Baron Cohen's previous work includes the 2006 film "Borat" and 2012's "The Dictator." Here the actor appears with former Vice President Dick Cheney, portraying retired Israeli Col. Erran Morad in "Who Is America?" (Showtime via AP)
Sacha Baron Cohen’s controversial comedy series “Who is America?” will not return for a second season, the actor announced this week.
Baron Cohen uttered “No” when asked about a renewal during a rare out-of-character interview with Scott Feinberg for the Hollywood Reporter’s “Awards Chatter” podcast.
"I will never be able to get a politician to bare his buttocks while screaming 'God bless America!' and screaming the N-word,” Baron Cohen added.
Showtime, which aired the show, did not immediately respond to a Fox News request for comment early Thursday.
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"It's like 'The Ali G Show' in England — I did one season. And the idea is not to make it a 'Seinfeld' or an 'SNL,'" Baron Cohen said during the interview. "It is grueling. … I'm too lazy to do this."
“Who is America?” averaged 3.4 million weekly viewers and often stepped into controversy.
Its premise featured Baron Cohen, a 47-year-old Briton, performing various characters in absurd on-camera interviews with everyone from politicians to celebrities.
Former U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore of Alabama filed a lawsuit against Baron Cohen, Showtime and CBS for defamation of his character for a segment in which he appeared. In the segment, Baron Cohen is disguised as an Israeli anti-terrorism expert who introduces a new technology that beeps in the presence of pedophiles.
When the machine is introduced, it continually goes off next to Moore, who has been accused of sexual misconduct with girls. Others who claimed they were misled about interviews on the show include former broadcast veteran Ted Koppel and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.
The show also featured Dick Cheney, Joe Arpaio and O.J. Simpson as guests.
The seven-episode series wrapped up Aug. 26.
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Showtime head David Nevins – now CBS chief creative director – said after the final episode that he was “dying” to bring the show back.
"[The controversy] has been helpful," Nevins said at the time. "Everything we did about it was unconventional. We kept secret a show that was in process for more than a year. We kept quiet until a week before it was on the air. [Baron Cohen] has a remarkable ability to make noise. I think it's remarkable what he's achieved ... and I think Sacha is one of the great comedians of our time. He's the Daniel Day-Lewis of comedy."
The series has earned Baron Cohen a Golden Globe nomination for best actor in a TV musical or comedy.
Baron Cohen's previous work includes the 2006 film "Borat" and 2012's "The Dictator."
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