# Sacha Baron Cohen on Satire's Power

> Satire exposes prejudice and extremism, but social media and AI have made it more vital than ever.
- Title: Sacha Baron Cohen on Satire's Power · TIME | Shortify
- Summary: Satire exposes prejudice and extremism, but social media and AI have made it more vital than ever. Sacha Baron Cohen argues that satire remains crucial for…
- Keywords: sacha baron cohen, ali g, borat, satire, social media, prejudice, extremism, political violence, us elections, news, world, Sacha
- Source: TIME — https://time.com/article/2026/10/20/sacha-baron-cohen-on-satire
- Author: Sacha Baron Cohen
- Published: 2026-10-20T12:00:08.645+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: sacha baron cohen, ali g, borat, satire, social media, ai, prejudice, extremism, political violence, us elections, news, world
## My First Satire Experience
At age 8, I saw Monty Python’s Life of Brian in a London cinema with my brothers.
## The Bouffon Tradition
Bouffons, societal outcasts who mocked rulers, have been satirists since 11th century France.
## Satire's Historical Impact
Aristophanes, Juvenal, and Lenny Bruce all used satire to challenge power, though critics dismissed them.
## Ali G's Purpose
Ali G exposes prejudice by making powerful people answer questions they don't expect.
## Borat's Legacy
Borat, an antisemitic journalist, exposes Jew hatred, xenophobia, and casual racism.
## Satire's Modern Threats
Social media and AI have amplified prejudice, making satire more vital than ever.
## The Rise of Extremism
Racism against Jews has increased from 2% of US population to 70% of hate crimes.
## Political Violence
One-fifth of Americans support violence to save the country, according to a recent survey.
## Satire's Role Today
Satire helps sound the alarm about extremism and conspiracy theories in polarized times.
## The Solution
We must treat everyone with respect to stop hate and build pluralistic democracies.
## Key takeaway

Sacha Baron Cohen argues that satire remains crucial for exposing prejudice and extremism in today's polarized world.