American comedian Margaret Cho has accused the makers of the new Absolutely Fabulous movie of “yellowface” after Scottish actor Janette Tough was cast as a new “Japanese fashion designer” character named Huki Muki.
Tough is best known for playing schoolboy Jimmy Krankie in the long-running comedy duo The Krankies. Cho said she was “very disappointed” that producers had not chosen an Asian actor to play the role.
“I love AbFab but #YELLOWFACE is something I cannot watch – I just can’t,” she tweeted. “It’s sad when heroes are no longer heroic. Too bad. #racism.”
I love AbFab but #YELLOWFACE is something I cannot watch - I just can't. It's sad when heroes are no longer heroic. Too bad. #racism
— Margaret Cho (@margaretcho) December 14, 2015
#YELLOWFACE is racism. Sorry. It's unacceptable. Not now. I was thrilled about #abfabmovie but now I just can't be. I'm very disappointed.
— Margaret Cho (@margaretcho) December 14, 2015
We've tried to shame racism out of existence but I guess some people really don't care. They're shameless but NOT BLAMELESS.
— Margaret Cho (@margaretcho) December 14, 2015
It's hard enough to get into film and TV as a person of color - and when roles written for us are played by white actors - it's an outrage.
— Margaret Cho (@margaretcho) December 14, 2015
Cho first tweeted the yellowface accusation on Monday, but has continued to do so after coming in for criticism from Twitter trolls. Some accused her of racism herself, while others suggested she had deliberately sparked the furore to promote her current European tour, which includes two shows in London this week.
“@Builder2k13: @margaretcho what you have just said is racist by mentioning the colour of the person.” Yes I'm racist.
— Margaret Cho (@margaretcho) December 16, 2015
It's interesting how defensive some get when people of color point out racism.
— Margaret Cho (@margaretcho) December 16, 2015
Getting off Twitter for awhile to feed the homeless kids on my block(who happen to be white).I'm not racist+I am sickened by the accusation.
— Margaret Cho (@margaretcho) December 16, 2015
The Twitter storm has also sparked debate in the media, with The Guardian’s Helen Lewis pondering whether yellowface was any worse than pantomime dames in drag, and The Telegraph’s Radhika Danghani controversially suggesting that white actors taking Asian roles were merely “acting”.
“It’s hard to judge the Ab Fab movie without even seeing a trailer, but looking back at the TV shows, I don’t doubt that Huki Muki will be a wonderfully amusing character,” wrote Danghani. “No doubt the role will make fun of the fashion industry, Eddie and Patsy – and yes, perhaps even Japan.
“Do we really want to live in a world so politically correct that no races or nationalities can be subjected to good-natured humour, and every actor has to display the same identity traits as the roles they play?”
Ab Fab: The Movie, shot in October and out on 1 July 2016, is tipped to see Jennifer Saunders’ Patsy and Joanna Lumley’s Edina swapping their fashion hound London lifestyle for the French Riviera, after being blamed for a major incident at a high profile launch party. Julia Sawalha, June Whitfield and Jane Horrocks are also returning from the cast of the hit BBC TV sitcom, with fashion figures such as Kate Moss, Lily Cole and Cara Delevingne all making cameo appearances.
