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‘Is it Because I is Black?’ Race, Humour and the Polysemiology of Ali G

2006; Routledge; Volume: 26; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/01439680600691677

1465-3451

Richard Howells,

South Asian Cinema and Culture

Click to increase image sizeClick to decrease image size Acknowledgements An earlier version of this article was given as a plenary paper to the XIXth International Association of Media Historians Conference, University of Leipzig, Germany, 21 July 2001. An expanded and revised version was given as to the Media Research Seminar series at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London on 19 March, 2002; I acknowledge the helpful feedback received from the participants. Finally, I thank members of my seminar series given as Distinguished Visiting Professor at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, 2004. It was the student body who alerted my attention to the appeal of Ali G in the USA, and who again prompted me to try and come to grips with his humour. Notes Notes 1 Ali G in da House (directed by Mark Mylod, Film Four UK/Studio Canal/TalkBack Productions/WT2/Working Title Films/2002). The plot concerns Ali's election to the British Parliament. 2 For Ali G's introduction to the USA, see Neil Strauss, As Clueless as He Wants to Be, New York Times, 3 February 2003, arts section, pp. E1–E3. The BBC website in the UK misleadingly, I think, reported that the show was not generally well received in the USA. See Maggie Shiels' article for the BBC website: Ali G's Stateside Flop, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/reviews/2788697.stm posted 22 February 2003, and Mark Lawson, Is it Because I is British?, Guardian, 25 February 2002, G2. 3 Virginia Heffernan, Television: The Highs; The Programs of the Year, New York Times, 28 December 2003, section 2, Arts and Leisure, p. 26. 4 Alessandra Stanley, TV Weekend; The High Art of Mockery, New York Times, 21 February 2003, section E, Performing Arts/Weekend, p. 1. 5 55th Primetime Emmy awards, Academy of Television Arts and Motion Pictures, 2002–2003, Outstanding Nonfiction Program category nomination. The eventual winner was a program about the Cirque du Soleil. 6 See Denise Martin, HBO is Down with Ali G Show, Daily Variety, 29 October 2003, p. 5. 7 See Beth Potier, Booyakasha: Ali G addresses 'da most cleverist students in America', in The Harvard University Gazette, 14 June 2004, p. 1. 8 57th Primetime Emmy awards, Academy of Television Arts and Motion Pictures, 2004–2005. The nominations were announced on 14 July 2005. 9 Madagascar (directed by Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath, Dreamworks/Pacific Data Images, USA, 2005). 10 Daily Variety critic Phil Gallo, on the other hand, found the show's 'push for cult appeal' to be 'forced'. See Phil Gallo, Da Ali G Show, Daily Variety, 20 February 2003, p. 10. To be fair, Ali G's popularity is likely to be much more East than West coast. 11 Ali G, Aii (directed by James Bobin and Steve Smith, Talkback/Channel Four Television, UK, 2000). 12 Recently, Baron Cohn has revived the character of Borat in both the UK and the USA. In April 2005 he appeared, in character, at a rodeo in Salem, Virginia. Here, according to the Independent, he told onlookers that 'their President drank blood' and sang: 'a mangled version of the American national anthem'. Apparently, Baron Cohen had to be escorted from the arena: 'If he had been out there a minute longer, I think someone would have shot him', an onlooker told the Independent. See Ali G Star Nearly Lynched After Prank (no by-line), Independent, 14 January 2005, p. 18. 13 I have contacted Dr Cook to find out more about the circumstances of the interview, together with his views about the ethics of 'spoof' interviews. Dr Cook has not responded to my inquiries. 14 Sandra Laville, Ali G rapped for being "racially offensive", Daily Telegraph, 11 January 2000, p. 3. 15 Laville, p. 3. 16 Laville, p. 3. 17 The Daily Telegraph is a nationally published 'quality' broadsheet with a daily circulation of 1,042,000 for the year in which Laville's article was published. The New Nation's circulation for the corresponding period was a weekly 31,250. Its claim to be 'Britain's No.1 Black Newspaper' might, in fact, be challenged by The Voice, whose 2000 circulation was 33,860. Source: Willings Press Guide 2000, UK edition, volume I (Teddington, Middlesex, 2000). 18 Ross Slater, Should We Laugh at Ali G, New Nation, 10 January 2000, pp. 6–7. I gratefully acknowledge the help of Nicholas J. Cull in sourcing an original copy of this article. 19 Slater, pp. 6–7. 20 Slater, p. 6. 21 Slater, p. 6. 22 Felix Dexter, quoted in Slater, p. 6. 