they are going to be made fun of, but they go through the interview anyways. The first man talks about some misconceptions about the FBI that the public has due to movies and the media. He talks about interrogation techniques and how the FBI gets a bad reputation due to inaccurate movies and media. By taking the interview and making themselves look a little foolish the FBI actually may improve the public outlook of their organization. They show the citizens that they are normal people and not a secretive organization like some may think. However, it also may undermine the respect that the FBI needs in order to properly do its job.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting to focus on who this television show was made for. As stated in the description of the clip, it's a British television show hosted by a well known comedian. During this particular clip, the host is obviously making fun of the FBI, which is an American organization. I wonder if the motivation behind this skit is the fact that many other countries around the world view the United States as a joke. Therefore, the target audience, Britons, are more likely to enjoy this skit, rather than Americans who might find it offensive or rude.
ReplyDeleteNot surprisingly, I'm going to have to agree with many who have already posted, and say that the clip plays upon the role Cohen decides to take. It is interesting to note, however, that all of this is only possible because Cohen decides to take on a role counter-intuitive to that of an FBI agent. Because he acts as a 'thug' of sorts, he is able to portray an individual who has an unrealistic view of the FBI. This, in turn, allows him to ask questions as if he really believes that what the X-Files show can be taken as fact. Although the clip makes a base assumption that the audience's view of the FBI can relate to that of Cohen's portrayal, it succeeds just because such stereotypical media is widespread all over the nation. While the commercial pokes good fun at what we commonly see today, it is somewhat frightening that the media's influence has expanded to this degree.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, this video is really funny. Based on the interesting, the video can spread out and more and more people will watch it. After watching it, I found out Ali is making fun with the FBI and wears like a gangster. Usually, FBI behalf mysterious, powerful and everywhere but in this video FBI becomes so normal and everybody can laugh at it. Now the viewer knows that FBI is not such untouchable and violence. When the video is so interesting, people would like to watch it and people also can know the meaning in it, interesting helps the video spread out faster and worldwide.
ReplyDeleteThe video clip’s main actor Cohen uses the humorous tone and acts as “thug” to present the most frequent terms “FBI” in everyday life. I noticed that in the conversation, he speaks a strong British accent; he couldn’t even correctly pronounce the words “FBI”, but “FB----alright”; he always interrupt the interviewer’s talking by pretending only to understand the superficial meanings. On one aspect, this may show the ignorant of “thug”; on other aspect, this may show British’s disrespect of American. But we cannot exclude that it may just is an appeal to audience so that the concept will not be too boring to learn. I noticed that in the end, Cohen interviewed a man who worked in FB----alright. He then asked how young people could get into FBI. To my surprise, instead of the answer such as brave, an insight to people, and ethos when face emergency, the man’s answer----study hard, get into college, and stay away from drugs----seems very naïve. But when I think about it later, I found out that that are truly the prerequisites of being a FBI. Sometimes people just forget the most basic thing but try to reach the end. If someone does not reach the basic criteria, no matter how he is brave and insightful, he just does not get the chance.
ReplyDeleteThe most impressive scene after finishing the video is that Ali usually interrupts the FBI agents’ talking by his facetious words, something like that he deliberately said “FB” without “I” and added “ aiight” then after the agent is talking. He also asked “who” while the agent was just making a hypothesis” one of your friends tells me you are selling drugs” and said “I will shoot you first” while the agent was explaining the murder and making a hypothesis about him. In those situations, everyone knows that they were just examples, but Ali still replied in a serious way, which makes the viewers laugh all the better. FBI department always gives the public a kind of mystery through the media. And the Ali leads us to get the answers about some questions in which the audiences really interest in by a relaxing way. His “thug” appearance and the curious attitude during the whole process make the viewers easy to accept. For instance, when he got the place where the agents rehearse the true scene, he acted what the media shows, kicked the doors and put the gun out very fast. He also had fun with the bogus human. That is really interesting because he behaved what others want to behave, like a real agent.
ReplyDeleteAlthough Cohen plays into the audience's hands with the majority of his comedy, I find this video to be counter productive. I realize that this is simply a comedy skit and is intended to be funny for those viewing however, it creates a very negative image for multiple United States platforms. First of all, the FBI agents are persistent with acting professional throughout the video. There are multiple ways to view this. What if I were to say that they are continuing to feed into the comedy act because all FBI agents are ignorant or even dumb? In a situation like this, it would show the FBI in a very negative light. Although it is good to see the willingness of the FBI to cooperate with a skit such as this, it also shows them as very open to external involvement. The FBI is an agency that handles some of the most important legal situations within the United States. What do skits like this do for the image of the FBI as a whole? Another negative image that is created through the skit is that of the United States population. Cohen speaks in a way that is not common for citizens which again creates a negative image for many people. It is a misrepresentation of a large group of people by one individual playing a role in a comedy skit. Another approach to it is the idea of a "wannabe" thug. Does this mean that anyone who dresses like him or even uses the same vocabulary as he does in the video is a thug or even a "wannabe" thug? All of these questions are things that may have more of a negative impact than what people realize by misrepresenting different parts of life in the United States.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI find this video very interesting and humorous because it deals with the portal of the FBI in a sarcastic way. Ali G gives the viewer a look into the FBI by asking questions influenced by the stereotypes of the media. A good example of this is the segment about torture. Ali G asks the question, does the FBI physically torture those it interrogates? He does not directly ask this, but instead describes what he would do and if the FBI agrees with his tactics. Mr.Gennett says while the FBI is not perfect it certainty is portrayed in an extreme way by the media. The way he describes the FBI is that it is a group that respects and abides by the law, that they are “not above the law.” This shows that people should not be fooled by the media and that even a “thug” can find out who the true FBI are.
ReplyDelete