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MARGARET CHO		 The ’Sensuous’ Margaret Cho
by Tony Phillips
EDGE New York City Contributor
Tuesday Sep 25, 2007

Margaret Cho has been everything from our All American Girl to a Gen X Linda Ronstadt, always speaking truth to power and sometimes finding her mic turned off because of it. But now she’s making her way cross country with a downtown burlesque called The Sensuous Woman that hits New York like a head on collision of Ann Miller and Madonna right down to its Open Your Heart-inspired set. The little lady opened her own heart on the horn from Los Angeles, taking on everything from Britney Spears to bed bugs. She chatted about being the alpha bitch to her dog pack, partying like a rock star with the ladies of True Colors and her current obsession with covering her body in Japanese gangster tattoos before she takes the stage to uncover herself right down to the pasties.

Tony Phillips: Hey Margaret, before we get started, I have to know, who is that little guy in the aura picture on your website?

Margaret Cho: That’s David! That’s my Chihuahua. He’s a little girl.

Tony Phillips: I love that his little aura’s in the picture too.

Margaret Cho: Yeah, it’s a little burst of blue. Isn’t that cute?

Tony Phillips: It’s j’adorable, but what does that color mean?

Margaret Cho: Oh, I didn’t even know. They gave me a printout, but I didn’t read it. It’s just all blue and purple.

Tony Phillips: So the last time we talked you were coming to town for Newfest and you balked over sharing a cover with Elvira.

Margaret Cho: I did? I love Elvira. I actually know her. I don’t remember that. Really?

Tony Phillips: Yeah, I don’t think it was the image you were going for with the film. I think Che Guevara would have been fine, but your peeps had some issues with Elvira.

Margaret Cho: I would not have nixed that because I love her. Her name is Cassandra and she’s a wonderful person. I’ve known her a long time and she’s really great. I think it may have been someone I worked with before.

Tony Phillips: Love, under new management?

Margaret Cho: Totally.

Tony Phillips: And you got married since we last spoke.

Margaret Cho: Yeah. I’ve been married since 2003 so I’ve been married for a long time.

Tony Phillips: So what’s that like?

Margaret Cho: It’s good. I mean we’ve been together for a really long time so it’s sort of the same.

Tony Phillips: You got hitched around the time of your Marriage Rocks gig here in town?

Margaret Cho: Oh, yeah. No, it was before that.

Tony Phillips:So Marriage Rocks was a bit of atonement?

Margaret Cho: Well, no. I think that all marriage is important and getting married made me realize even more how important the whole idea of having gay marriage and having marriage for everybody was. It’s this important thing that we should all be allowed to do. It’s not a straight thing or a gay thing, it’s just a human thing. People need each other.

Tony Phillips: I was just in Spain visiting this boy who’s doing a marriage of convenience for his papers, but he married another boy. I love that it’s reached that level there.

Margaret Cho: That’s so amazing. It’s really beautiful.

Tony Phillips: So I had a chance to speak to Andy Bell about the last tour you were on and he was saying that you were one of the people he was most looking forward to hanging with.

Margaret Cho: I love Andy Bell so much. We had such a blast. We had so much fun. He’s such an angel and an amazing performer. I watched his show every night and it was so fun. We would go out and everybody was so wild. There was so much drinking and drugs on that tour. It was like being on the Warped Tour. I was surprised, shocked actually, by the amount of partying that all those ladies did [dog barks in background].

Tony Phillips: Margaret, that sounds like a big-assed Chihuahua!

Margaret Cho: No, that’s my big dog. I don’t know why they’re barking. I have three.

Tony Phillips: And they all get along?

Margaret Cho: Yeah, they get along really good.

Tony Phillips: Did you get them all at the same time?

Margaret Cho: No, I got them all in different years. I got the big one and then the middle one and then the little one. The little one is the youngest.

Tony Phillips: I always heard it was hard to introduce a new dog into a dog family.

Margaret Cho: I don’t think so. They’re all pretty easy-going and pretty mellow generally. And they really take care of the little one.

Tony Phillips: That’s sweet. So I just ran out to the Duane Reade to get a tape for this interview and someone had their dog in the store and it was all rambunctious. I love that casual, New York ’of course I’m brining my dog in here’ vibe.

Margaret Cho: But that dog was being bad!

Tony Phillips: I know, now speaking of bad dogs, you’re bringing a little burlesque energy to New York and I have to tell you, we really need it now. It’s sorely lacking.

Margaret Cho: It’s exciting, I can’t wait to get there.

