Youth Opinion : ‘Will Margaret Cho’s Depictions Reflect on My Own Family?’ : A daughter of immigrants worries that the stereotyped comedy of ‘All American Girl’ will be seen as reality.

Fall is the season of change and beginnings: Parents eagerly await the first day of school, which many of their children regard with dread. The weather grows colder, a reminder that the fun-filled days at the beach are over until next year. And then there’s new television sitcom lineup, which this year has an Asian twist with Margaret Cho’s “All American Girl” on ABC.

When I first heard that Cho would star in a comedy dealing with relationships between Korean parents and their Americanized children, I was excited that Hollywood was acknowledging Asian Americans, who are scarce in the entertainment industry.

But this happiness was almost immediately replaced with reservations and anxiety. I’ve seen Cho’s comedy act several times and find her very funny. But even as I’m laughing, I feel a little embarrassed about her depictions of her family.

It’s one thing for small group of people to laugh at Cho while she pokes fun at her own family; it’s another thing to have a whole nation of viewers laughing at her jokes on her heritage--jokes that many viewers will assume pertain to all Korean American families. When Cho makes fun of her old-fashioned grandmother, will viewers think my grandmother is the same way? To TV watchers who don’t know any better, will Cho’s depiction of her television family reflect on my parents?

The reality is that while Cho is funny, her show has the potential to be a major stereotype of Korean American life. Her show is going to be the only real example to America of how Korean Americans live and that’s a big responsibility for a television show and for Cho.

After watching the first few episodes, my anxieties have yet to disappear. Although the show is funny and has a promising plot line, I have a problem with the way the so-called traditional Korean family is depicted. The biggest is that Cho’s attitude toward her parents is exaggerated to the point of unbelievability. No Korean daughter--no matter how Americanized she is--can speak to her mother as disrespectfully as Cho’s character does. A Korean grandmother is a respected figure of authority but on the show she sometimes seems silly and ridiculous.

The show is also inaccurate about cultural traditions. In one episode, Cho’s mother gives her a necklace, explaining that it has been passed through generations of her family. That sort of tradition is Chinese, unheard of in a Korean family. Another time, the story centered around the belief that the way the house is arranged determines the family’s luck. That is feng shui , a custom that is basically Chinese.

The show has great potential. I am proud of Cho’s accomplishments. With a little more attention to cultural details, I am optimistic the show will be a great step forward for Koreans, something everyone could take pride in.