Ali G star tricks Palestinian and Israeli spy into spoof debate on Middle East

[Marcus Marulus]

'What's the difference between Hamas and hummus?' Ali G star tricks Palestinian and Israeli spy into spoof debate on Middle East

By Daily Mail Reporter

07th July 2008

Sacha Baron Cohen is best-known as colourful characters Ali G and Borat, whose gag interviews mock high-profile personalities.

The controversial comedian is up to his old tricks again- this time using camp Austrian alter-ego Bruno to fool the unsuspecting victim into a spoof debate.

Dressed in studs and leather, the 36-year-old duped a former Mossad agent into comparing Islamic group Hamas to the chickpea dip hummus during an embarrassing interview.


Trickster: Sacha Baron Cohen as camp character Bruno who tricked an Israeli analyst in an embarrassing interview

The cringeworthy interview saw Israeli analyst Yossi Alpher and his Palestinian partner quizzed for what they thought was a serious documentary on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

At one point, Bruno compared the Middle East conflict to the spat between Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie, saying: 'Your conflict is not so bad.'

Baron Cohen then forced the interviewees to explain the difference between Hamas - the political group ruling Gaza - and hummus.


Duped: Former Mossad agent Yossi Alpher fell for Sacha Baron-Cohen's gag interview

Red-faced Alpher said afterwards: 'One of us mentioned Hamas, and the exchange that ensued went something like this: "Vait, vait. Vat's zee connection between a political movement and food. Vy hummus?" We exchanged astonished glances.'

Baron Cohen then asked: 'Ya, but vy hummus? Yesterday I had to throw away my pita bread because it vas dripping hummus. Unt it's too high in carbohydrates.'

The Jewish comedian then suggested Israel and Palestinian settle their conflict with a time-share on the land.

He asked: 'Vy don't you Jews and Arabs settle the conflict with a time-share on the land? Ven will you Jews return to the pyramids? Vy can't Jews and Hindus get along?'

Alpher said he learned only later that the interviewer was one of Baron Cohen's characters.

In a letter to the the New York Jewish weekly, The Forward, Alpher recounted how he was led down a winding staircase and through long corridors to the interview site in Jerusalem.

After he and his Palestinian partner found themselves answering other idiotic questions, they started to suspect the sophisticated team of several assistants and three cameras.



Colourful characters: Sacha Baron Cohen as alter-egos Borat and Ali G

But it was too late to pull out, Alpher wrote, because the two had signed release forms and received payment for the interview.

Cohen's other characters include aspiring rapper Ali G and the anti-Semitic Kazakh journalist Borat.

In the past, he has duped high-profile people including former CIA boss James Woolsey.

[source]

[orieleye]

I doubt the Israelis would be so easily fooled. What does it cost them anyway if Hamas is ridiculed?

[BeornWulfWer]

So much for the Palestinian and Israeli intelligence services if they weren't clued up in who the guy was interviewing them.

[Errigal]

Originally Posted by BeornWulfWer

So much for the Palestinian and Israeli intelligence services if they weren't clued up in who the guy was interviewing them.

That's why I doubt this was a big surprise; both the Izzies and the Pallies would be on the lookout for an assassination attempt. This is likely just a bit of publicity for Baron Cohen.

[Marcus Marulus]

It is all acting, I never believed he really deceived his interlocutors.