Ali G is back, and he used Noel Gallagher as his opening bit. In a new cinema prank video promoting his film Ali G: Who Iz I? — in cinemas now — Sacha Baron Cohen’s character refuses to recognize Gallagher, calls him“Nigel Gallagher,”and refers to him as“one of them Oasis twins.”It’s the kind of silly celebrity stunt that manages to be both funny and perfectly timed, with the Oasis reunion dominating music headlines.
The prank has a long tail, though. Back in 2015, Gallagher joked he sent his kids to private school so they wouldn’t“talk like Ali G.”Fast-forward to now, and the actual Ali G is calling him a 50-year-old white man trying to make a comeback after 20 years. Cohen, meanwhile, has been candid about the elephant in the room: Ali G hasn’t aged well. His defence?“The fact that Ali G is outdated and problematic is the very reason I resurrected him.”Whether that’s a good answer or a controversial one depends on who you ask.
Gallagher hasn’t been shy about the reunion itself. On Chicken Shop Date with Amelia Dimoldenberg, he said acts should wait“16 years”before reviving things, which is a funny bit of irony from someone out promoting a comeback right now. So: funny stunt, old grudges, big music nostalgia, and a character everyone has opinions about. Our question for you: does Ali G’s comedy still land, or should this character have stayed retired? Let us know in the comments.
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.