Here’s What We Think We Know About Sacha Baron Cohen’s Secret New Show
The new Showtime series is about America, features an interview with Dick Cheney, and may or may not include a bunch of new Sacha Baron Cohen characters
Phil Hornshaw | July 10, 2018 @ 5:26 PM
Last Updated: July 10, 2018 @ 5:28 PM
On Monday, Showtime announced the show, called “Who Is America?” with a teaser video full of flashes of imagery that might suggest where Baron Cohen is going with this new project. This includes a promo by former Vice President Dick Cheney, who teases that he’s an interview subject in the first episode of “Who is America?”, airing July 14.
Here’s the description of the show from the press release: “In the works over the past year, the seven-episode series will explore the diverse individuals, from the infamous to the unknown across the political and cultural spectrum, who populate our unique nation.”
The press release also includes a shot of Baron Cohen with his head shaved, in a pose that suggests he’s playing a documentary filmmaker character, framing a shot while also holding the crank handle of an old movie camera.
You can watch Showtime’s teaser right here:
From the description, the teaser and the title, it seems Baron Cohen’s next project is likely political satire like his past work with characters like Borat and Ali G. The Showtime teaser video includes politically charged imagery from America in the post-2016 election era, and it can’t be a coincidence that a figure so controversial as Cheney, who served as Vice President under George W. Bush, is the first guest.
It also seems to suggest that Baron Cohen has a new character in mind for the show — the video uses the phrase, “Sacha Baron Cohen returns in a series as you’ve never ever seen him before.”
The word “ever” is repeated five different times, each time over a different, tough-to-parse close up of a person. One of those shots, of a severe-looking man with a unibrow, appears to be the same character in the image Showtime shared in its press release. That raises an important question: Who is shown in those other shots? Is Baron Cohen introducing multiple characters in this new show?
It would appear that multiple new Baron Cohen characters is a distinct possibility. In the Showtime teaser video, there’s a shot of someone who appears to be Baron Cohen, wearing big sunglasses and a cowboy hat; a close shot of a hand with a number of rings on it; a shot of a pink “pussyhat” worn by many protesters during the Women’s March following Donald Trump’s inauguration in January; and a shot of a blond-haired older man with a face tattoo, who also could be a made-up Baron Cohen.
On Twitter, Baron Cohen also shared another teaser video for “Who is America?” that could potentially back up the multiple characters theory. It contains a number of fast flashes that appear to be Baron Cohen playing a number of characters, including the filmmaker character wearing a camouflage ghillie suit, a blonde man that could be Baron Cohen’s Brüno character, a shot of Baron Cohen fixing a gray mustache while wearing what looks like one of the rings from the Showtime teaser, and a brief shot of the person with the face tattoo.
— Sacha Baron Cohen (@SachaBaronCohen) July 8, 2018
We also see someone hold up a picture of President Barack Obama photoshopped to look like Osama Bin Laden, and then a snippet of the interview with Cheney. We hear Baron Cohen, speaking in a tough-to-place accent, ask Cheney to sign his “waterboarding kit” — which Cheney does.
Another piece of the puzzle that might give an idea of the political focus of “Who is America?” and it also comes from Baron Cohen’s Twitter account. That account only includes two tweets, in fact: the video above, and another teaser video posted on July 4.
— Sacha Baron Cohen (@SachaBaronCohen) July 4, 2018
The second video goofs on Donald Trump himself, playing a clip from 2012 in which Trump talks about how he’d like to see Baron Cohen punched in the face “so many times that he’d wind up in a hospital.” Trump goes on to say that Baron Cohen should go back to school to “learn about being funny” because “you don’t know s—.” Baron Cohen interviewed Trump as his character Ali G on “Da Ali G Show” back in 2003, which Trump walked out of after the Baron Cohen character tried to pitch him on a business idea: ice cream gloves.
The video ends with the message “Sacha graduates, soon,” and then a shot of the logo for Trump University, Trump’s for-profit education company that was not an accredited college, and which was hit by multiple lawsuits from former students that alleged the company engaged made false claims about the education it offered, and racketeering. Trump settled those lawsuits, and the company is now defunct.
