BET: Sacha Baron Cohen reveals people’s racist attitudes, but needs more diversity

(KLTV/KTRE) - The name Sacha Baron Cohen may not instantly ring a bell, but you have probably seen some of his work. He is an actor who has appeared in several comedy movies such a Talladega Nights, the animated series Madagascar and even the movie musical Les Miserables.

Currently, he is the host and lead actor on a Showtime series called "Who is America?" In true Cohen fashion, he disguises himself and dupes people into revealing surprising, even shocking attitudes on race and other topics. He ultimately makes a fool of his victims on camera and gets them to say and do embarrassing things.

He tried to fool Sarah Palin by posing as a disabled vet. He did fool former Vice President Dick Cheney, and he made several citizens of the town of Kingman, Arizona into fools by proposing that a massive mosque was going to be built in their town. The reaction of the townspeople was very unflattering.

Cohen's humor is distasteful because it is based on a lie and he fools people but he has uncovered some caustic attitudes that might not have even made it on social media by baiting people's fears and getting them to reveal destructive attitudes. Those attitudes exist on both sides of the political aisle, and that is where Cohen becomes even more destructive. Up to this point, he has almost exclusively targeted conservative groups and lawmakers while the program description pledges to be diverse. He is anything but that.

Racist attitudes need to be addressed but Cohen's way of baiting people is not the way to a solution.

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