Ed Sheeran Reacts After Getting Utterly Destroyed in New Ali G Movie Trailer

Pop titan Ed Sheeran just found himself targeted by one of comedy’s most infamous alter egos — and he is taking the cheeky burn like an absolute king. Sacha Baron Cohen is stepping back into his iconic yellow tracksuit for the upcoming comedy *Ali G: Who Iz I?*, and the movie's newly unveiled teaser does not hold back when taking aim at the chart-topping singer. The short preview opens with narration from Cohen in full character, reflecting on his extended hiatus from pop culture. Summing up everything that went wrong while he was away, the spoof figure places the "Shape of You" crooner right alongside major global catastrophes. Ali G deadpans that the world went downhill over the last two decades thanks to "COVID, wars, and Ed Sheeran," right as a red carpet clip of the musician flashes on screen.

Why did Ali G target Ed Sheeran?

The hilarious swipe is signature behavior for Cohen, who initially debuted the suburban rap lover on *The 11 O’Clock Show* in the late 1990s. The character went on to star in the 2002 feature *Ali G In Da House*. Now, nearly a quarter-century after that first big-screen venture, Cohen is making his official directorial debut with this latest comedy project. Rather than being bothered by getting grouped with worldwide disasters, Sheeran was utterly thrilled by the diss. Growing up during the character's original heyday, the British superstar viewed the movie namedrop as a major badge of honor rather than a genuine insult.

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How did Ed Sheeran react to the Ali G joke?

Taking to Instagram shortly after the teaser dropped, the musician made it clear he was beaming over the unexpected shout-out. Sheeran commented that his ten-year-old self would be mind-blown to learn he would eventually earn a spot in an Ali G feature film. To top off his playful response, the singer signed off his message with the phrase "Restecpa." The deliberate typo is a direct nod to a beloved running joke from the 2002 movie, where Cohen's main character continuously struggles to spell the word respect. Film buffs and music lovers won't have to wait long to see the full comedy in action. *Ali G: Who Iz I?* is set to hit movie theaters worldwide on October 23.