British comedian Sacha Cohen has become a pop icon in the UK, playing a spoof wannabe white rapper named Ali G. His show consists of hip-hop jargon-filled, incredibly dumbed-down interviews with big name politicians and celebrities who don't know that the entire interview is a big joke and who play along politely with Ali G's absurd antics and embarrassing questions. U.S. public figures who have suffered the Ali G treatment include Newt Gingrich, Michael Dukakis and Buzz Aldrin. It remains to be seen whether Ali G's impersonation will translate across the Atlantic to the US, where a white guy mocking dumb hip-hop artists could spark racist confusion more than positive hype. The show debuts Friday nights on HBO starting February 21st. http://www.alig.com/
