Too funny or too far? Tina Fey and Amy Poehler‘s third and final Golden Globes hosting gig was, by most accounts, a success — save a controversial recurring gag involving fellow comedienne Margaret Cho as a North Korean army general under Kim Jong-un’s regime.
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The bit, which spoofed the recent drama with North Korea over the movie The Interview, rubbed some viewers (and critics) the wrong way, with many calling it racist and saying it perpetuated Asian stereotypes.
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One Twitter user wrote, “Wow this is some of the most racist s–t I’ve ever seen on tv @margaretcho. Didn’t you fight your whole career to avoid being a stereotype?”
Another tweeted: “Oof, that just derailed badly. I don’t care if it was Margaret Cho, that was just racist. #GoldenGlobes”
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Others, however, defended the stunt as satire, saying it was all in the name of comedy. “People who are calling @margaretcho’s #GoldenGlobes bit ‘racist’ need to learn what racism actually means,” comedian Adam Sank shared. “As well as satire.”
Cho, 46, for her part, retweeted someone else’s comment on it after the Globes. “Everyone freaking out about @margaretcho needs to chill? Comedy is not safe,” the tweet from Cameron Van Hoy read.
UPDATE: Cho also addressed the controversy via Facebook, writing: “I’m of mixed North/South Korean descent – you imprison, starve and brainwash my people you get made fun of by me ?#hatersgonhate? ?#FreeSpeech?”
Tell Us: What did you think of Margaret Cho’s Golden Globes bit?
