Baron Cohen’s TV shows, movies, and other projects have made us burst with laughter on numerous occasions, and he’s even sent some of us to the hospital (as was the case with Charlize Theron). While Baron Cohen has certainly forged a much broader career than simply embodying larger-than-life characters—like his memorable role as Abbie Hoffman in The Trial of the Chicago Seven—his best work has always come through comedy. Here are our picks for the wildest and most hilarious pranks that Sacha Baron Cohen pulled off, which often involved unwitting members of the public who became the butt of his jokes.
8. Trump and Ali G
When Ali G turned up to meet Donald Trump, Trump knew something was off—and yet he still went through with the interview. With every question thrown at the business mogul, he increasingly realizes that he needs to get out quickly. But he doesn’t, and he ends up listening to an insane business proposal. Knowing that Donald Trump would eventually become President of the United States makes this clip that much funnier now. He’s forced to sit through the ramblings of Baron Cohen’s character, with the entire concept getting more ludicrous by the second.
7. Bernie Sanders Meets the Right Wing
Sacha Baron Cohen took on his ultra-right-wing persona when he chose to interview Bernie Sanders in his TV series, Who Is America? Bernie Sanders admirably tries to explain his ideas and policies even as Baron Cohen’s character makes it intensely difficult. He continues to push Trump’s agenda on Sanders, but the politician has the patience to engage in genuine dialogue—even though he must know it’s fruitless. The funniest moment comes when Baron Cohen absurdly explains why he should leave alone the 1% of American wealth statistics and simply “move” the 99% into the 1%, which leaves the left-wing Senator utterly baffled.
6. Borat at the Rodeo
When Borat brought his travels to the southern states of the US during his pilgrimage to find Pamela Anderson, he ends up being invited to sing the US national anthem at a rodeo. He first affirms to the crowd that his home nation of Kazakhstan is fully behind the war in Iraq, which draws huge cheers. But he continues to spout his rhetoric, which results in fewer and fewer cheers. Finally, when he sings, it’s his own made-up Kazakhstani anthem to the tune of the US national anthem—and the scene turns ugly. Baron Cohen was reportedly escorted out hastily.
5. The Kingman Town Meeting
When Baron Cohen’s ultra-left character shows up at an Arizonan town meeting with a plan to invest hundreds of millions of dollars into the local economy, everyone seems pretty happy about it. But it all starts going south when he reveals that the money will go towards building the largest mosque outside of the Middle East, and their all-white town has been selected to host said mosque. Shock and anger quickly spreads throughout the room as the meeting-goers reveal their xenophobic prejudices, all while Baron Cohen proceeds to push the mosque on the people even harder.
4. Roy Moore
While pretending to be an ex-Mossad Special Forces Agent, Baron Cohen scores an interview with Judge Roy Moore (who was embroiled in a teenage sex scandal at the time). Using his fearless techniques, Baron Cohen claims that the Israeli army has invented a detector that beeps when it comes near a sexual offender. Of course, it keeps being activated whenever it’s put next to Moore, who grows visibly angry as the device continually beeps at him. And when Baron Cohen asks him if he’s recently lent his jacket to anyone, Roy Moore cuts the interview and walks off.
3. Incest and Abortion
When Borat’s daughter Tutar (Maria Bakalova) swallows a candy baby from atop a cupcake, Borat takes her to have the “baby” removed—at a Christian abortion center. Borat and Tutar sit down and explain the situation, that he “put the baby in her” because he “wanted to give her pleasure.” However, the lack of concrete reaction from the “specialist” is what shocks the most. The person explains that no matter how it came about, the baby is a gift that should be kept and they will not perform the procedure. Yes, it’s shocking, but within the context of the prank, it’s also hilarious.
2. Rudy Giuliani and the Hotel
Arguably the most famous prank that Baron Cohen has ever pulled, this is the one where he leaves Borat’s daughter, Tutar (Maria Bakalova), alone in a room with Rudy Giuliani following an interview. With the interview ended, Tutar invites Giuliani into the bedroom for a drink, which leaves the famed lawyer doing things that seem very troubling for any man alone in a room with a young woman. And the whole situation explodes in absurdity as Baron Cohen rushes in as Borat dressed as a woman, offering himself to Rudy. The shock of the moment leaves Baron Cohen and Bakalova running from the hotel as Giuliani calls in his security team.
1. The Britannia Awards
While mocking politicians and other prominent figures is funny, pulling a shocking prank in front a room full of Hollywood celebrities during an awards ceremony is way funnier. When it’s Baron Cohen’s turn to accept his award—the Charlie Chaplin Britannia Award for Excellence in Comedy—a woman supposedly known as the oldest living actor to have worked with Chaplin rolls on stage in a wheelchair and presents him with one of Chaplin’s canes. Baron Cohen accepts it with grace and performs Chaplin’s iconic stance before falling over and knocking the elderly woman off the stage, causing a mixture of shock and disbelief from the crowd. It’s funny, brilliant, and without any sense of acknowledgement from Baron Cohen until most have figured out it was a gag.
