All Things Brit

Go ahead, get a little jealous: I have, in my possession, the first two episodes from the new season of HBO's Da Ali G Show.

"Ali G" stars British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen in three different disguises: "Wanksta journalist" Ali G; Borat, the clueless reporter from "Kazahkhstan" traveling across America; and Austrian fashionista Bruno.

The joy of the show -- and sometimes its most painful moments -- come from seeing politicians and other figureheads trying to conduct an interview with Ali G, not knowing for sure whether he's actually for real.

"Ali G" returns July 18 with the episode "Respek." Ali interviews Sam Donaldson about Nixon's "Waterworld" crisis, and talks about "The Simpsons'" legal woes with former LAPD chief Daryl Gates. The following week, July 25, Ali talks with Pat Buchanan, and ponders the existence of "BLTs" in Iraq.

Speaking of all things Brit, I was happy to see that BBC America will finally air the sitcom "The Kumars at No. 42" here in the States. "Kumars" revolves around an Indian family who build a talk show set in the backyard for their son, an aspiring host. The show is half scripted, half reality, as the fictional family welcome real guests.

Maria and I caught an episode on our Cathay Pacific flight to Manila last February. The show, featuring guest Donny Osmond, started out slow but quickly grew on us.

If you remember, Fox was all set to air a U.S. version of "The Kumars" this past year. Cheech Marin starred as the father in "The Ortegas," which boasted the same concept (eccentric family, talk show set in their back yard) -- but with a Latino clan, and set in Van Nuys. But "The Ortegas" never made it to air.

Like BBC America's "Coupling," stick to the original. "The Kumars at No. 42" premieres on the cable channel this August.