From his outrageous greetings to his bewildering attempts at navigating American customs, Borat Sagdiyev turned awkward encounters into a masterclass in uncomfortable comedy. Sacha Baron Cohen’s fictional Kazakh journalist was designed to provoke, with his exaggerated accent and absurd observations often leaving unsuspecting Americans unsure whether to laugh or walk away. Nearly 20 years after Borat brought the character to the big screen, Cohen is revisiting the controversy surrounding the role with an admission that changes the context of its creation.

Cohen has spent much of his career hiding behind characters who expose social prejudices by pretending not to understand them. However, his latest comments acknowledge that the joke did not always land the way he intended, particularly for the people whose nationality became part of Borat’s identity.

During an appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Sacha Baron Cohen apologized to the people of Kazakhstan for his portrayal of Borat, admitting that the character had little connection to the actual country or its people. 

“I want to apologize to the people of Kazakhstan, for the first time ever, because Borat has got nothing to do with Kazakhstan,” he said. 

The comedian explained that Borat originally had a different national identity when he developed the character for the BBC, where the fictional journalist was initially presented as Albanian.

Cohen further explained that Borat’s nationality changed depending on the television platform associated with the character. He recalled creating alternative identities, including Alexi Krickler from Moldova, before settling on Kazakhstan when HBO became involved. As he explained during the conversation, he wanted a place “that no one knows anything about.” He also addressed the audience at New York’s 92nd Street Y, asking Kazakh people not to take the character personally and emphasizing that he respected their culture.

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But Cohen’s apology is only one side of his latest conversation with audiences. As he acknowledges the real-world implications of Borat, the comedian is also bringing back the character that first established his talent for disguising sharp social satire beneath an outrageous comic persona.

The apology arrives as Sacha Baron Cohen revisits another of his most recognizable creations, Ali G, the swaggering, tracksuit-wearing character who parodies a particular brand of hip-hop posturing and misplaced confidence. First introduced through Da Ali G Show, the character became the centerpiece of the 2002 film Ali G Indahouse. Cohen has since built a career around satirical personas such as Bruno and Admiral General Aladeen, using exaggerated performances to expose the absurdities of the people and institutions his characters encounter.

His latest project, Ali G: Who Iz I?, is now streaming on Prime Video following its theatrical release in October 2026. In a video shared on Instagram, Cohen called it “the wildest, craziest movie I’ve ever made” and encouraged viewers to watch it with friends. The film also marks his feature directorial debut. His return to Ali G demonstrates that, even as he addresses the controversy surrounding Borat, Cohen continues to explore the provocative comedy that has defined his career.

Cohen’s apology adds a new dimension to the legacy of one of his most famous characters, raising questions about where satire ends and cultural misrepresentation begins. 

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What do you think of his remarks and his return as Ali G? Share your thoughts in the comments.