Repeat offender
Sacha Baron Cohen is set to offend again with latest movie The Brothers Grimsby
Will Sacha Baron Cohen's latest character Nobby in The Brothers Grimsby match the infamy of Borat, Bruno and Ali G?
We rank the English comedian's film incarnations by their offensiveness.
NOBBY (THE BROTHERS GRIMSBY, OPENING HERE MARCH 10)
Who A dim-witted English football hooligan searching for his long-lost brother Sebastian (Mark Strong), an MI6 agent who has uncovered a global health conspiracy and is now on the run. Together, the reunited brothers go on an adventure that spans their home town of Grimsby, England, and South Africa, where their investigations will come to a head at the World Cup finals.
Most offensive scene Nobby sucking poison out of Sebastian's testicles, which has been cut from the local version of the R21 film.
Its gruesomeness comes a close second to a scene where the brothers are trapped inside an elephant's vagina. Trust us, you haven't seen anything like this on Animal Planet, and for good reason.
The offended Well, no female elephants were spotted protesting against the film.
But it caused a stir in the fishing town of Grimsby, which is portrayed as a shabby, violent slum filled with uneducated people.
It certainly did not help the town's reputation, as Grimsby was voted the worst place to live in England this year by online publication I Live Here UK in its ranking of "worst god-awful hell holes in England".
Local newspaper Grimsby Telegraph reported that local business owners were upset with the film, with one saying: "I have no interest in watching the movie whatsoever because I think it demeans the town... I think we have had enough bad press at the moment."
The Brothers Grimsby was actually shot in the English town of Tilbury, but the damage has been done.
Shock factor 6/10
BRUNO (BRUNO, 2009)
Who Bruno Gehard, a gay Austrian fashion journalist who visits the US to become "the biggest gay Austrian celebrity since Hitler".
Most offensive scene Bruno enlisting the help of Christian gay converters to become heterosexual.
The offended The film was criticised by the gay community for perpetuating LGBT stereotypes, such as flamboyant behaviour and campy outfits.
Hasidic Jews in Jerusalem were also upset by Bruno's camp version of their traditional costume.
"(They) ran after me with rocks, and I ended up hiding in a bathroom store... So I found myself running down the street, running for my life..." Cohen told The Daily Mirror.
Shock factor 9/10
BORAT (BORAT, 2006)
Who Borat Sagdiyev, an anti-Semitic Kazakh journalist who journeys across the US to gain the "cultural learnings of America for make benefit glorious nation of Kazakhstan".
Most offensive scene It's a tie between Borat singing the song In My Country There Is Problem (Throw The Jew Down The Well) and him naked wrestling with his friend, Azamat (Ken Davitian), in a hotel room.
The offended The film was banned in all Arab countries save for Lebanon, and the Kazakh government even contemplated suing Cohen for his portrayal of their country.
But The Daily Mail reported that former Kazakh Foreign Minister Yerzhan Kazykhanov later admitted in Parliament: "I salute Borat for helping attract tourists to Kazakhstan... With the release of this film, the number of visas issued by Kazakhstan grew tenfold."
Turns out there's no such thing as bad publicity.
Shock factor 8/10
ALI G (ALI G INDAHOUSE, 2002)
Who Leader of fictional gang Da West Staines Massiv from the English town of Staines. He becomes part of a plot to overthrow the British prime minister.
Most offensive scene Ali G meeting the Queen and accidentally pulling down her skirt and knickers.
The offended Some sections of the British black community took offence at their portrayal, as Cohen exposed the crass, sexist, violent and racist nature of black street gang culture.
The British public also made more than 100 complaints in a week over the film's "pornographic" poster that showed Ali G with his hand on a naked female bottom with the slogan: "Vote Ali G, da panty tax."
The UK's Advertising Standards Authority ordered the poster to be withdrawn.
Fourteen years later, Cohen riled up a new group of people - Asians - on social media after addressing the #OscarsSoWhite controversy at the Academy Awards on Feb 28 while in character as Ali G (above, with US actress Olivia Wilde).
"How come there's no Oscar for them hardworking little yellow people with tiny little dongs?" he asked the crowd, seemingly referring to Asians.
And then he added: "You know, the minions."
Shock factor 7/10
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