Apparently, Cheney isn’t the only political figure Baron Cohen has punked with his new show. Former vice presidential candidate and Alaska governor Sarah Palin admitted on Facebook she was duped by Baron Cohen. She said Baron Cohen interviewed her while posing as a U.S. military veteran, in heavy makeup, and using a wheelchair.
“For my interview, my daughter and I were asked to travel across the country where Cohen (I presume) had heavily disguised himself as a disabled US Veteran, fake wheelchair and all,” Palin wrote on Facebook. “Out of respect for what I was led to believe would be a thoughtful discussion with someone who had served in uniform, I sat through a long “interview” full of Hollywoodism’s (sic) disrespect and sarcasm – but finally had enough and literally, physically removed my mic and walked out, much to Cohen’s chagrin.”
Palin’s response to the news came after The Hill reported on a tweet by right-wing news aggregator Matt Drudge advising that several people on both sides of the political aisle had gotten tricked by Baron Cohen.
“Sacha Baron Cohen at it again!” Drudge wrote. “This time for CBS/SHOWTIME. Lots of tricks played. Both Republicans and Democrats are getting caught up in the madness. Sacha has finked (Dick) Cheney, (Sarah) Palin, Howard Dean, Alberto Gonzales, Bernie (Sanders), Trent Lott, (retired Gen. David) Patraeus, Ted Koppel, and more… BEWARE!”
Sacha Baron Cohen at it again! This time for CBS/SHOWTIME. Lots of tricks played. Both Republicans and Democrats are getting caught up in the madness. Sacha has finked Cheney, Palin, Howard Dean, Alberto Gonzales, Bernie, Trent Lott, Patraeus, Ted Koppel, and more… BEWARE!
So it seems Baron Cohen is digging into the current political climate and Trump presidency, the #Resistance backlash, and other recent events. He also has at least one new character, and possibly even more. Going back to Showtime’s description of the show and the line, “the seven-episode series will explore the diverse individuals, from the infamous to the unknown across the political and cultural spectrum, who populate our unique nation” — it seems as though those “diverse individuals” could all be Baron Cohen characters.
Showtime is playing most of the details about the show close to the vest, however — we’ll have to wait until July 14 to fully find out what the deal is, it seems.
TV Shows You Should Binge-Watch Right Now, From 'Succession' to 'Riverdale'
Need something new to watch? You're in the middle of what might be the the most optimal time to watch TV ever (when you can't go out because there's a pandemic). Fortunately, there's no shortage of awesome shows out there across a number of streaming services. Here's every streaming show you should absolutely make time for.
"Succession" (Seasons 1-2 on HBO Go) -
This extremely dry comedy about a billionaire family full of clownish jerks -- everybody tends to compare them to the Murdochs -- is one of the most memeable shows on television.
"Brooklyn Nine-Nine" (Seasons 1-7 on Hulu) -
Likewise, "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" is a sitcom with real heart, where all the main characters always have good intentions and just wanna help each other. And also it's really funny.
"Modern Love" (Season 1 on Amazon Prime Video) -
If you just want something super nice and sweet to watch, this fairly short anthology series really hits the spot. It's just a series of stories about people who form surprising relationships that aren't necessarily based in romance. It'll make you feel good!
"Homeland" (Season 1-7 on Netflix, and 1-8 on Showtime Anytime) -
This series, about a bipolar CIA agent who gets involved in some really messy situations, just ended its run on Showtime. So right now you'll get a lengthy show to watch that you know will eventually have a conclusion.
"The Plot Against America" (Season 1 on HBO Go) -
It's really nice, in times of great collective stress, to experience a story that helps you contextualize the real world while pretty far removed from the present moment. And this story, which depicts an alternate history in which Charles Lindbergh defeated FDR for the presidency in 1940, definitely fits that bill.
"Jack Ryan" (Seasons 1-2 on Amazon Prime Video) -
This John Krasinski action drama based on the famous Tom Clancy character is certainly very corny, but sometimes that's what you need.
"Dickinson" (Season 1 on Apple TV+) -
The easy highlight of the Apple TV+ slate so far. This sort of modernist teen comedy version of Emily Dickinson's formative years is super clever.