23 Dexter, quoted in Slater, p. 6. 24 Roger D, quoted in Slater, p. 6. 25 Jim Davidson is a mainstream British comedian and game-show host who used to portray a 'black' character called 'Chalkie'. 26 Roger D, quoted in Slater, p. 6. 27 Roger D, quoted in Slater, p. 6. 28 Gina Yashere quoted in Slater, p. 6. 29 Gina Yashere, quoted in Slater, p. 6. 30 Gina Yashere, quoted in Slater, p. 6. 31 Eddie Nestor, quoted in Slater, pp. 6-7. 32 Nestor, quoted in Slater, p. 7. 33 Richard Blackwood, quoted in Slater, p. 7. 34 Curtis Walker, quoted in Slater, p. 6. 35 In Love Thy Neighbour, real black actors played the black characters, who traded insults (with comedic intent) with their white neighbours. The show ran for seven series and 55 episodes between 1972 and 1976. 36 Curtis Walker, quoted in Slater, p. 6. 37 No by-line. New Nation, ibid., p. 7. 38 No by-line. New Nation, ibid., p. 6. 39 This interviewee was the only one of the five to be credited with a full name in the New Nation vox populi feature. 40 No by-line, Ali G is a bit of a laugh, New Nation Comment, the New Nation, 10 January 200, p. 2. 41 Chileshe Nkonde, Is it cos I is white and went to Cambridge, in Varsity, 27 January 2000. Varsity is the student newspaper of Cambridge University, with a 2000 weekly (term-time) circulation of 10,000. Unfortunately, recent editions of Varsity are not currently held at the British Newspaper Library. 42 'Varsity Writer', Young, Gifted and BAC, Varsity, 11 May 2002. 43 Varsity, 11 May 2000. 44 Varsity, 11 May 2000. 45 The late reggae musician Bob Marley (1945–1981) was, of course, Jamaican. 46 This is by no means without precedent on British television. Barry Humphries has long been interviewing people as 'Dame Edna Everage' and, more recently, Caroline Aherne as 'Mrs Merton'. Although the interviewees are well aware of the situation, the interviewer's comic persona enables him or her to be far more irreverent with guests than if they were to ask the same questions in the 'first person'. Additionally, the interviewees have knowingly 'signed up' for an established treatment in an avowedly comedic context. 47 Curiously, the female singers and dancers were all overtly Caucasian. 48 For a fuller discussion of race and television, see my Visual Culture (Cambridge, Polity Press; Malden, Massachusetts, Basil Blackwell, 2003), pp. 205–214. 49 Sellers was nominated for Best Actor in Being There (directed by Jerzy Kosinski, United Artists, USA, 1979) and Dr Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (directed by Stanley Kubrick, Columbia, USA, 1964). Under Kubrick's direction, he played leading roles in Lolita (directed by Stanley Kubrick, MGM, USA, 1962) in addition to Dr Strangelove … (op. cit). 50 The Party, directed by Blake Edwards, Mirisch/United Artists, USA, 1968. 51 In Britain, the term 'Asian' usually applies to people from the sub-continent of India and Pakistan. This differs from North American usage, which normally refers to someone from East Asia. In Britain, an 'Indian' can mean either someone from India or a Native American, depending on context. 52 BBC Radio and Television, 1996 to present. 53 BBC Television, 1991–1996. Meera Syal appeared in both The Real McCoy and Goodness Gracious Me. 54 This paper deliberately restricts itself to British television. North American television, for example, has its own history. At present, The Ali G Show is a British television phenomenon. American treatments of race on television are well explored in studies such as Herman Gray's Watching Race (Minneapolis, University of Minnesota Press, 1995), Robert S. Lichter, Linda S. Lichter and Stanley Rothman's Watching America (New York, Prentice Hall, 1991) and Sut Jhally and Justin Lewis's Enlightened Racism (Boulder, Colorado, Westview Press, 1992). John Fiske and John Hartley's Reading Television (London, Routledge, 1978) has useful sections on stereotyping but (in addition to being now more than 20 years old) concentrates on drama and not comedy. John Fiske's Television Culture (London, Routledge, 1987) has a similar focus. 55 Jeffrey Richards, Films and National Identity, Studies in Popular Culture (Manchester, Manchester University Press, 1997), p. 276. Richards' study in fact strays beyond the study of film and into television and popular culture as a whole. He also notes the conventions of the 'stage Irishman' (pp. 230–231). This represented a prejudice that was 'partly racial' (p. 230). A complete chapter is given over to 'The Black Man as Hero' (pp. 60–81). 56 I am indebted to the members of the SOAS Media Research Seminar for their contributions on the transgressive nature of Ali G's humour and approach. 57 Broadcasting Standards Commission finding CN 8562.13, Sarah Cox, BBC Radio 1, 18 February 2002. 