Margaret Cho defends Golden Globes' North Korea gag
Much of the Internet agrees Tina Fey and Amy Poehler nailed their opening monologue jokes at Sunday night's Golden Globes. But what would an awards show be without controversy? As the night wore on, the show faced scrutiny over Margaret Cho's bits as "Cho Young Ja," a North Korean general and journalist.
In a reference to the comedian's 30 Rock cameos, the military uniform-clad Cho spoke in a heavy accent to criticize the Globes themselves and U.S. TV, like Orange is the New Black. Some thought the gag was racist, while others called it edgy.
Cho defended her performance on Twitter and to BuzzFeed on Monday.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"I can do whatever I want when it comes to Koreans — North Koreans, South Korean," Cho told BuzzFeed. "I’m not playing the race card, I’m playing the rice card. I’m the only person in the world, probably, that can make these jokes and not be placed in a labor camp."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Julie Kliegman is a freelance writer based in New York. Her work has appeared in BuzzFeed, Vox, Mental Floss, Paste, the Tampa Bay Times and PolitiFact. Her cats can do somersaults.
-
Sundance Film Festival looks for a new home as movie buffs dial in
In the Spotlight The festival will be moving to Salt Lake City, Boulder, Colorado, or Cincinnati
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
The Week contest: Trillionaire tome
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published
-
'On arrival, workers faced a system of racial segregation'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
The Louvre is giving 'Mona Lisa' her own room
Speed Read The world's most-visited art museum is getting a major renovation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Honda and Nissan in merger talks
Speed Read The companies are currently Japan's second and third-biggest automakers, respectively
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Taylor Swift wraps up record-shattering Eras tour
Speed Read The pop star finally ended her long-running tour in Vancouver, Canada
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Drake claims illegal boosting, defamation
Speed Read The rapper accused Universal Music of boosting Kendrick Lamar's diss track and said UMG allowed him to be falsely accused of pedophilia
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' ignite holiday box office
Speed Read The combination of the two movies revitalized a struggling box office
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Jussie Smollet conviction overturned on appeal
Speed Read The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the actor's conviction on charges of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91
Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76
Speed Read The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published