MY LAST ROSIE POST (unless she apologizes)

Asian Leaders Angered by Rosie O'Donnell's 'Ching Chong' Comments
Monday , December 11, 2006
By Sara Bonisteel

NEW YORK — Note to Rosie O'Donnell: Stick to singsong.

"The View" co-host is in hot water for using the expression "ching chong" to describe Chinese people talking about Danny DeVito's drunken appearance on her show.

"The fact is that it's news all over the world. That you know, you can imagine in China it's like: 'Ching chong … ching chong. Danny DeVito, ching chong, chong, chong, chong. Drunk. 'The View.' Ching chong," O'Donnell said on a Dec. 5 episode of "The View."

The statement didn't sit well with John C. Liu, a New York City councilman, who fired off a letter to "View" co-host Barbara Walters.

"The 'ching-chong' bit is not a trivial matter," Liu told FOXNews.com. "It really hits a raw nerve for many people in the community — many like myself, who grew up with these kinds of taunts. We all know that it never ends at the taunts."

Liu isn't the only one offended.

The Asian American Journalists Association called O'Donnell's comments a "mockery" that gives "the impression that [Asian Americans] are a group that is substandard to English-speaking people."

Liu said his office has received complaints from around the New York area following the appearance. He directed his letter to Walters instead of O'Donnell because as producer of the show, he said, she ought to know better.

"It's just stupidity, and it's stupidity that justifies a response," Liu said of O'Donnell's behavior, adding the comments came "from someone who has been indignant herself when it comes to comments made by other people where she has perceived it as being negative against a particular community."

In November, O'Donnell made up with Kelly Ripa, co-host of "Live With Regis and Kelly," after accusing her of homophobia for pushing Clay Aiken's hand away from her mouth on the program.

O'Donnell remains unfazed.

"She's a comedian in addition to being a talk show co-host," Cindi Berger, O'Donnell's spokeswoman, said in a statement. "I certainly hope that one day they will be able to grasp her humor."

On Dec. 8, O'Donnell wrote in her blog "it was not my intent to mock." She clarified her position on Dec. 10, calling the bit "comedy."

"I do many accents and probably will continue to," she wrote. "My mom in law impression offends some southerners. What can u do? I come in peace."

O'Donnell is not the first comedian to raise the ire of the Asian-American community.
In 2001, Sarah Silverman told a joke on "Late Night With Conan O'Brien" that had the punch line "I love Chinks."

The NBC program issued an apology to Guy Aoki, the president of the Media Action Network for Asian Americans, following Silverman's appearance.

Liu is still waiting for an apology for O'Donnell's comments.

"I think an acknowledgement that it was a mistake would be very much appreciated by the community," he said.

Rosie rips on Ripa

Here's the clip on "The View" that started the scuffle.

This is why Rosie appears to be hypocritical because she is sensitive to one group of people and not the other. You can judge for yourself.

Rosie O'Donnell Makes Fun of Chinese People!

The Asian American Journalists Association has responded, saying: "We feel strongly that it is our responsibility to call attention to what we consider a mockery of the Chinese language and, in effect, a perpetration of stereotypes of Asian Americans as foreigners or second-class citizens."

Rosie's response (in basic terms, according to the NY Post): "Asians need to lighten up."

I find this personally appalling because Chinese people don't speak in a "ching chong" dialect...there is no humor in this.

As an Asian person who got this kind of crap from kids all through elementary school, I find this incredibly troubling and irresponsible for this woman to get on national television and do this...especially when she prides herself on being a gay activist.

Just a few weeks ago, she accused Kelly Ripa of being homophobic after Ripa and Clay Aiken had an uncomfortable exchange on "Live with Regis and Kelly". Aiken, who was filling-in for Regis, put his hand over Ripa's mouth as she was speaking. Ripa was obviously upset, and she responded with something like, "That's a no-no...I don't know where your hands have been..." Rosie about lost her mind on "The View" shortly after, and that's when she accused Ripa of being homophobic. In response to O'Donnell's accusation, Ripa said that she was insulted, partly Aiken would not have put his hand over a man's mouth...meaning that Aiken must not have respect for women--it's interesting to watch on YouTube, if you've got 5 extra minutes--


Otherwise, I'd like to end with this statement: Rosie O'Donnell is a disappointment. So is The View.