Humorless Feminist, Meet Ali G!

Written by Phillip Winn
Published May 09, 2003

Da Ali G Show is a good reason to pay extra for HBO. If it is ever released on DVD, I'll snap it up, because I can watch the Ali G character interview Newt Gingrich or Buzz Aldrin a dozen times and still laugh each time.

I've seen him interview Dick Thornberg ("What is barely legal?"), Newt Gingrich ("Would a woman president just fall in love with Saddam Hussein?"), James Woolsey ("Who really shot JR?"), Donald Trump, James Lipton, Buzz Aldrin, Ralph Nader, C. Everett Koop, and various other people who had no idea they were being mocked and ridiculed. Some quickly realized what was going on. Donald Trump, for example, ended his interview within a minute or two. Others continued on either because they didn't catch on, or because they had time to kill. A few even helped out by facing the camera and reading a rap written by Ali G. Ralph Nader rejected G's and wrote his own. But all of them were men, so none of them sued.

Whoa, did I say that? Am I really perpetuating the stereotype that feminists are humorless? Maybe, but only because Naomi Wolf is playing into it.

That's right, all of the coincidentally (?) male names I listed above, and many more lesser-known men, have faced Ali G or one of Sasha Cohen's other characters, and they've all responded with varying levels of grace and good humor. Some of them were obviously quite miffed, but none of them have sued. Interview just one feminist author, and kaboom! Here come the lawyers.

No wonder feminists have a bad name.

(Thanks to Reason for the tip.)

Phillip Winn is the Chief Geek for BC Magazine, and a blogger since 1995. He may currently be found and followed on Twitter.
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Humorless Feminist, Meet Ali G!
Published: May 09, 2003
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Writer: Phillip Winn
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Comments

#1 — May 9, 2003 @ 18:11PM — Jim Carruthers [URL]

I think Marg Princess Warrior or Babe Bennett (men are big babies - she's just goofin' around) would disagree strongly. You'd probably get some sympathy from Dakie Dunn (but there's somethin' kinda queer 'bout that fella).

All of this is from This Hour Has 22 Minutes, which goes to prove that it isn't feminists who have no sense of humour, it is the litigious. And since most of the males (I hesitate to refer to a group which has Newt Gingrich in it as "men") are politicians, they know better to not drag their undead beings into the purifying light of day. And besides, Wolfram and Hart haven't really gotten back up to speed.

#2 — February 26, 2004 @ 17:00PM — Jane Dough

Yeah, I agree with Jim. Geez, what kind of logic is in your little pea brain anyway? And here's an earth-shattering newsflash, Phillzy Willzy: Any woman who is contemporary, intelligent, and not standing around in her kitchen wearing pearls and making dinner all day is a feminist. Any woman who, on a sliding scale of 'sort of' to 'stridently,' believes that women are equal to men is a feminist. And gosh darnit all Phil, even a MAN can be a feminist! Tamp that down in your stereotype pipe and smoke it!!

#3 — February 26, 2004 @ 17:34PM — Phillip Winn [URL]

Do you have a problem with women who choose to make dinner and wear pearls? Do you have a problem with me, personally?

Your comment was rather spiteful, and clearly indicates that you didn't bother to read the post at all.

Sterotypes exist because people fit them so often. Congratulations, you've just reinforced one. :-)

#4 — March 9, 2004 @ 01:55AM — Brian [URL]

or maybe the men could laugh because they can't experience sexism and know what it's like.

#5 — March 9, 2004 @ 07:42AM — Corinna Hasofferett [URL]

Here is my enlighted confession:
I'm a humorless feminist.

#6 — July 28, 2005 @ 12:49PM — feminists are stupid

OK so Ali G makes a show and offends practically everyone, feminists, homosexuals and black americans, jews

Who are the only ones to complain and threaten legal action? Yep the feminists, do they think women are so maltreated in society? The reality is minorities and homosexuals are the worst treated, even they have a sense of humour, feminists, just shutup, a lot of ppl have it worse off than you, instead of lobbying for equal rights for men and women, why not lobby for equal rights for everyone. selfist bitches

#7 — April 26, 2007 @ 16:09PM — Steve

ALI G: Booyakasha, chek i' out. I is here wif my main man, Nikki G, my bro from Staines. How is you become poet?
NIKKI G: We're communicators, it's in our blood.
ALI G: Blood, West Side. Now sis, you, I mean, sorry you is my bro now, you is get some edumacation. You went to America, right?
NIKKI G: I went to Fisk.
ALI G: Tell me about how you is expelled for crack...
NIKKI G: It wasn't for smoking crack. I began school in 1960, was soon expelled, returned, and graduated in 1968. I did enroll and quickly drop out of two other schools after that, but I completed that one degree, my bachelor's degree.
ALI G: Wha'eve. You is still my main main, big shout out for poet Nikki G from VT.

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