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The Cho Show

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 13, age appropriate for kids over 18; suggested age 14.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    Comedian's reality is funny -- and raunchy.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 14–18

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    While Cho's brand of ethnic humor can be perceived as stereotypical, her jokes based on her own personal experience. Her staff is primarily Caucasian, Asian, and gay. Selena Luna is a little person.

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    Not an issue.

  • Sex:

    Some strong sexual innuendo, including references to oral sex and homosexual activity. Occasional nudity (bare buttocks) is blurred out. Cho and Luna are sometimes seen in their underwear. One episode features Cho making a sex tape, but the tape is more comical than sexy. Cho defines herself as bisexual.

  • Language:

    Audible language includes words like "bitch" and "ass" stronger curse words, like "s--t" and "f--k," are bleeped.

  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Visible consumption of alcohol (wine, champagne, mixed drinks).

What Parents Need to Know

This review of The Cho Show was written by Melissa Camacho

Parents need to know that this somewhat raunchy, partially scripted reality series -- which centers on comedian Margaret Cho and her interactions with her traditional Korean parents, her assistant, and various friends -- features lots of ethnic humor based on Cho's personal experiences as a Korean-American. There's also some salty language (the strongest words are bleeped out), and some pretty strong sexual innuendo, including references to oral sex and homosexual behavior.

Families Can Talk About

Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
  • Families can talk about the role of Asian Americans on television. Why do you think relatively few TV shows feature Asian actors in leading roles? Do you think Cho's brand of humor could change that? Or does it perpetuate stereotypes about her ethnic community (even though it's based on her own experiences)? Families can also discuss the broader issue of stereotyping in the media. What stereotypes have you seen portrayed on television? How did you feel about them?
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More on The Cho Show

What’s the Story?

THE CHO SHOW is a partially scripted comedy/reality series that offers a behind-the-scenes look at the life of comedian/fashion designer Margaret Cho. It revolves around Cho, her entertaining assistant Selene Luna, and Cho's scene-stealing parents, Young Hie and Seung Hoon. It also features lots of Cho's friends, fellow comedians, and her devoted "glam squad" -- a group of gay hairdressers, makeup artists, and fashion consultants who are always ready to make her the talk of any Hollywood red carpet.
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Is It Any Good?

The show offers plenty of laughs thanks to Cho's trademark brand of ethnic humor. She highlights the daily challenges she faces as an Asian-American comedian in an industry that hasn't completely embraced who she is as a Korean-American and (at least in Hollywood's eyes) a plus-size woman. She also uses her humor to outline some of the conflicted feelings she has about her parents, who, while clearly proud of her success, still pressure her to follow more traditional Korean values.

But while The Cho Show has some insightful, poignant moments, they're counterbalanced by the comedian's raunchier side, which often leads to some silly antics and fringe behavior. That, combined with the strong language and frequent sexual innuendo, makes the show inappropriate for younger viewers, but older Cho fans will find the series entertaining.

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Parent Reviewer
    JimmyH
    Kids ages: 10, 12
    I rate this title off for age 16 and give it 1.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative message
    • Negative role models

    Garbage

    Cho is not funny. Cho is offensive.

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate

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