58 BSC CN 8562.13. 59 BSC CN 8562.13. 60 BSC CN 8562.13. 61 BSC CN 8562.13. The BSC ordered the BBC to publish and broadcast the finding against itself (Section 119 [2] of the Broadcasting Act 1996), and the BBC agreed to improve its briefing procedures for live studio guests in the future. 62 A poster advertising the film was also the subject of complaints: Ali G was shown with his hand on a naked women's bottom. The Advertising Standards Authority upheld the complaints and the poster was withdrawn from circulation. 63 Baron Cohen has given the occasional interview in the character of Ali G—the intent being comedic rather than insightful. 64 No by-line, Profile column, The Sunday Times, 9 January 2000, p. 15. The 2000 weekly circulation of the national 'quality' broadsheet The Sunday Times was 1,343,000. Source: Willings Press Guide 2000, UK edition, volume I (Teddington, Middlesex, 2000). 65 Gary Younge, Is it cos I is Black, Guardian, G2 Section, 12 January 2000, pp. 2–3. The 2000 daily circulation of the nationally circulated, 'quality' broadsheet Guardian was 392,000. Source: Willings Press Guide 2000, UK edition, volume I (Teddington, Middlesex, 2000). 66 Again, I am employing British usage of the term 'Asian' here. 67 Felix Dexter quoted in Slater, p. 6. 68 Curtis Walker quoted in Slater, p. 6. 69 Roger D quoted in Slater, p. 6. 70 Gary Younge, Is it Because I is Black?, Guardian, 12 January 2000, pp. 2–3, p. 3. 71 Stuart Jeffries, Chillin' With Rehash Ali, Guardian, 1 April 2000, Saturday Review Section, p. 4. 72 No by-line, It's Chillin' What da Boy Get Away With, The Sunday Times, Profile column, 9 January 2000, p. 15. 73 Michael Eboda, We Can Take Ali G's Humour in Our Stride, Independent, Review section, 12 January 2000, p. 4. The 2000 daily circulation of the national 'quality' broadsheet Independent was 225,000. Source: Willings Press Guide 2000, UK edition, volume I (Teddington, Middlesex, 2000). 'Moniker' is London slang for 'name'. Eboda was writing as a guest columnist on this occasion for the Independent. 74 Editorial (no by-line), Ali G is a Bit of a Laugh, New Nation, 10 January 2000, p. 2. 75 Eboda, p. 4. 76 Eboda, p. 4. The Westwood story also appears in Younge, p. 3. According to Younge, Westwood has 'feigned a black street accent for his hip hop slot'. 77 Julia Smart, Getting Jiggy Wid da Staines Massive, Independent, 28 March 2000, Tuesday Review section, p. 1. 78 Smart, p. 1. 79 Smart, p. 1. 80 The Sunday Times profile, p. 15. 81 Harry Thompson, Da Start of Something Massive, The Sunday Times, 19 March 2000, News Review section, p. 4. 82 Chileshe Nkonde, It it Because I is White and Went to Cambridge, Varsity, 27 January 2000. 83 http://www.geocities.com/sunsetstrip/theater/2712/who_is_ali.html, accessed 1 June 2001. 84 Richard Blackwood quoted in Slater, p. 7. 85 The Sunday Times profile, p. 15. 86 Younge, p. 15. 87 Younge, p. 3. 88 Felix Dexter, quoted in Slater, p. 6. 89 The Sunday Times Profile, p. 15. 90 The Sunday Times Profile, p. 15. 91 Smart, p. 1. 92 Staines's real residents additionally know that the town is in fact in the county of Middlesex, and not Berkshire as Ali G mistakenly believes. For more on the reactions of Staines residents to Ali G, see Smart (op. cit) and Ali G? Isn't That One of the Local Youth Groups? (no by-line), Surrey Herald, 13 January 2000. The Surrey Herald is a local weekly newspaper with a 2000 circulation of 13,000. Source: Willings Press Guide 2000, UK edition, volume I (Teddington, Middlesex, 2000). Smart also refers to a rare interview given by Ali G (in character) to the Staines and Ashford News. This was, reported Smart, of such 'extreme, one could say massive crudity' that it was not subsequently published elsewhere. Finally, an insert on What they Make of Ali G in Staines, accompanied Gary Younge's feature for the Guardian (op. cit). 93 The term is compounded from 'mock' and 'Cockneys'. Those who speak with a less specific London-area accent are referred to as speaking 'Estuary English'—derived from the areas surrounding the River Thames estuary. 94 Susan Suleiman and Inge Crossman (eds) The Reader in the Text (Princeton, Princeton University Press, 1980). 95 Roland Barthes, therefore, was able to speak of 'the death of the author'. See Roland Barthes, Image, Music, Text, Translated by Stephen Heath, Fontana Communications (London, Fontana, 1977). 96 No by-line, It's Chillin' What da Boy Get Away With, The Sunday Times, Profile column, 9 January 2000, p. 15. 97 Laville, p. 3. 98 Ali G is a Bit of a Laugh (leader page comment, no by-line), New Nation, 10 January 2000, p. 2. 99 Ali G is a Bit of a Laugh (leader page comment, no by-line), New Nation, 10 January 2000, p. 2. 100 Eboda, p. 4. 101 Younge, p. 3.