British actor and comedian Sacha Baron Cohen has published a column in Time magazine titled «Why Satire Is No Laughing Matter», in which he systematically outlines his understanding of the role of satire in modern society. In the piece, Cohen discusses the mechanisms through which his iconic characters — Borat, Ali G, and others — function as tools to expose prejudice, discrimination, and political stupidity, while citing the career of Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a key example. Zelenskyy's journey from a satirical TV series to the presidency serves, in the author's view, as clear proof of the power of humor.
Satire as a Means, Not an End
The central thesis of the column is built on the idea that humor performs a dual function: it is both entertaining and cognitive. «I have always created my characters and humor as a means to expose prejudice, discrimination, and stupidity, though I realize not everyone perceives it that way», Cohen writes. At the same time, he emphasizes that satire is most effective when it does not turn into moralizing. «I admit that much of my humor is indeed crude. That is because satire is most effective not when it lectures, but when it is paired with laughter. And only when you leave the cinema or turn off the TV does it make you think», the actor explains. Thus, Cohen constructs a clear logic: laughter is a «Trojan horse» through which critical thought infiltrates the viewer's consciousness without resistance.
Character Mechanics: From Borat to Ali G
Cohen details how each of his famous personas operates according to its own script. Borat, a fictional journalist from Kazakhstan, is designed by the author to expose anti-Semitism, xenophobia, sexism, and everyday racism by forcing interviewees on public broadcasts to voice what they usually keep hidden. Ali G, by contrast, plays the role of a clueless interviewer whose absurd questions lead powerful people to underestimate him. «His absurd questions cause powerful people to underestimate him and answer seriously, thereby exposing their own prejudices», Cohen formulates. Both characters, according to him, perform the same function — creating a situation where a person voluntarily demonstrates their hidden biases — but do so through fundamentally different comedic techniques.
Zelenskyy as an Argument: From Satire to Power
One of the central examples Cohen cites in the column is the story of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. «He was a comedian who once pretended to play the piano with his penis — a stunt Aristophanes would surely have loved. However, Zelenskyy’s TV show so accurately parodied a corrupt oligarchy that just four years after the premiere of the series „Servant of the People", he was elected president himself», Cohen writes, accompanying the thought with a quote from George Orwell: «Every joke is a tiny revolution». For Cohen, this example is not just an illustration: it confirms his main thesis that satire is capable not only of annoying politicians and regimes, but also of influencing public processes all the way to a change of power.
Satire Under Pressure: Show Cancellations and Trump's Reaction
Cohen links the relevance of satire to current events in the US media landscape. He mentions the cancellation of Stephen Colbert's show and the temporary suspension of Jimmy Kimmel's program — two hosts who, he says, «frequently mock the actions of the Trump administration». The actor also recalls Donald Trump's reaction to an episode in which Borat exposed lawyer Rudy Giuliani in 2020. «Even Trump protests too much. When asked in 2020 about Borat exposing his lawyer Rudy Giuliani as an unpleasant character, Trump recalled an instance two decades earlier when I tried to trick him while performing as Ali G: „He's a phony guy, and I don't find him funny — I don't find him funny"», Cohen quotes the former president. According to the author's design, precisely such a disproportionately emotional reaction confirms that satire is perceived as a real threat rather than harmless entertainment.
The Limits of Humor and the Role of Institutions
Concluding the column, Cohen makes an important caveat: the capabilities of humor are not limitless. In his conviction, preserving a free society requires not only satirists, but also independent media, effective institutions, and an active civil society. Satire is thus positioned not as a replacement for systemic mechanisms of defending democracy, but as one tool in a broader arsenal. Cohen's column in Time continues a tradition he has built over two decades: turning comedy into a subject of serious public conversation about the boundaries of free speech and what exactly makes society vulnerable to authoritarian shifts.