"The Purge" (Season 1 on Hulu, Season 2 is purchasable from digital retailers) -
The two seasons of "The Purge" we got on USA Network were more than worthy entries in the franchise alongside the movies. In some ways they're even better, since we get more time to explore this strange utopia.
"Sweet Magnolias" (Season 1 on Netflix) -
It's as though "Riverdale" had a surprisingly wholesome Southern baby. It might not be the glossiest show, but it's oddly effective as comfort food.
"Prison Break" (Seasons 1-5 on Hulu) -
This show is so crazy in a very network TV kind of way, but it's full of characters that you'll become very attached to very quickly. Even the horrible ones.
"Outlander" (Season 1-3 on Netflix, Season 1-5 on Starz) -
We all need a grand romantic adventure in our lives, right? And it doesn't get much more grand or romantic than Starz's flagship series about an early 20th century woman who accidentally travels to the distant past and falls in love there.
"Riverdale" (Seasons 1-3 on Netflix) -
This odd teen drama based on the Archie Comics characters is just about the trashiest show imaginable. And that's why it's so, so good.
"Designated Survivor" (Seasons 1-3 on Netflix) -
The story of a reluctant successor taking the presidency after a tragedy that destroys the government is full of positive American idealism. "Designated Survivor" combines a little bit of "The West Wing" with "24" to make something that's extremely watchable, and the Netflix-exclusive third season got so real in exactly the right way.
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"The Young Pope"/"The New Pope" (Both on HBO Go, HBO Now) -
Jude Law is the first American pope in HBO's dark comedy about religion, authority, politics and backstabbing. And then John Malkovich popped in as his successor in "The New Pop." A thoroughly brilliant bit of casting if you ask us.
"Santa Clarita Diet" (Seasons 1-3 on Netflix) -
Drew Barrymore is a suburban realtor who suddenly dies, then comes back with a taste for human flesh in Netflix’s gory comedy. Not quite a zombie, she struggles to carry on life as usual with her husband, Timothy Olyphant, as they find themselves killing their neighbors to keep her fed so she won’t go full evil.
"The Runaways" (Seasons 1-3 on Hulu) -
Hulu's first Marvel show stands apart from a lot of the other superhero offerings on TV by following a group of diverse teen protagonists. After they discover their parents might basically be supervillains, a group of kids start discovering they have strange abilities of their own. "The Runaways" is a great change of pace from the usual superhero show.
"Glow" (Seasons 1-3 on Netflix) -
Netflix's comedy heads back to the 1980s for the historic formation of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling show, hitting on some ridiculous situations as a group of women with no wrestling experience try to come together to make something amazing. "Glow" sports a hysterical cast, and its first season is a quick binge that's totally worth the investment.
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"Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events" (seasons 1-3 on Netflix) -
Netflix's adaptation of the children's book series is a blast, featuring great performances from a variety of visiting stars, from Joan Cusack to Don Johnson. They're all led by a hilariously evil Neil Patrick Harris.
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"Altered Carbon" (season 1-2 on Netflix) -
If you're looking for a huge, beautiful, expansive sci-fi vision, "Altered Carbon" is a good place to start. Netflix's adaptation of the book of the same name imagines a world where bodies are interchangeable and people are stored as digital versions of themselves. There's a whole lot to absorb in this hard-boiled sci-fi murder mystery.
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"The Expanse" (Seasons 1-4 on Amazon Prime Video) -
Syfy's return to space opera is like "Game of Thrones," but with interplanetary travel. Mixing a murder mystery and a Cold War conspiracy story, "The Expanse" is full of zero-gee special effects and characters flying around the solar system, trying to prevent a war that could end humanity. The first season is available to stream on Amazon, while the second season recently wrapped up on Syfy.
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"Bosch" (seasons 1-6 on Amazon) -
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"Dark" (seasons 1-2 on Netfix) -
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"The Path" (seasons 1-3 on Hulu) -
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"Travelers" (seasons 1-3 on Netflix) -
Time travelers from the future walk among us in "Travelers," executing secret orders in order to change the future. This Netflix show has some cool ideas about dealing with the pressures of saving the world, along with the ways messing with the present can affect the future.
