Cho Dependency: An Interview With Margaret Cho
by Michelle on August 24, 2010

Margaret Cho might be the busiest person I know – she’s on tour now with John Roberts, currently starring in Drop Dead Diva on Lifetime, as her new album Cho Dependant hits stores today. And unlike her last stand-up releases, this one is a musical CD, full of appearances from Tegan and Sara, Fiona Apple, Brendan Benson, Ben Lee, and Andrew Bird to name a few – because if Margaret Cho is going to try something new, damn it, she’s going to do it right! But despite all of the world’s she has conquered, she wants to remain true to her roots as a comedian, which we can’t help but love!

The morning of the first show of tour, Margaret lost her voice, but was still nice enough to take some time to talk to us post- doctor visit and pre-show:

The Laugh Button: Cho Dependent was originally supposed to be called Banjovi did you have to change the name because some Jersey band was giving you a hard time?

Margaret Cho: No, I don’t think they would have given me a hard time. But I did ask Jon Bon Jovi once if he used a round brush on his hair and he turned right away from me.

TLB: Of all the musicians on your album, who would make the best stand-up comedian?

MC: Tegan and Sara!! Great great great!!

TLB: Your career has always followed the music community closely. Do you feel a kinship between performing comedy and music?

MC: Comics all wanna be musicians and musicians all wanna be comics!

TLB: Of all the songs out there that you could potentially write a parody of for the album, why did you select Mickey Avalon’s “My Dick?”

MC: It’s hilarious. It’s battle rhymes. The original song is so hysterical I just had to!

TLB: You’re a big music fan – other than the artists on your record, what other new artists should we be paying attention to?

MC: I love The Punch Brothers, OkGo, also Ane Brun and the latest Crowded House album is amazing!

TLB: I know you’ve been nominated for a Grammy before – if you were to get a Grammy nod for this album, would you rather is be for “Best Female Vocal Album” or for “Best Comedy Album”?

MC: Best comedy album! That is why I made it! I want to win. It would be great to be recognized for the other aspects of songwriting/producing/singing etc, because just as much work went into all that – but it is a comedy album first and foremost!

TLB: So far most of the videos you’ve released from Cho Dependent have been directed by Liam Sullivan. How did your relationship with him come to be? Was it the shoes?

MC: He sent me shoes because my husband made the robot in the video and I laughed so hard and played it a million times and it became a big hit! Liam is directing many of my videos!

TLB: Today kicks off your tour with John Roberts – why did you decide to bring him along?

MC: Because he makes me die laughing and he is my wonderful friend!

TLB: What are you most looking forward to on tour?

MC: Sleeping on a bus because it feels like being dragged by your feet.

TLB: If you could do a music tour, what artists would you want to tour with?

MC: David Bowie! I bet he has his own plane. Tori Amos just to hear her practicing!

TLB: I heard you’re donating money from this tour to Marine Mammal Studies – tell me a bit more about them.

MC: They are a fantastic organization in Gulfport, MS and they are cleaning up all the animals affected by the oil spill. They wash them and put them back into the ecosystem so they can survive.

TLB: It seems like you’ve done pretty much everything there is to do. From movies, tv, film, tours, stand-up, stage shows. What would you want to be best be remembered by? Is there anything other venture you feel you still need to do?

MC: I wanna be remembered as a stand-up comic! That is what I am and that is what I will always do.

TLB: Have any big plans for the album release this week?

MC: Nothing as of yet. I am trying to rest up and do some practice shows in Provincetown where I am working now. Maybe I will eat some pancakes.

For more information about Margaret, visit www.margaretcho.com. Cho Dependent is in stores now! Be sure to pick up your copy now. Also, be sure to catch Margaret on tourAnd you can catch her on tour.