Holmberg’s Morning Sickness – Sacha Baron Cohen: “The Dictator” Call-In

Date: December 29, 2025
Guests: Sacha Baron Cohen
Hosts: John Holmberg, Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo
Episode Focus: Sacha Baron Cohen joins the show via phone to promote his film The Dictator and share stories from his unique career, blending candid insight, comedy, and behind-the-scenes tales.

Episode Overview

This episode features an entertaining and candid conversation with Sacha Baron Cohen, known for his boundary-pushing comedy characters like Borat and Ali G. He calls in from Cannes, France, to discuss the release of The Dictator, exploring his creative process, wild behind-the-scenes Hollywood anecdotes, and the risks involved in satirizing real-world figures like Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein. The hosts keep the tone irreverent, poking fun and drawing out Cohen’s unique comic energy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Sacha Baron Cohen Joins from France

• [01:42] Sacha calls in from Cannes, prompting playful ribbing between the Arizona-based hosts and Cohen in France (“La de da”).
• Remembers his last Arizona visit for the infamous “Throw the Jew Down the Well” Borat segment in Tucson.

Notable Quote:

“I am indeed. I’m speaking from Cannes in the south of France.”
— Sacha Baron Cohen [01:42]

The Dictator: Origins, Inspirations & Secrecy

• [03:04] Outlines the premise: “a North African dictator who gets down and out in New York and ends up working in a kind of vegan health food store in Brooklyn... imagine Colonel Gaddafi in a vegan health food store.”
• Addresses rumors about Saddam Hussein’s “love story” book being the inspiration (it was a misdirection for safety when Gaddafi was still alive).
• Shares a tense reality: fearing Gaddafi’s retribution, they deliberately misled press to think The Dictator was based on Saddam.

Notable Quotes:

“…when we wrote this, Colonel Gaddafi was alive, and we were scared that Colonel Gaddafi would try and, you know, shut the movie down. …he tried to kill my father last year.”
— Sacha Baron Cohen recounting a conversation with a senior Arab government official [04:15]

“So we sent out a mislead about Saddam Hussein.”
— Sacha Baron Cohen [04:31]

Satire vs. Real-World Events: Lost Jokes & Osama Bin Laden

• [04:41] The team had to rewrite jokes as current events unfolded (e.g., death of Gaddafi and Osama bin Laden).
• Cohen humorously laments that Bin Laden’s death ruined a planned bit about him being the world’s worst houseguest.
• Example joke: Bin Laden leaves toilets messy and puts the wrong DVDs in cases: “I go to watch Batman Returns and he’s put in Jumanji.” [05:18]

Notable Quotes:

“We were like the only guys in the world who are sad [about Bin Laden’s death]. That was a great bit, you know. You’ve ruined it for us.”
— Sacha Baron Cohen [04:59]

Hollywood Gossip: The Travolta Controversy

• [06:03] The hosts bring up then-rumored stories about John Travolta and massage therapists.
• Sacha jokes about his own fictitious encounter:
  “When I massaged him, he was just totally flattered… He was totally relaxed. I couldn’t get, you know, which personally I take as great insult.” [06:18]
• Playful banter about suing Travolta, and Sacha’s history of having someone’s “butthole” in his face (Borat, MTV Awards).

Staging Outrageous Stunts: The Eminem/MTV and Oscars Pranks

• [07:11] Sacha reveals Eminem was in on the infamous MTV Awards stunt (where Sacha, as Bruno, landed in Eminem’s lap).
  • “Can I stick my balls and ass in your face?” (long pause) “Will you be wearing a G-string?” “Yes.” “I’ll do it.” [07:11]
• Discusses Ryan Seacrest at the Oscars: prank was not prearranged, Seacrest was not the original target (it was never meant for George Clooney).
  • “People want to grind Seacrest covered in death.” [09:55]
• Sacha was barred from the Oscars; police surrounded his limo, expecting live ammunition because of the “dictator” persona and planned urn stunt (with Kim Jong Il’s “ashes”).
  • Ashes joke payoff: “They were one of the massage therapists.” [12:09]

Personal Life & Working Style

• [12:23] Asks about his marriage to actress Isla Fisher. Sacha shares that she’s supportive and “hilarious,” but tries to keep work separate from home.

