Burnt Orange Report

Regrettably, I believe the organizers were correct. The GOP thinks it can successfully run against the "hollywood elite" insofar as they're connected to Democrats. The Bush team reportedly named their "Heart and Soul" campaign tour in reference to Kerry's comments about Whoopie et al.

The Dems were determined to run a disciplined campaign that wouldn't be portrayed as "hateful", and this was a necessary measure toward that end.

try spellcheck, it might enhance your integrity

I have been an HRC (Human Rights Campaign) member since 1992 or so ...
Anyway, a while. And it's clear that this is a very focused, mainstream organization. Cripes, gay marriage has become its primary rallying point! Less than radical to many--who wants to be married anyway???--still, this issue has breathed life into the post-AIDS gay movement and carried forward remarkable legal advances for gays that are spreading out, more and more, to trans folks, too.

BUT, I LOVE YOU, MARGARET CHO! It is extraordinarily TACKY if not technically "wrong" for the HRC to have invited her to perform, knowing what a strong (mouthed) performer she is, how incredibly political and honest, someone who tells it like it is and makes us lose ourselves in healing laughter, AND THEN TO SAY WHOOPS! We want to have a middle-of-the-road message for this MIDDLE-OF-THE-ROAD audience. That's you, U.S.A.

Margaret Cho is too much for MIDDLE-OF-THE-ROAD USA--a place that is inhabited primarily, Jim Hightower instructs us, by dead armadillos. Our message of unity with those who continue to blindly VOTE FOR WAR and DUCK RESPONSIBILITY FOR INJUSTICE (not one Senator--Democrat or Republican--signed to dispute the outcome of the 2000 election, despite evidence of *major irregularities*) will be DILUTED by Ms. Cho and her interpretation of current events.

So ADIOS, MS CHO--though you have fought for us your entire career and you identify with us, even love us and help us heal, we must REVERSE our decision to invite you to our event.

While I've not yet registered my dismay with the HRC, you can bet I will. Unfortunately it's not a huge surprise. Nor have I yet expressed my support for Margaret Cho until now. But she knows it like you and I do: we shall overcome.

Shameless self-promotion, but I talked about this HRC stuff on my blog above -- I have never been an HRC member precisely because this Cho incident reveals how lame they are.

-Kevin

So Hightower was just using a 30-year-old line by Neil Young (though I believe he used "skunks" instead).

sorry.. one typo. Jeez.

Yeah, and that guest editor over at Wonkette mis-spelled Byron's name...twice!

Keep in mind, Margaret Cho, from what I remember from her performances, isn't that funny. I'm sure Cho will get her say later on - after the convention, the gloves for individuals can come off - and this is a perfect job for the Hollywood Dems - because the Kerry campaign can keep some distance there (Hey, they're just saying what they feel!) and still reap the benifits of having public figures criticise them.

As much as I despise Bush and think Cho is hilarious, I think that she would have been "off message." Let's not let our anti-Bush zeal work against us. We can be passionate, but we need to be smart too. Cho has a place in the political calculus, but in a different forum that at the National Convention.

I agree Margaret Cho is brilliant, maybe she could perform at the post-inauguration party?

Just for perspective, consider that Jerry Fallwell is scheduled to give the invocation at RepubCon. GOP political calculus always seems to come up with the same answer no matter what the question is.

Ahhh, them speler fascists. Concentratin on spelin overloads ther thinkin so they confus integrity with credibility an other Or maybe they jus dint kno... Mommy shoulda let em poop in piece.

Why did the HRC invite her? Haven't they seen her work lately? Was Kate Clinton invited? She's political, smart, and much less potentially offensive. And she's funnier. Cho was much more enjoyable as a comedian when she wasn't so earnest.

Artistic questions aside, look how the media went nuts over Teresa Heinz Kerry's "Shove it!" without even bothering to report that the reporter she was angry at worked for a paper that's lied about her for fifteen years. It was a non-story, reported in typically trivial fashion. If Cho had bashed Bush, the tape would have played all week long, with all kinds of idiotic remarks from Bill Hemmer on up to Bill O'Reilly. It would have overshadowed a terrific sales pitch.

If Margaret Cho is offensive, it's because the truth is offensive.

We ought to praise artists for speaking the truth, not punish them!

And the last time I checked, Margaret isn’t running for anything. It would be unfair to attribute any of her controversial comments to the Democratic ticket.

Margaret is a tireless supporter of progressive causes and groups. It's disappointing for a purportedly progressive organization to shun her. (The HRC did endorse Al D'Amato. So, I'm not sure how progressive the organization really is.)

To her credit, Margaret has handled the controversy with remarkable grace:

http://margaretcho.com/blog/acallforunity.htm

In Margaret's absence, I'm sure the HRC's event was a lot less effective than it otherwise would have been.

I feel rather odd reading here that Cho is "brilliant." She's a comedian who uses other people's actions as a basis for her stuff. I would reserve "brilliant" for people that bring something to the table, not comment upon what is already there. I have seen her act in person. She can be funny. But she relies too much on being rude. She can be decidedly unpleasant and immature on stage. She is looking for a reaction. That's her job. Brilliant? Not even a glimmer. Sorry. A successful comedian - but, then again, so is Al Yankovich. Just playing to a different audience.

Margaret Cho is absolutely brilliant because she tells the truth, she has courage and chutzpah, and she doesn't care if she offends people. I have no idea what anyone might mean by "she . . . uses other people's actions as a basis for her stuff." All comedians use what's out there as a basis for the humor. But it isn't a true evaluation in any case because Margaret Cho almost always is coming from her own personal experience of life when she makes commentary. Of course that experience frequently involves the experience of others. Part of comedic genius is taking what's out there and making it hilarious -- all the more so because the truth is being told and the truth is way funnier than any fiction could be . . . .

Good on you, Margaret!

Margaret Cho is absolutely brilliant because she tells the truth, she has courage and chutzpah, and she doesn't care if she offends people. I have no idea what anyone might mean by "she . . . uses other people's actions as a basis for her stuff." All comedians use what's out there as a basis for the humor. But it isn't a true evaluation in any case because Margaret Cho almost always is coming from her own personal experience of life when she makes commentary. Of course that experience frequently involves the experience of others. Part of comedic genius is taking what's out there and making it hilarious -- all the more so because the truth is being told and the truth is way funnier than any fiction could be . . . .

Good on you, Margaret!