Tony Phillips: I’m excited by your lineup. The burlesque scene in New York is always so the usual suspects, but there are people on your bill I’ve never even heard of. Is this a West Coast joint?

Margaret Cho: It’s new, it’s different and it’s a lot of wild stuff. So I’m really excited. It’s not just burlesque, there’s a lot of comedy and music and dancing. I’m doing a lot of burlesque dancing and we designed the sets just like the Open Your Heart video.

Tony Phillips: That’s fantastic. So how did you find your cast?

Margaret Cho: Most of the people I’ve worked with before on other projects, and also on this show. I mean we’ve been doing this show for over a year now so it’s just about finding those people that I really connect with and getting it together. And so it was like a year of looking at different people and working with different people and now this group is perfect.

Tony Phillips: The tranny comic sounds hot.

Margaret Cho: Oh, he is so fine. He’s female to male. I love that.

Tony Phillips: Me, too. I was kind of surprised to find nothing on your Anna May Wong project. I promised myself if I saw you in New York, I would shake you and say "Get it together, girl, this project is your Evita!"

Margaret Cho: Well, it wasn’t really a project, it was a painting by the artist Olivia of me as Anna May Wong.

Tony Phillips: No, no, the workshop of the play. That’s what I’m talking about.

Margaret Cho: Oh, yeah. That was a real long time ago.

Tony Phillips: So, where’s the movie already?

Margaret Cho: Well, I’d like to play her. Or Imelda Marcos. That’d be hot.

Tony Phillips: Do you feel like you have the opportunity to put those types of people up on screen or do you really have to fight for something like that?

Margaret Cho: You have to fight for stuff like that. It’s hard to make that stuff happen. It’s very difficult, but I’d love to do it.

Tony Phillips: Well, you have All American Girl under your belt. You can do anything.

Margaret Cho: Oh, yeah. I’m glad that I did that. I love that they’re all on DVD, but it was such a long time ago and it was such a different life then. But it’s interesting to go back and look.

Tony Phillips:I also remember the crash diet you went on before that show. It’s funny because I interviewed Dolly Parton a while ago and, you know, that’s her process. She goes to that Tennessee Mountain home and starves herself for like two weeks until she hallucinates her entire album.

Margaret Cho: She’s such a shaman. That’s so weird. Does she take a bunch of Ayahuasca and go on a vision quest? I would not do that. I did not know that was possible. Maybe I’ll try. It sounds real cute.


Tony Phillips: You’re obsessed with Madonna. I love it. So what was your childhood like? It almost seems like you caught the tail end of the summer of love growing up in The Haight.

Margaret Cho: San Francisco was a great place to grow up and it was interesting to see all of the stuff happening in the ’70s. ’78 was a really big year because that was the year of Harvey Milk being assassinated and Jonestown happened. My parents-you know how cheap my parents are-my mom is so cheap that right after the whole thing happened with The People’s Temple, it was for rent. So she rented it out for my grandparents’ 50th wedding anniversary. She said, "Oh, nobody know. Nobody care, nobody care." And so we had it at The People’s Temple. They pulled down the police tape and put up a bunch of buffet tables. And then we went in there and had this really big party, but my mom got freaked out in the middle. She said, "Oh, there’s ghosts." She could see all the ghosts and she was really freaked out.

Tony Phillips: You’re mom is dope. So you’re headed to Chicago with this show before New York. I’m wondering if you have a temperature of the country right now? Are things getting better?

Margaret Cho: I think things are getting better. People are fed up with the way things are going politically. They’re fed up with the Iraq War and with the Bush administration. They want a change and we’re hoping to see the big change next year. So there’s a lot of hope and there’s a lot of people questioning what’s been going on and that’s good.

Tony Phillips: As opposed to 2004, which was a pretty shitty year for the country, but also for yourself, little lady. It was like your Year of Linda Ronstadting Dangerously. People were fucking up your shit.

Margaret Cho: Oh, The HRC. That was hard. It was a very scary kind of time. So it’s really great to see that things are changing. And I just worked with the HRC on the True Colors Tour. I really love them and think they do great work so we’re beyond that and it’s totally cool, but it was such a different time. People were really afraid of making any kind of statement or controversy. It was tough.

Tony Phillips: So you’re a Fame School kid. That’s so hot.

Margaret Cho: Yeah, I was sixteen and I started doing stand-up comedy. And I decided that that was what I really wanted so I really went for it. So that was the main change. I just got motivated and super-devoted to this whole idea of doing stand-up comedy.

