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<TITLE>Review for I'm the One That I Want (2000)</TITLE>
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<H1 ALIGN="CENTER" CLASS="title"><A HREF="/Title?0251739">I'm the One That I Want (2000)</A></H1><H3 ALIGN=CENTER>reviewed by<BR><A HREF="/ReviewsBy?Rose+%27Bams%27+Cooper">Rose 'Bams' Cooper</A></H3><HR WIDTH="40%" SIZE="4">
<PRE>'3BlackChicks Review...'</PRE>
<P>I'M THE ONE THAT I WANT (2000)
Not Rated; running time 96 minutes
Genre: Comedy (concert)
IMDB site: <A HREF="http://us.imdb.com/Details?0251739">http://us.imdb.com/Details?0251739</A>
Official site: <A HREF="http://www.margaretcho.com/movie_news/movie_news.htm">http://www.margaretcho.com/movie_news/movie_news.htm</A>
Written by: Margaret Cho
Directed by: Lionel Coleman
Performer: Margaret Cho</P>
<P>Review Copyright Rose Cooper, 2000
Review URL: <A HREF="http://www.3blackchicks.com/bamsmctheone.html">http://www.3blackchicks.com/bamsmctheone.html</A></P>
<P>...and speaking of not judging a book by its cover...</P>
<P>The Story (WARNING: **spoilers contained below**):
Margaret Cho, a standup comedian, had the "honor" of headlining the
first Asian-American sitcom - ABC's ALL-AMERICAN GIRL - on American TV.
But that "honor" soon turned ugly, when Network Suits tried to make Cho
into something she was uncomfortable being, and quickly cancelled her
show.  In I'M THE ONE THAT I WANT, Cho humorously discusses that
tumultuous time in her life, and touches on the affinity she has with
the gay community in her hometown of San Francisco and beyond.</P>
<P>The Upshot:
I'll be honest [am I ever not in my reviews?  But I digress]: I'M THE
ONE THAT I WANT started off slow, and almost lost my interest.  I think
my Issues with hearing Black comics use the term "nigga" so freely,
transferred over to Cho's liberal use of "faggot", as a term of
endearment.  My cross to bear?  Perhaps.  Certainly, Cho seems to have
the general support of the gay community, so more power to her, I guess.
But still, except for a few chuckles here or there during the opening
part of her show - her "B*tch, it's not that hot" chiding to fashion
designer Karl Lagerfeld for constantly fanning himself, had me rollin' -
I just couldn't Get With her humor at first.</P>
<P>But when Cho started in on the issues surrounding all the things she had
to deal with regarding her TV series, her comedy transformed from being
Just (sorta lame) Jokes, to being something much deeper, something which
I could easily identify with on multiple levels - and I was hooked.</P>
<P>Cho used humor as a method of catharsis in recounting how numbnut TV
network producers and such admonished her to be "more Asian" - and I
could relate, having heard the same thing from some "well-wishers"
who've suggested I be "more Black" in my writing.  So too did I Feel Cho
when she spoke of having been dissed by fellow Korean-Americans for
being "*too* Asian" - after all, critics of my downhome writing style were
one of the reasons why I created "the Bammer Blactionary".  And I gave a
silent Amen when Cho chronicled, with ironic humor, the painful times
she went through in trying to gain acceptance by an increasingly
unaccepting audience, especially as applied to her "weight problem".
After all, what non-svelte American woman - of any race - hasn't had it
up to here with being told that their shape makes them unattractive in
some demographic's eyes?  As Cho blended humor with the obvious anger
that came with being pushed and pulled in multiple directions to become
something she was not, the Black Factor, the Female Factor - the Regular
Person In An Irregular World Factor - made me want to scream "preach,
sista!" throughout.  In many ways, Cho's struggle had been my struggle;
for until one learns to Show Them The Hand, who doesn't want to be
accepted?</P>
<P>Cho put me in mind of John Leguizamo, whose one-man shows on HBO have
shown a talent hidden behind stereotypical thug parts he's had in flicks
like REGARDING HENRY (not to mention the total waste of time that was
SUPER MARIO BROS, ewww) - and more to the point, Cho, like Leguizamo,
laid herself bare for the audience, all the while keeping us laughing,
and thinking.  Cho doesn't quite have Leguizamo's range (hmmm...maybe I
should do a review or two of some of his works), but the message behind
her madness, came through as loudly as did his.</P>
<P>Laughter being the best medicine, she seems to have healed herself from
the destructive behavior stemming from her experiences after struggling
with her weight and still having her show be cancelled.  Don't be
fooled: she's no sweet lotus blossom.  If you spend an hour or two
watching I'M THE ONE THAT I WANT, any preconceived notions you might
have of what Asian Chicks Are Like, will quickly evaporate.  And in my
book, that's most def A Good Thing.</P>
<P>Bammer's Bottom Line:
If you're looking for The Asian Original Kings Of Comedy, you're looking
in the wrong place: this Margaret Cho piece has more akin with John
Leguizamo's heart-wrenching monologues, than with the Kangs' jokes.  But
listen to Cho tell you why she's gonna keep Rockin' The Mike, and about
the pathos that comes with being a Minority expected to Fit In in dese
hea' United States, and you'll know why I hung in there after her
somewhat slow beginning.  Like the drag queens who "raised" Cho might
say, You Go Girl...</P>
<P>I'M THE ONE THAT I WANT (rating: greenlight):
  "Is there a KKKmart?"...ha!</P>
<PRE>Rose "Bams" Cooper                            /~\
Webchick and Editor,                         /','\
3BlackChicks Review                         /','`'\
Movie Reviews With Flava!                  /',',','/`,
Copyright Rose Cooper, 2000                `~-._'c    /
EMAIL: <A HREF="mailto:bams@3blackchicks.com">bams@3blackchicks.com</A>                    `\   (
<A HREF="http://www.3blackchicks.com/">http://www.3blackchicks.com/</A>                     /====\</PRE>
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