Democrats Dump Margaret Cho!

Cho dropped from gay political event

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Larry Buhl, PlanetOut Network

SUMMARY: The Human Rights Campaign has "uninvited" Margaret Cho from performing at Unity 2004, a GLBT party coinciding with the Democratic National Convention in Boston.

Citing concern over fallout from potentially incendiary remarks, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has "uninvited" Margaret Cho from performing at Unity 2004, a GLBT party coinciding with the Democratic National Convention in Boston next Monday.

Cho was preparing to preview material from her new "State of Emergency" tour as part of an unpaid benefit performance. However, the HRC, the nation's largest GLBT rights group and one of a dozen sponsors of the Monday event to "celebrate GLBT strength and unity," officially rescinded the invitation earlier this week.

Though it is scheduled for the opening night of the Democratic National Convention, Unity 2004 is not officially part of the convention or the Kerry campaign.

The move has sparked controversy in the GLBT community and led a Unity 2004 sponsor, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (news - web sites), to withdraw its support for the event. NGLTF Executive Director Matt Foreman said he was "dismayed" over the move to rescind Cho's invitation.

Cho's manager, Karen Taussig, said the comedian's ribald style of humor is well known. What changed matters, Taussig said, was the right-wing firestorm following Whoopi Goldberg's X-rated rant about President Bush (news - web sites) at a recent Democratic fund-raiser in New York.

"I'm not surprised at the reversal in light of how the Kerry campaign distanced itself from Whoopi's routine in response to the unrelenting media hype and Republican criticism," said Taussig. "They (HRC) don't want it to be a media firestorm in the light of the recent Whoopi Goldberg incident."

HRC disputed that Cho has been "Whoopied," and released this statement:

"The Human Rights Campaign loves Margaret Cho, and we have featured her at many of our events. However, those close to the event planning know that when we spoke with her representative earlier this week, we were apprised to expect an incendiary and controversial performance. During that discussion, it was mutually agreed that unless everyone was comfortable with that message, we should agree to reschedule a performance."

The comedian was not available for comment.

Cho, who has come out as bisexual, has been recognized by many organizations, including GLAAD, NOW and Lambda Legal. This September the ACLU is set to honor her with its First Amendment Award.

Though she may be too controversial for Unity 2004, Cho's "State of Emergency" tour will go on as planned this fall, uncensored and edgy, according to her publicist. The comedian will tour in many of the "swing states" to coincide with the upcoming presidential election.

The Unity 2004 event on Monday is also the target of a scheduled protest by gay activists who are angry over John Kerry (news - web sites)'s lack of support for same-sex marriage rights.