Margaret Cho sparks backlash after mocking Lindsey Graham's death
The story reports reactions to Cho’s jokes about Graham’s death.
SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYCredibility rates The Independent, which republished this story. The other scores rate the article itself.
The Independent is an established news organization with a professional newsroom and named byline. This is a short entertainment-news report relying substantially on social-media reactions, which limits the strength of its reporting in this instance.
- Track record — Established international news publisher with a substantial record of reporting.
- Editorial standards — Professional newsroom and editorial operation, though this article offers limited original verification.
- Author attribution — A named author is credited.
- Source type — International news publisher; the story is a short entertainment-news item.
The report gives Cho’s quoted remarks, several examples of online criticism, and statements from a named television co-host, along with a cause of death attributed to the medical examiner. It does not include a response from Cho or much independent context about the reactions.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The story includes Cho’s remarks and multiple critical reactions but does not include a response from Cho or reactions defending her. The brief report therefore presents the controversy mainly through condemnation.
- Source diversity — Includes online users and a television co-host, but no response from Cho or a defender of her remarks.
- Counterarguments presented — No counterargument to the criticism is presented.
- Opinion vs reporting — The report is written as news, although much of the reaction evidence consists of opinions posted online.
- Loaded language — The framing is mostly descriptive, with critical language appearing primarily in quoted reactions.
The article reports Cho’s remarks and the backlash in largely descriptive language. Its selection of critical reactions creates a negative impression of Cho, but the text does not show a clear partisan editorial lean.
- Language tone — Mostly straightforward reporting, with the headline framing the story around backlash.
- Source selection — Quotes several people criticizing Cho and includes a separate condemnation of celebrating Graham’s death.
- Framing — Centers the online reaction to Cho’s remarks rather than advancing a partisan argument.
Republished
Republished from The Independent. The relationship between the two publishers has not been determined.
296 stories · 76.8–77.4 · updated Oct 6, 2026
This is The Independent's own score, and this article is credited to The Independent. The host score in the Source Check is The Independent's.
The article reports that comedian Margaret Cho drew online condemnation for jokes about Senator Lindsey Graham’s death and a reference to Mitch McConnell. It also recounts criticism of people celebrating Graham’s death on The View.
The article says Cho joked in a Facebook Live video about rumors concerning Graham’s sexuality and his death, then referred to McConnell, who had recently been hospitalized. It reports that users on X condemned Cho’s remarks and called for boycotts of her work.
The article also reports that The View co-host Ana Navarro criticized people celebrating Graham’s death, referring to comments by Donald Trump about other deaths. It says the medical examiner attributed Graham’s death to a ruptured aorta arising from arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
Community verdict
VOTING CLOSED
No good or bad look here
This story reports what happened without casting Graham in a good or bad light, so readers don’t rate it and it doesn’t count toward Graham’s record.
People in this story
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Former senator referenced in Navarro’s comparison
Senator referenced in Cho’s remarks
Part of a bigger story
46 OUTLETSOutlets agree that Lindsey Graham died, leaving a vacancy in South Carolina’s Senate seat. Coverage also reports an interim appointment and a process to select a successor for the election. Left-leaning outlets focus on Trump’s stated interest in a possible interim replacement; one also highlights a poll in Graham’s Senate race. Center outlets mainly explain how the vacancy will be filled. Right-leaning outlets also cover succession, pairing it with tributes and reactions; some present passage of a bill Graham supported as a way to honor him.
- ARTICLES
- 58
- OUTLETS
- 46
- AVG CRED
- 69
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