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"Shut Eye" (seasons 1-2 on Hulu) -
Hulu’s latest original series is about grifters in the Los Angeles psychic reading business. But then Jeffrey Donovan takes a blow to the head, and suddenly he might actually be seeing the future. The machinations and dark humor pile up as he and his family try to get out from under the thumb of their crime lord bosses.
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"The Man in the High Castle" (season 1-4 on Amazon) -
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"Portlandia" (seasons 1-8 on Netflix) -
The IFC surrealist comedy, starring Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein, is really something. In the meantime, though, the rest of the series is available to watch straight through on Netflix.
IFC
"Catastrophe" (seasons 1-4 on Amazon Prime Video) -
With only six half-hour episodes in each of its four seasons, Amazon’s acclaimed sitcom “Catastrophe” is an easy binge. From creators Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney, who also star.
Amazon
"Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" (seasons 1-4 on Netflix) -
The Tina Fey-created, Ellie Kemper-starring comedy is definitely a must-watch, with four seasons and a movie available on Netflix right now. Predicated on the premise that the titular Kimmy escaped being kidnapped and held in a bunker and is now picking her life up where she left off, "The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" is full of ridiculous situations in the vein of shows like "30 Rock."
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"Ozark" (Seasons 1-3 on Netflix) -
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"Luke Cage" (seasons 1-2 on Netflix) -
The latest installment in Marvel's street-level universe (which also includes "Daredevil" and "Jessica Jones") stars Mike Colter as a bulletproof hero bringing justice to Harlem. Besides action and social commentary, it has the best soundtrack of any superhero series ever.
"Jessica Jones" (seasons 1-2 on Netflix) -
Marvel’s "Jessica Jones" won audiences and critics over with its rich storytelling, strong female lead, and intense action sequences.
"The Punisher" (seasons 1-s on Netflix) -
This series spins off from Season 2 of "Daredevil" to take a closer look at the Punisher, a superhero known for dishing out pain to criminals through nothing but sheer willpower. This might be the best of Marvel's shows, though, as it's more about folks working through their emotional trauma than shooting guys.
"Jane the Virgin" (season 1-5 on Netflix) -
The CW’s charming, telenovela-esque comedy has proved itself to be binge-watching candy. If you haven't checked out "Jane the Virgin," you can get lost in the first three seasons available on Netflix.
"The Get Down" (Season 1-2 on Netflix) - Baz Luhrmann’s stylish look at the birth of hip-hop in New York City is musical and charged with excitement. "The Get Down" deliver something that’s pretty different from other streaming fare, with its 1970s New York setting and the drama surrounding an emerging, exciting art form.
"Difficult People" (Seasons 1-3 on Hulu) -
The darkly comical "Difficult People" made its debut on Hulu at the end of the summer of 2015, impressing critics thanks to the lead performances of Billy Eichner and show creator Julie Klausner.
"Silicon Valley" (Seasons 1-6 on HBO Now and HBO Go) -
The fourth season for HBO’s "Silicon Valley" continues its parody of the tech-industry with its loveable band of nerd-entrepreneurs trying to keep their heads above water. Season 4 of the show just wrapped up, so there's plenty of comedy to be had on HBO Go and HBO Now.
"The Crown" (seasons 1-3 on Netflix) -
If you spend all your free time worrying about the Queen of England's health, this is the series for you. It looks at the last days of Winston Churchill, and how Elizabeth II took on the burden of the crown.
"Better Call Saul" (Netflix, season 1-4 only) -
The “Breaking Bad” spinoff may not quite carry its predecessor’s legendary status, but with Vince Gilligan’s writing and Bob Odenkirk’s acting, "Better Call Saul" really is just as good.
"Rick and Morty" (Seasons 1-4 on Hulu) -
Dark and ridiculous, "Rick and Morty" might be animated, but it's definitely not for children. The Adult Swim cartoon is about Rick, an often-drunk super-scientist, and his grandson Morty, who accompanies him on ridiculous adventures.
Adult Swim
"The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" (seasons 1-3 on Amazon) -
A hilarious story about a former housewife in the 1950s who discovers she's a dynamite stand-up comedian, there's a reason "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" has been an awards darling since its first season.
