Hispanic activists aren’t the only ones angry that the next new episode of “Saturday Night Live” will be hosted by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
Comedian Margaret Cho is also slamming producers for the Trump invitation and criticizing them for the lack of Asian-American representation in the show’s 41-year history.
“Why has there never been an Asian-American host, cast member or musical guest on ‘SNL’ in 41 years? Forty-one years,” Cho told TheWrap during an interview for her upcoming appearance on ABC’s “Dr. Ken.” “Yet they want Donald Trump, a known racist, a known sexist, who disgustingly wants to have sex with his daughter. Who does he think he is, Woody Allen?”
On Monday, the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda asked NBC and “SNL” executive producer Lorne Michaels in an open letter to cancel the GOP candidate’s appearance on the Nov. 7 episode that he’s scheduled to host.
“We are appalled that you would enable Trump’s hateful speech for nothing (more) than a ratings ploy and ask that you rescind the ‘SNL’ invitation,” the group said in a letter sent to Michaels and NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke.
Cho was also ready with a rebuttal to those who discredit her claim about no Asians ever appearing on the show by bringing up the backgrounds of former cast members Fred Armisen and Rob Schneider.
“People come at me and say, ‘Oh, Fred Armisen is a quarter Japanese, Rob Schneider is half Filipino.’ Yeah, that makes three-quarters of an Asian-American, not even in one person, in 41 years,” she said.
Cho also has suggestions for who Michaels could invite to break ground for Asian-Americans on the show.
“I’m proposing Ken Jeong. I would like to be the musical guest. That’s all I ask,” she said. “They would take a momentous step forward, if they include Ken Jeong or myself. If not us, George Takei, who is hilarious and ultimately needs to be given that honor.”
Cho is currently on her nationwide comedy tour “Psycho” and will appear in an upcoming episode of Jeong’s “Dr. Ken” on ABC.
Stay tuned for more of TheWrap’s interview with the comedian.