Rants and raves from around the celebrosphere

For better or worse, the sharp tongued and foul mouthed comedienne Margaret Cho is back.

A new reality series starring the political funnywoman, The Cho Show, has debuted on VH1. The premise of the show follows Margaret on her quest for recognition and fame as a stand-up performer, gay diva, and rebellious daughter. Along for the ride are Cho’s personal assistant, hairdresser, makeup artist, and, best of all, her parents, who have been the butt of her routines and a fan favorite since the beginning of her career almost 20 years ago.

The premiere episode follows Margaret in turmoil, as she debates whether to accept an achievement award from the Korean community, which has shunned and ridiculed her in the past. The setup and style of the show is a blatant rip off of Kathy Griffin’s My Life on the D-List, yet somehow seems more forced and scripted than its predecessor. As a result, most of the charm and wit of Griffin’s show is lost here, and you find yourself not really caring about the events going on around Cho.

Normally, this would signal a real train wreck of a show, but Margaret Cho saves the premise by being so %^&$# funny! Showing that middle age and marriage have not softened her cynical view of the world, specifically conservatives (this is the woman who speculated that Barbara Bush’s…more delicate areas may suffer from an overabundance of Lysol, and is amazed that George Bush still cannot even say the word “nuclear”), Cho’s wit and comic timing are still intact.

Work on the show, Margaret, before you let it become fodder for other comedians’ stand-up routines.