Margaret Cho: 'Palin is irresponsible'

Margaret Cho has publicly criticised former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin for releasing a controversial campaign poster.

The Grammy-nominated comedian told CNN that Palin should be rebuked for allowing her SarahPAC to release an advertisement before last year's US election that depicted the crosshairs of a gun over Congressional districts held by Democrats.

"I think it was very irresponsible of her to put these Democrats in gunfights on her web site," she said. "I didn't agree with her when she did it and I don't think that was right."

Cho went on to suggest that the caustic environment created by violent political rhetoric can play a role in events like last weekend's shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in Arizona.

"The fact that this all has happened just shows how deadly some ideas can be and it's irresponsible of Sarah Palin and obviously she knows that because she took it down and obviously people are very angry.

"I think that they should know better but obviously they didn't think to. When you glorify the use of guns, this is what happens," she said.

Cho competed with the politician's daughter Bristol on the eleventh season of ABC's Dancing With The Stars.

Earlier this week, Palin accused the media of "blood libel" after being publicly criticised by members of the press following the Arizona shooting.