On July 4, Sacha Baron Cohen revived his dormant Twitter account to post a rather odd video. Featuring edited video and audio of President Donald Trump slamming the Borat star, the short clip suggested that Cohen was working on something new, which we now know is he his Showtime series Who Is America.
A message from your President @realDonaldTrump on Independence Day pic.twitter.com/O2PwZqO0cs
— Sacha Baron Cohen (@SachaBaronCohen) July 4, 2018
Everything we know about the Sacha Baron Cohen Showtime series Who Is America
A subsequent Variety report, and posters spotted by Vulture, confirmed as much. The comedian was working on a new Showtime series titled Who Is America and it was coming soon. Earlier this week, the premium network – which had been promoting something new but secretive since June – finally commented on Cohen’s shenanigans in a press release.
Billed as a “brand new satirical half-hour series” from the British comedy actor, who both writes and directs it, Who Is America marks Cohen’s return to series television for the first time in more than a decade. The program has been in the works for the past year and will consist of seven half-hour episodes. Each “will explore the diverse individuals, from the infamous to the unknown across the political and cultural spectrum, who populate our unique nation.”
In a statement, Showtime CEO and President David Nevins said, “Sacha is a comedic genius who shocks you with his audacity, bravery and inventiveness. He is the premier provocateur of our time, but not for the sake of ‘gotcha’ moments. Behind the elaborate setup is a genuine quest for the truth about people, places and politics. Nobody knows how to cause a stir like Sacha Baron Cohen, and it’s going to be fascinating to watch what happens when Who Is America? is released on the world.”
— Sacha Baron Cohen (@SachaBaronCohen) July 8, 2018
Whether Who Is America? is more than a collection of “gotcha” moments remains to be seen. In one teaser, former Vice President Dick Cheney agrees to sign Cohen’s character’s “waterboarding kit,” which creates a rather interesting comedic moment. Then again, as former Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin recently said of her being duped into an interview for the series, the gimmick was nothing more than an “evil, exploitive, sick” game.
“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,” she 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 disrespect and sarcasm — but finally had enough and literally, physically removed my mic and walked out, much to Cohen’s chagrin.”
Sacha Baron Cohen Showtime series Who Is America release date
Cohen’s sense of humor isn’t for everyone, especially the people his programs frequently target. Even so, the first episode of Who Is America will be available to stream online and On Demand at midnight on Saturday, July 14, then air Sunday, July 15 at 10 p.m. ET on Showtime. Future episodes will also air on Sundays at this time.