Tony Phillips: So lots of big dance numbers in the lunchroom?

Margaret Cho: There were really a lot of talented people and it was cool to be in that environment. I really grew a lot and figured out what I wanted to do.

Tony Phillips: Are there other success stories out of that class?

Margaret Cho: My scene partner in my improv group was Sam Rockwell.

Tony Phillips: See, you know how to pick the mens from an early age, Margaret!

Margaret Cho: Yeah, I love him.

Tony Phillips: I have to tell you, I love you in Rick and Steve on Logo.

Margaret Cho: It’s really funny. I love that show. I just went in and did it. It was pretty simple. I thought it was a cute film so I really wanted to do it.

Tony Phillips: So you’re picking up Rose McGowan’s slack with all this tattooing. She’s getting them taken off and you’re having them put on.

Margaret Cho: I love tattoos. I think they’re great. It’s a lot of work. I just got a new one from Kat Von Dee, who I just adore. She’s just so much fun. I think it’s such a beautiful thing to do. At my age, a lot of women are getting plastic surgery so I want to put all that pain and time and money into tattooing.

Tony Phillips: Is it pain? Because I read something where you were saying it wasn’t painful and I thought, this is some kind of pact the tatterati have. You know, tell them it doesn’t hurt everybody.

Margaret Cho: No, it really does hurt. Every time I get one I’m like why am I doing this? It fucking hurts. Last week Kat tattooed me for a really long time and it was really hard because after six-hours you’re just not producing any more endorphins so it doesn’t feel good.

Tony Phillips: So you’re in it for the endolphin rush?

Margaret Cho: Totally. But I think I might be almost done. I have expensive tattoos now covering my back and my stomach and my arms and my legs. It’s kind of like a Yakuza Japanese gangster bodysuit.

Tony Phillips: Margaret, I have a weakness for sleeves. Do you have sleeves?

Margaret Cho:I don’t, but I have a lot of tattoos on my arms. I don’t think I’m going to get sleeves.

Tony Phillips: Okay, then you’ll be safe while you’re in New York.

Margaret Cho: I love the way it looks, too. It’s so beautiful.

Tony Phillips: So you’re also a former-Star Searcher. Do you think your new show is kind of playing into this American Idol culture?

Margaret Cho: It is kind of a nod to that. And it is certainly a throwback to shows like Donny & Marie or Sonny & Cher and that kind of format. Where you have celebrities doing lots of different things, which I love.

Tony Phillips: So what are your plans when you hit New York?

Margaret Cho: I don’t know, maybe see some shows if we can. I’m not sure how much that’ll be possible. Hang out with people that I love to see. I don’t know, what should we do?

Tony Phillips: Well, there’s this show called The Sensuous Woman that I hear is pretty hot.

Margaret Cho: My show is hot! It is the hottest thing. So fabulous. And after this I’m writing my new stand-up comedy show. So when I’m done I’m going to go on tour with that next year. And I think I might do True Colors again.

Tony Phillips: Oh, there’s going to be another one?

Margaret Cho: I think they’re going to do another one.

Tony Phillips: So any parting thoughts on Anna Nicole?

Margaret Cho: Well, I’m still sad about it. I miss her. I love her [laughs]. It’s sad, but what about Britney? I’m all about Chris Crocker. Leave Britney alone! I love when he starts screaming and crying.

Tony Phillips: Well, I think Britney in a lot of ways was working through a lot of the same ideas you’re presenting with your show. And I kind of bow to the fact that she didn’t feel the need to starve herself down to her camera-ready state. You know, Janet, too. I have a hunch that 20 Y.O. would have moved a hell of a lot more units if Janet hadn’t lost that sixty pounds. I was fascinated by fat Janet.

Margaret Cho: Me, too. I think it’s great.

Tony Phillips: So I wish I could have been more helpful with the New York tips, but I do want to leave you with this: stay out of Bushwick. It’s this trendy ’hood in Brooklyn and I’m quite sure people will try and drag you out there, but stay away. There’s a huge bed bug problem. It’s all over Gawker today.

Margaret Cho: What? They have bed bugs? What the hell are bed bugs?

Tony Phillips: It’s very Ashley Judd. They’re these little bugs transmitted through bedding and they suck your blood. I mean, share needles, fine, whatever. But who the fuck is sharing bedding?

Margaret Cho: Your trick is going to bring a pillow. Nuh-uh, that’s nasty.

Tony Phillips: It’s fat Janet nasty.

Margaret Cho: And so New York. I can’t wait.