Asian Adjacent: Margaret Cho tackles racial ambiguity in music video

Just prior to the Vancouver Asian Film Festival kicks off tonight, comedian Margaret Cho has released a music video that tackles Asian stereotypes.

"Asian Adjacent", cowritten with singer-songwriter Grant Lee Phillips, is a rather moody '80s-sounding synth-driven track (which is somewhat appropriate musically speaking, since Asian culture heavily pervaded New Wave pop culture).

Cho breathily sings about people who others perceive to have racially ambiguous looks and the comments they receive. She sings about how people guess at their racial heritage, seeing as how they're not quite white or black, wondering if they're Mexican or Cherokee, or from Alaska or Ha-Ha-Hawaii (particularly if you can't read her, can't read her, can't read her poker face).

Cho appears rolling around in a cage in a tiger outfit and a fantasy interpretation of a geisha. And as you've always wanted to see her: naked, covered in sushi. (Itadakimasu, anyone?)

Moving right along, it's a much more serious song than other videos from her album Cho Dependent, such as "Intervention" (featuring Tegan and Sara), "Captain Cameltoe", or the cheerily titled "Eat Shit and Die".

Check it out below. What's your verdict?

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