Amazon
"The Good Wife" (seasons 1-7 on Hulu and CBS All Access) -
Juliana Margulies plays Alicia Florrick, who joins her ex-boyfriend's law firm after her disgraced husband, the Illinois attorney general (Chris Noth) is caught in a prostitution scandal. "The Good Wife" is part relationship drama, part legal procedural -- and always surprisingly funny.
"Broad City" (seasons 1-5 on Hulu) -
Comedy Central’s hilarious, New York-based sitcom had a stellar five-season run. Created by and starring Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson.
"13 Reasons Why" (Seasons 1-3 on Netflix) - High school drama "13 Reasons Why" tells the story of a girl who commits suicide, and the tapes she leaves behind for all the people in her life that drove her to that decision. And then it continued to deal with the fallout in the subsequent seasons.
"You're the Worst" (seasons 1-5 on Hulu) -
The FX comedy about two anti-relationship people (Chris Geere and Aya Cash) in a toxic romance made a positive impression on critics in its first two seasons, which are currently available to stream on Hulu.
"BoJack Horseman" (seasons 1-6 on Netflix) -
"BoJack Horseman," Netflix’s hysterical animated social satire, didn’t do so great in its first season, but made vast improvements when it came back. Now considered one of Netflix's best, you can stream all six "BoJack" seasons right now, plus a Christmas special.
"Transparent" (seasons 1-5 on Amazon) -
Jill Soloway’s Golden-Globe-winning dramedy "Transparent" has received acclaim for its wonderful performances, acerbic writing, and sensitive direction.
"Black Mirror" (seasons 1-5 on Netflix) -
The darkly, darkly satiric series looks at how technology robs us of our humanity -- or just gives us excuses to abandon it. The series has gotten somewhat more hopeful in recent years, and the "Bandersnatch" interactive movie thing is a real trip.
"The Walking Dead" (seasons 1-9 only on Netflix) -
As AMC’s most-watched program, "The Walking Dead" has built a large fan base over the course of its many, many seasons. While its newest season has yet to be available for streaming, people can watch the first nine seasons of “The Walking Dead” for now, on Netflix.
"Making a Murderer" (Season 1 on Netflix) -
This intensive documentary series covers the story of Steven Avery, who was exonerated of a rape accusation before being arrested for murder. The sorted story is spread out over 10 episodes, raising plenty of questions about whether Avery is guilty along the way.
"Stranger Things" (Seasons 1-3 on Netflix) -
Channeling 1980s sci-fi and supernatural hits like "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," "ET," "Gremlins" and the works of Stephen King, "Stranger Things" perfectly captures an aesthetic of awesome movies gone by. It's also a suitably spooky story of a group of kids who have to go up against monsters, and the government, to save their town.
"The Handmaid's Tale" (Seasons 1-3 on Hulu) -
A dystopian world that subjugates women is the setting for "The Handmaid's Tale." The dark series' focus on the feminist struggle of Elizabeth Moss feels especially poignant in today's political climate.
Hulu
"Orange is the New Black" (Seasons 1-7 on Netflix) -
Netflix's acclaimed show tackles some really tough issues through its prison inmate humor, and there's plenty of "Orange" to watch when you need a deep dive into a show.
"Big Little Lies" (Seasons 1-2 on HBO Go and HBO Now) -
HBO's scandal- and rumor-fueled dark comedy "Big Little Lies" also became a whodunit as its drama unfolded. Its star-studded cast includes Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Alexander Skarsgard and Laura Dern.
"Insecure" (Season 1-4 on HBO Go and HBO Now) -
Issa Rae channels some hilarious but relatable experiences as she and her friend Molly deal with their own insecurities and flaws in "Insecure."
"Game of Thrones" (seasons 1-8 on HBO Now and HBO Go) -
A lot of folks weren't too happy with the final season of the huge hit fantasy series, but it was a pleasure to take this ride nonetheless.
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Looking for your next obsession? Try these shows
Need something new to watch? You're in the middle of what might be the the most optimal time to watch TV ever (when you can't go out because there's a pandemic). Fortunately, there's no shortage of awesome shows out there across a number of streaming services. Here's every streaming show you should absolutely make time for.
