Skip to main content

Sacha Baron Cohen shocks Jimmy Kimmel audience with movie clip you can’t watch

Sacha Baron Cohen Shows EXTREMELY Graphic Movie Clip to “Kimmel” Audience
Sacha Baron Cohen is known for being unapologetically controversial, particularly under the guise of his best-known alter egos, Borat and Ali G. But his latest appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live may have taken the cake. Apparently the clip he brought along for his upcoming action-comedy The Brothers Grimsby was so offensive, it couldn’t be shown on-air. So, they came to a compromise: the studio audience got to watch, while viewers at home could only watch their reactions.

Host Jimmy Kimmel joined the studio audience as we saw their laughs quickly turn to gasps, shrieks, and mouths agape. What on earth were they watching? While we can hear bits and pieces of the audio, and we get to see the first few seconds of the clip, it’s clear that what’s being shown to the audience is far too risqué for network television – even after midnight.

Of course, this was all likely just a perfectly-orchestrated publicity stunt to promote the film. Cohen arrives for his interview, is told at the last minute that the clip from the NC-17 film got the kibosh from ABC, then they cut to commercial as Kimmel promises to find a solution for the angered actor. “I came here for the first time in 12 years to promote my movie,” he asks, “but can’t even show the clip?”

We weren’t the only ones desperately scouring the net following the broadcast to find out just what had the audience so worked up, stunt or not. Some news sites report having reached out to Sony Pictures for a copy of the clip to no avail. Prior to showing the clip, Kimmel even warned audience members that it was so offensive and graphic that they could leave if they wished before it started, or even during, if they found it to be too much.

It seems, the only way to discover why the film just barely made it into the NC-17 rating is to actually go see it. Stunt or not, this was genius, and right up Cohen’s controversial, boundary-pushing alley. In the words of Borat, “we liiiike.”

Grimsby follows the story of two brothers who team up to save the world from a deadly virus. Mark Strong plays a “James Bond-like” trained spy, and Cohen his idiot, “football hooligan” brother. The film was co-written by Cohen, and also stars his wife, Isla Fisher (Bachelorette, Wedding Crashers), along with Penelope Cruz (Zoolander 2), Rebel Wilson (How to Be Single) and Ian McShane (Game of Thrones, Ray Donovan).

Named after a real town in England, the movie is likely to portray every stereotype one can think of attributed to the sea port town, much like Cohen did with another controversial film, Borat. That movie had those from the nation of Kazakhstan up in arms about his offensive portrayal of their country and people.

The movie will be released in the U.S. on March 11, but will arrive in the U.K., under the name Grimsby, a few weeks earlier on February 24.

Editors' Recommendations

Christine Persaud
Christine has decades of experience in trade and consumer journalism. While she started her career writing exclusively about…
The best horror movies on Hulu right now
Mia Goth stares at the camera in the poster for Pearl.

Horror is more popular than ever. There's a new horror movie in theaters every month and they soon make their way to major streamers. However, few services have collections as strong as Hulu. Indeed, the best horror movies on Hulu include a healthy mix of everything fans might be looking for, including chilling psychological thrillers, bloody slashers, disturbing supernatural fare, atmospheric folk horror, and every other possible subgenre imaginable.

Yes, Hulu's horror collection is large, but some movies might not be worth your precious time. To help, we’ve already done all the digging for you, collecting a list of the best horror movies on Hulu to scratch your scary movie itch and keep you up at night. So without further extrapolation, here’s our roundup of the best horror movies on Hulu you can stream right now.

Read more
The best shows on Disney+ right now (September 2023)
Rosario Dawson in Ahsoka.

If you've noticed that Disney+ has a lot fewer original series premieres than it used to, it's not your imagination. It's hard to update the best shows on Disney+ when there's barely anything new to watch. But as the fall begins, Disney+ subscribers can enjoy the latest Star Wars spinoff Ahsoka, or the recently concluded Secret Invasion from Marvel. And for fans looking for something a little more down to Earth, Disney+ is the streaming home for the recently concluded The Wonder Years.

In theory, there's something new on Disney+ every month, but the programming schedule for the rest of the year is looking pretty light except for Loki in October. Fortunately, Disney+ has a strong catalog of shows to fall back on, and we'll always keep you updated with our list of the best shows on Disney+ right now.

Read more
5 great Emily Blunt movies you should watch
Emily Blunt an a young girl stare with intent in A Quiet Place.

Who is the best actress in Hollywood? If you poll 100 people, names like Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchett, Kate Winslet, Viola Davis, and Frances McDormand will be brought up. However, the most versatile actress in Hollywood is arguably Emily Blunt. The English actress does it all, from summer action movies and rom-coms to dramas and horror. How many actresses could play Mary Poppins, Kitty Oppenheimer, Emily Charlton, and Rita Vrataski? Not many!

Blunt will next appear in October's Pain Hustlers, the upcoming drama that will stream on Netflix as part of its 2023 movie slate. Before Pain Hustlers, here are five great Emily Blunt movies you should watch, including a crime drama from Taylor Sheridan and one of the best mainstream horrors of the last decade.
The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

Read more