--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I do an Asian character or an Asian…" description: "\"When I do an Asian character or an Asian voice I'm doing one because that's my heritage and my family and where I come from. My family is of Korean des..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/113/margaret-cho-1136_asian_when-i-do-an-asian-character-or-an-asian_378099.jpg" --- # When I do an Asian character or an Asian voice I'm doing… ![“When I do an Asian character or an Asian voice I'm doing one because that's my heritage and my family and where I come from. My family is of Korean descent and specifically North Korean descent. So it makes sense for me to talk about that issue because it's the only weapon I have to somehow avenge…” quote by Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/113/margaret-cho-1136_asian_when-i-do-an-asian-character-or-an-asian_378099.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/113/margaret-cho-1136_asian_when-i-do-an-asian-character-or-an-asian_378099.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/113/margaret-cho-1136_asian_when-i-do-an-asian-character-or-an-asian_378099.jpg) > “When I do an Asian character or an Asian voice I'm doing one because that's my heritage and my family and where I come from. My family is of Korean descent and specifically North Korean descent. So it makes sense for me to talk about that issue because it's the only weapon I have to somehow avenge my family and my history.” [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She frames her comedic work as a means to honor and avenge her family's history, using personal heritage as both material and a tool for social commentary. **In simple terms:** She uses comedy to fight for her family's past. Key Takeaway Leverage personal identity to address larger issues. Themes heritage activism identity family history Mood candid empowering provocative Type political social entertaining When to use this quote - stand‑up routine - public speaking - media interviews - activist campaigns Key Concepts social justice performance art cultural representation Questions to Reflect On - How can humor responsibly address trauma? - What responsibilities come with representing a community? A Different Perspective Risk of being typecast or reducing complex issues to jokes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asian/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Descent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/descent/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Heritage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heritage/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Korean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/korean/) [North korea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/north-korea/) [North korean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/north-korean/) [Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voice/) [Weapons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weapons/) ## Related quotes > [If you do a black character or a female character or an Asian character, then they aren't just that character. They represent that race…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-mcduffie/if-you-do-a-black-character-or-a-female-character-or-an-asian/) [Dwayne McDuffie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-mcduffie/) > [As someone of Korean descent, I am certain my road was a bit hard. I have to say anyone who's an aspiring actor has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-dae-kim/as-someone-of-korean-descent-i-am-certain-my-road-was-a-bit-hard-i/) [Daniel Dae Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-dae-kim/) > [Kim's' gave me my first opportunity to portray an Asian character with significant story arcs and subtleties that most Western Asian actors can only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simu-liu/kim-s-gave-me-my-first-opportunity-to-portray-an-asian-character-with/) [Simu Liu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simu-liu/) > [A lot of 'Star Wars' fans who are specifically Asian never had a character they could dress up like, or they would, and people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-marie-tran/a-lot-of-star-wars-fans-who-are-specifically-asian-never-had-a/) [Kelly Marie Tran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-marie-tran/) > [In Hollywood, I was never restricted to just one Asian character. I've been cast as a Chinese, a Vietnamese, a Korean, a Japanese and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-basco/in-hollywood-i-was-never-restricted-to-just-one-asian-character-i-ve/) [Dante Basco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-basco/) > [Because I sidestepped all the stereotypical roles, in a way I've made a career out of not being Asian - a lot of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cho/because-i-sidestepped-all-the-stereotypical-roles-in-a-way-i-ve-made/) [John Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cho/) > [I sense a kind of fear of writing black or Asian characters from non-ethnic writers, who perhaps feel that they don't know the culture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjeev-bhaskar/i-sense-a-kind-of-fear-of-writing-black-or-asian-characters-from-non/) [Sanjeev Bhaskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjeev-bhaskar/) > [There aren't as many roles, and I think there's a lack of openness in casting an Asian character in a leading role or unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimiko-glenn/there-aren-t-as-many-roles-and-i-think-there-s-a-lack-of-openness-in/) [Kimiko Glenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimiko-glenn/) > [In British TV, if there is an Asian character, there usually has to be a reason for them to be Asian, whereas in America,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-henwick/in-british-tv-if-there-is-an-asian-character-there-usually-has-to-be/) [Jessica Henwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-henwick/) > [The significance of playing a South Asian character that's a lead role in a network primetime television show is certainly not lost on me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiya-sircar/the-significance-of-playing-a-south-asian-character-that-s-a-lead/) [Tiya Sircar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiya-sircar/) > [The remarkable thing about the Chinese is that they've operated differently than the Russians, the Iranians, and the North Koreans. By and large, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-sanger/the-remarkable-thing-about-the-chinese-is-that-they-ve-operated/) [David E. Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-sanger/) > [A huge famine hit North Korea in the mid-1990s. Ultimately, more than a million North Koreans died during the famine, and many only survived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-hyeon-seo/a-huge-famine-hit-north-korea-in-the-mid-1990s-ultimately-more-than-a/) [Lee Hyeon-seo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-hyeon-seo/) > [“If you took some North Korean songs and replaced Kim Il Sung with God or Jesus it would sound exactly like a Christian hymn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-kim/if-you-took-some-north-korean-songs-and-replaced-kim-il-sung-with-god/) Mike Kim > [The Globe reports that North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Il raises money by selling fake Viagra pills. What it is about this guy? None of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/the-globe-reports-that-north-korean-dictator-kim-jong-il-raises-money/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [The kindness of strangers and the support of the international community are truly the rays of hope we North Korean people need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-hyeon-seo/the-kindness-of-strangers-and-the-support-of-the-international/) [Lee Hyeon-seo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-hyeon-seo/) ## More by Margaret Cho > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I'm super-obsessed with 'Intervention.' I wrote a song about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-m-super-obsessed-with-intervention-i-wrote-a-song-about-it/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I have 3 dogs myself - I actually have a kennel license in order to do so. I love them so much I couldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-have-3-dogs-myself-i-actually-have-a-kennel-license-in-order-to-do/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I think self-deprecation is such a disease, and I want to cure everybody of it and so that's my contribution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-think-self-deprecation-is-such-a-disease-and-i-want-to-cure/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I don't like pot anymore -- I forget why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-don-t-like-pot-anymore-i-forget-why/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I'm not a mom, but I think the word 'mother' is about wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-m-not-a-mom-but-i-think-the-word-mother-is-about-wisdom/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [That we are selfish gives us the opportunity to gain the power so that, in time, we might be selfless. To give back what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/that-we-are-selfish-gives-us-the-opportunity-to-gain-the-power-so/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [Why can't all different types of women be considered beautiful? Why can't we can't we all be considered possible love interests?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/why-can-t-all-different-types-of-women-be-considered-beautiful-why/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I think that failure is just as important as success. In a way, failure is a kind of success if you can look at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-think-that-failure-is-just-as-important-as-success-in-a-way-failure/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I could never make a joke about somebody unless I could say it to their face and they'd laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-could-never-make-a-joke-about-somebody-unless-i-could-say-it-to/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [Sometimes when we are generous in small, barely detectable ways it can change someone else's life forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/sometimes-when-we-are-generous-in-small-barely-detectable-ways-it-can/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [ Something as important as marriage equality, which is now a constitutional right \[in the USA\], is something that cannot be denied. It's also very… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/something-as-important-as-marriage-equality-which-is-now-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [It's not the best between my family and me. There are so many crimes left unpunished, debts unpaid, white elephants in the middle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/it-s-not-the-best-between-my-family-and-me-there-are-so-many-crimes/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [It's okay for you to have relationships, but it's not okay to talk about them. It's not okay to be out or to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/it-s-okay-for-you-to-have-relationships-but-it-s-not-okay-to-talk/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [My attitude toward peace does not depend on which war we are discussing. I think that words should do the work of bombs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/my-attitude-toward-peace-does-not-depend-on-which-war-we-are/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) [Explore all 285 Margaret Cho quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) ## More Asian quotes > [I think I am against stereotype. Generally, Asian guys are more quiet - they study and have a good work ethic. Generally, I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-lee/i-think-i-am-against-stereotype-generally-asian-guys-are-more-quiet/) [Bobby Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-lee/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? 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