'Tiger Mom' to Colbert: 'It's Supposed to Be Funny'

"Tiger Mom" Amy Chua defended herself on the Colbert Report last night, saying her memoir, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, has been widely misinterpreted. "It's not a parenting book," Chua said. "It says on the cover, 'How I was humbled by a 13-year-old.'" Asked about the reaction to her controversial book, Chua said, "It's a little surprising. The book is a memoir, it's supposed to be funny."

"It is about some of the strengths that I believe that system has, but also about my mistakes," said Chua. Which led Colbert to tease, "Can I get you a bicycle to backpedal any faster?" Still Chua did not entirely retreat. "I think these values of hard work and 'don't give up' and 'don't blame others' are fundamental American values." Watch the video in the gallery.
(More Amy Chua stories.)