Some find his silly impressions and bright green mankini a bit over-the-top but last night Sacha Baron-Cohen was being celebrated for his work.
The Borat star received the Outstanding Contribution Award at the British Comedy Awards in London yesterday evening.
Ali G is the television show that catapulted Baron-Cohen to stardom.
Ever the entertainer, the 41-year-old accepted the award in the guise of Ali G, the character that made him famous. He said: “I is grown up now! I ain’t living in my nana’s house anymore. I am living in her garage.”
But he wasn’t the only one to pick up an award. Jo Brand picked up the award for Best Female TV Comic while Not Going Out star Lee Mack took home the male equivalent.
Jack Whitehall, of Fresh Meat fame, got the King Of Comedy title and acknowledged the somewhat surprising announcement: “This feels a little bit like when TOWIE got a Bafta.”
Jack Whitehall has had a very busy year and was celebrated last night.
BBC’s The Thick Of It missed out to Hunderby for Best New Comedy Programme and Best Sitcom but it’s two leads, Peter Capaldi and Rebecca Front, went on to win Best Comic Actor and Actress.
What do you make of the winners?