  • “I’ll come back from a day at work…800 rednecks trying to kill me…and she’ll go, ‘All right, want to go to sleep?’” [12:37]

• [13:20] Sacha’s surprising hobby: he raises bantam hens for their eggs.

  • “That’s my little secret.” [13:37]
  • Jokes: “Chickens actually respond very well to dictatorships…the whole pecking order thing…” [13:56]

The Dictator’s Release & Audience Reaction

• [14:14] Discusses the midweek movie release, moved to avoid clashing with The Avengers.
  • “Terrified [of the Avengers].” [14:38]
• Recounts intensive editing process and live test screenings:
  “The laughs have been as big as anything I’ve seen in Borat or any work that I’ve done beforehand. So try and see it when there’s a packed theater.” [14:44]

Revisiting Borat: Method Madness & Real Poop Stories

• [15:08] Will Borat return? Sacha admits he misses the character, but it was physically and mentally demanding.
  • “I grew my own moustache. I never used deodorant for six months…to convince people I was the real guy.” [15:10]
• On the notorious “poop in a bag” scene: it wasn’t his—his costume designer volunteered to “drop one” for authenticity.
  • “You’re in a real life situation, so if you’re doing anything that’s not real, people are gonna figure it out.” [15:43]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I am indeed. I’m speaking from Cannes in the south of France.”
  — Sacha Baron Cohen [01:42]

• “We sent out a mislead about Saddam Hussein.”
  — Sacha Baron Cohen [04:31]

• “[On Bin Laden’s death:] We were the only guys in the world who are sad. That was a great bit, you’ve ruined it for us.”
  — Sacha Baron Cohen [04:59]

• “‘Can I stick my balls and ass in your face?’ ... ‘Will you be wearing a G-string?’ ... ‘Yes.’ ... ‘I’ll do it.’”
  — Sacha Baron Cohen, recalling asking Eminem to do the MTV Awards skit [07:11]

• “Did you really deuce in the bag at that southern lady’s home?”
  — Host
  “You know what? That was not actually mine, but that was my costume designer...”
  — Sacha Baron Cohen [15:30]

• “Me as a chicken farmer, you out there…you’ve always got to have a second profession in case the movie business falls down.”
  — Sacha Baron Cohen [13:42, 13:47]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:42 — Sacha Baron Cohen joins live from Cannes
• 03:04 — Explaining the premise and inspiration for The Dictator
• 04:15 — Real dangers of spoofing Gaddafi
• 04:59 — Bin Laden death ruined a great joke
• 06:03 — The Travolta massage scandal riff
• 07:11 — The “Eminem’s face” stunt details
• 09:44 — Oscars pranks, banned by Academy, “live ammunition” scare
• 12:09 — “Ashes” were “one of the massage therapists”
• 12:23 — Life with Isla Fisher; balancing comedy and home life
• 13:20 — Sacha’s secret: raising bantam hens
• 14:14 — Movie release timing to avoid The Avengers
• 15:08 — The “Borat” experience and method acting
• 15:30 — The infamous “poop in a bag” scene in Borat

Tone & Style

• The episode features quick-witted, irreverent banter that blends genuine curiosity with comedic digs.
• Sacha Baron Cohen is candid, deadpan, and self-effacing, sharing absurd real-world anecdotes and behind-the-scenes Hollywood drama.
• Hosts keep the interview energetic, poking at Sacha’s reputation for absurd commitment and provoking laugh-out-loud responses.

Summary Takeaway

This episode of Holmberg’s Morning Sickness provides a hilarious and revealing look at the creative mind of Sacha Baron Cohen. He dishes on the risky inspirations behind The Dictator, the perils of real-world satire, and the logistics of pulling off elaborate pranks on international stars. Listeners gain fresh insight into the life of a comedy icon—his process, his philosophy on authenticity, and even his surprising love for raising chickens. It’s an essential listen for fans of comedy, film, and unfiltered stories from the edge of Hollywood absurdity.