Sasha Baron Cohen plays activist Abbie Hoffman in the new Netflix film, The Trial of the Chicago 7.

As seen in the film, by day, Hoffman was in the courtroom - fighting conspiracy charges. By night, he would regularly perform at The Second City theater. Hoffman's stage appearance marked a transition at the theater - from a bunch of squares doing sketches; to progressive radicals that changed the face of comedy; marked by the addition of Harold Ramis as a cast member.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices