Rove McManus is called out for an old interview he did with the cast of Charlie’s Angels

Australian TV host Rove McManus is called out for an old interview he did with the cast of Charlie’s Angels


Rove McManus has been slammed online for a 2003 interview he did with the cast of Charlie’s Angels when they appeared on his now defunct TV show, Rove Live.

In the interview, the 47-year-old veteran TV host sat down with the film’s cast, Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu, to discuss the action movie.

Turning to Lucy, 52 – the only actress of Asian heritage in the main cast – he asked: ‘You’ve had martial arts training before, did you teach the girls some things?’

Called out: Rove McManus (pictured) has been slammed online for a 2003 interview he did with the cast of Charlie’s Angels when they appeared on his now defunct TV show, Rove Live

All three actresses then burst out laughing, before Cameron, 48, joked about that being Lucy’s ‘favourite question’. 

‘I really think she’s the aficionado on Kung Fu,’ added Drew, 46, sarcastically, before Lucy stated, ‘Maybe it’s because I’m Asian.’

She continued: ‘I actually have not had any experience in martial arts. I’ve just been doing it for the movies, but people think that I do because I’m Asian.’ 

Girl group: In the interview, the 47-year-old veteran TV host sat down with the film's cast, (L-R) Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu and Cameron Diaz, to discuss the action movie

Girl group: In the interview, the 47-year-old veteran TV host sat down with the film’s cast, (L-R) Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu and Cameron Diaz, to discuss the action movie

Stereotypes: Turning to Lucy, 52 - the only actress of Asian heritage in the main cast - Rove asked: 'You've had martial arts training before, did you teach the girls some things?' Pictured in Charlie's Angels

Stereotypes: Turning to Lucy, 52 – the only actress of Asian heritage in the main cast – Rove asked: ‘You’ve had martial arts training before, did you teach the girls some things?’ Pictured in Charlie’s Angels

Quickly realising his mistake, a red-faced Rove clarified that he’d ‘been told’ that she was experienced in martial arts.

But Lucy held out a hand to silence him, and defiantly added: ‘It’s okay, Rove.’ 

The video was recently unearthed by Asian Ambition, an advocacy Facebook page for people of Asian heritage.

'I actually have not had any experience in martial arts. I've just been doing it for the movies, but people think that I do because I'm Asian,' she said. Pictured in Charlie's Angels

‘I actually have not had any experience in martial arts. I’ve just been doing it for the movies, but people think that I do because I’m Asian,’ she said. Pictured in Charlie’s Angels

Lucy has also been a vocal advocate, and spoke about how Asians are as often viewed as the ‘other’ in an opinion piece for The Washington Post in April. 

‘I feel fortunate to have “moved the needle” a little with some mainstream success, but it is circumscribed, and there is still much further to go,’ she wrote. 

‘Progress in advancing perceptions on race in this country is not linear; it’s not easy to shake off nearly 200 years of reductive images and condescension.’ 

'I feel fortunate to have "moved the needle" a little with some mainstream success, but it is circumscribed, and there is still much further to go,' she wrote in The Washington Post in April

‘I feel fortunate to have “moved the needle” a little with some mainstream success, but it is circumscribed, and there is still much further to go,’ she wrote in The Washington Post in April