The Cho Show

Review

Common Sense Media says

Comedian's reality is funny -- and raunchy.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

Find out more

Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

Find out more

Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

Not yet rated

What parents need to know

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.

  • Positive messages0
    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.
  • Violence0
    Not applicable.
  • Sex3
    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.
  • Language3
    Audible language includes words like "bitch" and "ass" stronger curse words, like "s--t" and "f--k," are bleeped.
  • Consumerism0
    Not applicable.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking3
    Visible consumption of alcohol (wine, champagne, mixed drinks).
CloseExpand to see more details

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.

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.

Sign Up Message
Sign up for our weekly newsletter
Each week we send a customized newsletter to our parent and teen subscribers. Parents can customize their settings to receive recommendations and parent tips based on their kids’ ages. Teens receive a version just for them with the latest reviews and top picks for movies, video games, apps, music, books, and more.
Please enter an email address.
Please check your email address for possible typos.
Sorry, you must be 13 or older to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Sign me up!

What families can talk about

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?

This review was written by Melissa Camacho
Parent of 11 and 13 year old
December 16, 2009
AGE
16
 
Garbage
Cho is not funny. Cho is offensive.
Was this review useful?
Helped me decide (1) | Had useful details (1) | Read my mind (1)
Flag as inappropriate 
See all user reviews
This review was written by Melissa Camacho
TV rating:TV-14
Networks:Logo, VH1
Cast:Margaret Cho, Selene Luna, Young Hie Cho
Genre:Reality TV
This review was written by Melissa Camacho
 

Review It

Share your review with others

Hang on! You need to be a member to post your review.
A safe community is important to us. Please observe our guidelines.
About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

Great alternatives handpicked by our editors

For kids who love
Browse more TV
 

vote now

Will you see The Cho Show?

Won't miss it
We'll try
Change it

Already seen it? What do you think?

I recommend it
It's a pass
 
More from Common Sense Media
Age-appropriate reviews
Top advice and articles

Been There? Tell us about it