Top 10 Cringiest Sacha Baron Cohen Moments

Script written by Robin Brown

Top 10 Cringiest Sacha Baron Cohen Moments

He’s rude, crude and occasionally nude. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the top 10 Cringiest Sacha Baron Cohen moments.

For this list, we’ve looked at the British comedian’s weirdest, wackiest, most controversial and most unexpected escapades.

#10: Breaking the Bread with Republicans

“Who Is America”? (2018)


With the political tensions in America reaching a staggering high, only someone like Sacha would have the testicular fortitude to antagonize everyone from the far-right to the far-left. In this particular segment from his new show, he goes adopts the persona of a gender studies professor to meet republican delegates in their family home. Despite the pleads from Mrs. Thompson her husband is barely able to hold back his judgement throughout the segment, with talk of encouraging his daughter “free bleed” on the American flag…to dealing with a heartbreaking romance between his wife and a Dolphin.

#9: Interviewing a Feminist

“Da Ali G Show” (2000-04)

As Ali G, Baron Cohen regularly breaches topical issues in controversial ways. But this interview with the feminist author Naomi Wolf sees the comic character let loose. Whether it’s the offensive questions, misogynistic opinions or simply his uncouth demeanour, Ali G represents everything Wolf is against. She’s left bewildered and visibly shocked by almost everything he says, and though we all know it’s a wind-up, the conversation gets increasingly (and excruciatingly) awkward to watch.

#8: Dropping In on Eminem

“MTV Movie Awards” (2009)

Sacha usually has something up his sleeve when it comes to awards shows, but he truly outdid himself at the MTV Movie Awards in 2009. Entering the auditorium on a wire, and in character as the title star of his latest movie “Brüno”, the stunt soon took a turn for the worse - with Eminem getting a faceful. The rapper later claimed to be in on the gag, but going by the reactions of everyone else, the rest of the crowd certainly were not.

#7: Rodeo Anthem

“Borat” (2006)

Duping feminists and rap stars is one thing, but Baron Cohen stepped up his game for this famous “Borat” scene, by taking on a rowdy crowd of more than four thousand rodeo-lovin’ Americans. After declaring his support for the War on Terror, the Kazakh character seems to get the spectators on side... But then he ups the ante, until he almost incites a riot by rehashing the national anthem. It’s easily one of Baron Cohen’s most infamous moments, with the incident even making the local news.

#6: Cage Fight Love

“Brüno” (2009)

From almost causing a riot to actually causing one. We’re with Brüno again, at the finale of his film, and the flamboyant character reunites with his boyfriend for a scene filled with passion and intimacy. Unfortunately for them, they’re surrounded by nearly two thousand locals who had turned up ready for a red-blooded cage fight. Baron Cohen and his co-star were quickly pelted with beer cups and broken ringside chairs, as onlooking macho men were brought to tears. It makes for a funny story, though.

#5: Modern Art

“Who Is America?” (2018)


Back again with his latest series, as we’re introduced to yet another of his characters; Rick Sherman, an ex-con with a passion for creating art…out of his own bodily waste. Here, he meets an art consultant to pitch his new works to, even bringing samples and horrifying tales. The segment is already hard to watch before Rick is hit with inspiration and comes back with a new piece. But the true cringe-inducing moment is when he manages to convince said consultant to supply him with a strand of her pubic hair to add to his collection. The lengths people will go to for art, eh?

#4: The Elephant

“Grimsby” (2016)

Sacha doesn’t have to be meddling in mockumentaries to create outrageous moments, and this scene for “Grimsby” is one you won’t forget in a hurry. Baron Cohen plays Nobby Butcher, the football hooligan older brother to Mark Strong’s MI6 agent, Sebastian. Here, the pair are trying to outrun some gunmen, so Nobby finds an unconventional hiding place. But, although the bad guys lose their trail, the brothers have another big problem on their hands. It’s graphic, relentless and Mark Strong must be wondering if Hollywood’s all it’s cracked up to be.

#3: Awards Show Shocker

“Britannia Awards” (2013)

As we’ve seen, Baron Cohen has history with award show stunts, and this is an acceptance speech unlike any other. On stage to receive the 2013 Charlie Chaplin Britannia Award for Excellence in Comedy, the presentation supposedly involves an 87-year old actor who starred with Chaplin as a kid. But the special guest is soon at the centre of apparent tragedy, when Sacha slips, and kills her. The whole thing’s a prank, of course, but he had us going for a second there.

#2: Interviewing a ‘Terrorist’

“Brüno” (2009)

Sacha’s made a career out of pushing the boundaries for comedy, but this “Brüno” interview seemed to seriously overstep the mark. The scene sees Brüno talk with a supposed member of a dangerous terrorist group, but the man had no such links. With Sacha maintaining the facade for the promo trail as well, the outraged interviewee reportedly received death threats, and eventually filed a lawsuit against Baron Cohen for defamation of character. A settlement was agreed in 2012.

#1: Naked Hotel Wrestling

“Borat” (2006)

It’s probably Sacha’s most memorable scene, and easily his most outrageous. And nothing shows the all-out insanity of Borat better than this moment. Enraged when his producer pleasures himself over pictures of Pamela Anderson, the crazed Kazakh launches a no-holds-barred, naked attack. And the full-on fight can’t be contained to just one hotel room, as the action moves from the corridors to the foyer, and to a conference room packed with bewildered onlookers. Little did they know they were watching classic comedy in the making.