Rosie O’Donnell’s publicist thinks Asians just don’t get the joke

by Carmen Van Kerckhove

I guess Rosie O’Donnell, like Michael Richards, believes she’s not a racist.

First came the non-apology via her blog (for some bizarre reason she blogs in uh, poetry, not prose):

1) Rosie:
for someone who comes off to be so sensitive and aware of lgbt issues, why did you think it was alright to mock Chinese people and the language on The View (re:danny devito: ching chong …)???

it was not my intent to mock
just to say how odd it is
that danny drunk
was news all over the world
even in china

it was not meant to mock

2) hi rosie,
i thought your impression of the news in china was a little offensive! it’s ok, though, I still love you-

didnt mean it 2 b offensive
in any way

3) Rosie, what made you think it was okay to make fun of the way Chinese people speak?

the joke was about the danny devito drunk news
making headines all over the world
including china
just comedy folks
no intent 2 harm

peace

And even more offensively, her publicist basically dismissed the entire Asian-American community. (For the record, everyone from New York City Councilman John Liu to the Asian-American Journalists Association has spoken out about this.) From People.com:

Cindi Berger, publicist for O’Donnell said, “She’s a comedian in addition to being a talk show co-host. I certainly hope that one day they will be able to grasp her humor.”

Hmmm…. I guess those white kids who pulled their eyes back and sang “ching chong, ching chong” on my first day of class when I was in second grade had the same sophisticated sense of humor as Rosie. Perhaps one day I too, will reach that level of enlightenment.

(Thanks to Geraly and Phil C. for the updates!)

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