There comes a point in every presidential election when the Hollywood elite decide to obnoxiously interject their leftist agendas. Right now, the 2016 race is no exception. As Trump and his opposition face a slew of attacks from all angles, Republicans are forced to contend with the problem of bad publicity. Unfortunately, celebrities’ one-sided take on American politics is no new phenomenon.
From Jane Fonda’s outrageous anti-Vietnam antics to Madonna’s on-stage politics, every generation has its share of vocal actors and musicians. But why must the masses sit back idly and suffer as Democratic mouthpieces espouse their liberal leanings?
Well, on Saturday, March 26, American citizens finally fought back.
It all went down at the Stress Factory Comedy Club, a sizeable venue in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Performing before a sold-out crowd, controversial comedian Margaret Cho took the stage in what was supposed to be a stellar set of sharp, shocking—but always hilarious—jokes.
For those unfamiliar, Cho is an Asian-American LGBT activist, actress, and stand-up artist who has enjoyed modest success in the industry. Recently landing a hosting gig on the late Joan Rivers’ Fashion Police program, the funny lady had no trouble selling out the venue. In fact, people often compare Cho’s delivery to Rivers with her biting social commentary.
Audiences are willing to overlook the occasional political rant when it’s anchored by hilarity. But this time around, people clearly weren’t having it.
Before she weighed in on the presidential election, Cho shocked audiences with her bizarre behavior. First, she had to be physically escorted onto the stage by one of her handlers. Dazed and confused, Cho began the set.
Insiders told Page Six, TMZ, and other media outlets that Cho’s speech was inundated with “likes” and “ummms” as she struggled to recall her jokes. The entertainer reportedly went off the handle. Instead of delivering punch lines, she talked about her past experience with rape. When she wasn’t repeating the lines, “rape is bad” and “kill your rapist,” Cho jeered white audience members and said her hecklers were “victim-blaming.”
Cho is known for a cheap style of comedy dependent on topics of race, sexuality, and other needlessly inflammatory material, so her Stress Factory reviews came as no surprise. But what came next was nothing short of ridiculous.
The comic segued into a political commentary, stating that Trump will win the election because of everyone’s “white privilege.” People in attendance said that at this point the place was pandemonium. More than half the audience walked out, a few scuffles broke out, while others talked amongst themselves as Cho awkwardly continued her on-stage rant. As the aisles cleared, she incoherently warned, “You will never get a cent of the money back that you paid.”
Meanwhile, Stress Factory staff assured furious customers they would be refunded.
One video captured the audience’s reaction best. As Cho flounders on stage, one man shouts above the crowd: “This is comedy before Easter? Rape, rape rape?”
It’s not to say that Cho’s terrible childhood ordeal is something to laugh at or dismiss. As a sexual assault survivor and activist, the comedian’s cause is well documented, and perhaps she has a right to promote her views. But the audience’s revolt at the Stress Factory points to a larger, more compelling problem that runs so rampant in Hollywood.
When people purchase tickets to a comedy show, aren’t they entitled to comedy? Why must leftist celebs always infuse politics and other subtle—or not so subtle—social commentary into popular entertainment?
With the aftermath of Cho’s performance, it’s clear that Americans—on both sides of the aisle—are sick and tired of the radical ramblings.
Just before this story broke, another high profile celebrity threw her hat into the political ring. The Huffington Post recently ran a piece written by none other than Barbara Streisand, the 73-year-old singer and actress. It seems the entertainer has come out of retirement to remind us of how sexist we are.
In a long diatribe on the media’s treatment of Hillary Clinton this campaign cycle, Streisand made the usual charges when it comes to industry double standards. She also noted the “sexist condescension” pundits express when referring to the Democratic frontrunner.
Of course, Streisand had to wrap things up with a predictable attack on Trump: “The rise of Donald Trump as a likely GOP nominee is at once terrifying and a joke that isn’t funny. I notice the press doesn’t even call him out on his own lies or his refusal to answer questions.”
Well, nobody asked you, Babs.
As we round out the social tirades of late, an unexpected voice of reason has emerged in a sea of left-wing muck. That voice is Adele.
The wildly successful UK singer is also a new mother. So when celebrity chef Jamie Oliver made infuriating comments about women’s obligation to breastfeed, she let him have it.
In clear reference to Oliver’s campaign, Adele told concert goers: “All these people who put pressure on us, you can go f*** yourselves.”
The entertainment community may never stop placing itself in the center of political and social debates. Let’s just hope that level headed individuals like Adele can outnumber Hollywood’s liberal extremist army.
