If anything, if Margaret is intent on making this a racial thing instead of the cultural phenomenon it is, she should be thanking Gwen for bringing a unique aspect of Japanese culture to a more mainstream forum. Some of us had heard of
Harajuku girls prior to Gwen, but now, many more people know.
And I think Margaret is wrong, Gwen may or may not be exploiting them like characters in 'blackface' decades ago, but these ladies are her muses, the inspiration for her creativity and they enjoy much the same fame that Gwen herself does.
Did Wendy & Lisa complain that they were 'lesbians in blackface' when they were playing for the Revolution?
Margaret Cho is absolutely nuts, she's having the same meltdown that Rosie O' Doughnuts had once her career tanked.
And I love her style: Gwen