Synopsis
Madonna and her friends pile into a lavish limousine driven by Ali G, the comic alter ego of Sacha Baron Cohen. The ride turns into a glamorous night out, taking the group to a strip club and then a lively disco, where dancing, champagne, and playful excess dominate. Midway through, the live-action party gives way to a stylized animated interlude in which Madonna battles cartoon thugs. The video closes by returning to its irreverent limousine celebration.
Factoids & Trivia
- The video was filmed in Los Angeles in April 2000, while Madonna was pregnant with her son Rocco. The production used visual staging and an animated sequence to work around her changing waistline.
- Madonna conceived the clip as a playful take on stereotypical R&B and rap videos, reversing traditional gender roles by presenting herself as the powerful, indulgent figure at the center of the spectacle.
- Sacha Baron Cohen appears as Ali G, whose deliberately clumsy chauffeur persona contrasts with Madonna's polished, self-assured image.
- Swedish animation studio Filmtecknarna created the approximately 40-second cartoon section. The animated Madonna attacks Ali G and several cartoon heavies.
- Two principal versions circulated: a shorter edit and a longer version running about 4 minutes and 26 seconds.
- The video premiered on MTV and VH1 on August 2, 2000. VH1 supported the debut with a special program devoted to Madonna and the new video.
- Crew members were required to sign confidentiality agreements during production, helping keep Madonna's pregnancy private before the clip's release.
- The cowboy hat, fur coat, gold jewelry, and oversized limousine became defining visual markers of the Music era, helping establish Madonna's cowgirl-inspired image at the start of the 2000s.
- The video was later included in Madonna's 2009 compilation Celebration: The Video Collection.