TV: Unbelievable how they let Ali G string them along

FIONA RAE finds there's no lack of pompous Brit twits for a spoof interviewer to ridicule.

It may help, when watching Da Ali G Show, to have lived in London for a few years and have at least a passing familiarity with black culture in Blighty.

Perhaps listen to one or two dancehall reggae tunes and see if you can follow the patois.

But then again, it doesn't take a trip overseas to see that the guy is making maximum mileage out of what he considers deeply shallow, and that as long as there are pompous twits willing to be interviewed by him, he's happy to show them for what they are.

Many of Ali G's interview subjects are too stupid to realise he's not for real. The audition tape that Sacha Baron Cohen (that's his real name) did for Britain's Channel 4 showed him eliciting the most monstrously right-wing views from the fox-hunting set because they thought he was a bewildered Albanian TV presenter.

Even the ones who surely must know he's spoofing can fail to cope.

A leaked transcript of an interview with Posh and Becks this month revealed a couple struck almost dumb (yes, even more than usual) by Ali G.

David Beckham remained speechless at inquires about the etiquette of showering after matches or whether he would prefer to be married to Emma Bunton.

That the transcript was leaked at all, and that it sparked a witch-hunt within the BBC to find the culprit, is evidence of how hot Ali G still is, despite the well-documented information that Baron Cohen is in fact Jewish, and a Cambridge graduate to boot.

But that's all the information there is. Baron Cohen does not give interviews and, so far at least, hasn't come out of character(s), unlike Caroline Aherne (whose Mrs Merton, was able to get away with outrageous questions because she appeared to be old and batty), or even Barry Humphries.

The comedy character is not a new idea, although Baron Cohen has apparently straddled two of its aspects - not only is the Ali G character a spoof on British lads who act gangsta, but his interviews reveal the prejudice and stupidity of their subjects.

But let's not get too serious. The guy is funny, ya know?

In last week's show, he took the most absurd idea for a film to Cannes to pitch to several overly polite top-level movie executives.

"Bookah!" said Ali, explaining the title of his film. "It's the sound of when you shoot someone!"

He then proceeded to screen his extremely daft video. Despite the looks of confusion and incredulity, they thought he was serious.

During The Message segment of the show, a bunch of silly English eccentrics engaged in a conversation about cruelty to animals. They believed him when he described how his mate Dave has taught his pet to say "Wicked!" when he gives it a poke with a fork.

Baron Cohen's other character is Borat, who does a guide-to-Britain show for Khazakstani television. Borat was at the home of Lady Chelsea, the snobby etiquette trainer who teaches the finer points of polite society.

Maybe she's an easy target, but she and her cohorts had no idea what he was up to.

Apart from the direct comedy spoofs - Who Wants to Win an Ounce? and the Jerry Springer-like Ali's Final Thought - Baron Cohen's comedy is based on the fact that his subjects clearly assume that someone who dresses and speaks like Ali G can actually be as ignorant as he appears.

Surely they must get it? But sadly - and hilariously - they don't.

* Da Ali G Show, TV2, 9.25 pm