Hello, Ms Cho: An Early-Morning Interview

James Gartler / Friday, 22 October 2010 08:27

Margaret Cho is a great many things. The first Korean comedienne to have a prime-time US sitcom, All American Girl. A proud supporter of gay rights and openly bisexual. A seasoned stand-up performer with a devoted following. A reality-tv star. And most recently, a passionate competitor on Dancing with the Stars and burgeoning singer/songwriter.
While reflecting on her career at 9am in the morning, though - roughly a week after bidding the ballroom farewell and in the midst of a thiry-three-date stand-up tour, no less - she’s decidedly low-key. Who can blame her? Girl’s got sore-feet.

And also, as luck would have it, talent to spare. The Cho Dependent album, her first foray into songwriting, produces surprisingly moving results (“Hey Big Dog” being a standout) and reveals an artist eager to explore all aspects of herself while still being able to deliver a laugh (“Eat Shit and Die” – need we say more?)

Before chowing down on breakfast, Ms Cho chatted with Lucid about it all: her last dance, her new show, the similarities between Toronto and Montreal and - of course - her mother.

L: How are your calluses healing?

MC: Well, yesterday I had them all scraped off. I am now back to the world that I know of beautiful feet! I still want to dance, of course, but I don’t need these calluses right now.

I was really surprised when I found out you’d be doing Dancing With the Stars just because, though my parents watch it, I find people my age tend to view the show as a place where wannabes go or where former celebrities go for another fifteen minutes, and I don’t really consider you to be in either of those categories. So I was wondering, the people on the show…do they have the same kind of perception at all of Dancing With the Stars?

To me, it’s quite a difficult thing to do…it’s very physically intense and everybody was really great. They also all seem like kinda big stars to me. Everybody has their place in who they are and what they’re doing. So, I’m happy that I got to do it and thrilled that I got as far as I did.

You’ve been writing on your blog about the new sense of connection you feel to your body. Do you think of dance now as kind of an ideal way to get into shape?

Yes! I think it’s so positive and so fulfilling. I love dancing and I really enjoyed this whole experience.

I really enjoyed your last number with the rainbow flag theme and the pride message. Did you feel disappointed at all that that was the number you performed right before you were eliminated? Do you think your message in any way affected how people voted?

Well, I don’t know. I want to think people didn’t vote because they felt that I danced poorly…which I didn’t but...I don’t want to think of this country as homophobic and I don’t want to think of people as being homophobic, but that could be a possibility. It’s too bad…but I had to dance that. I had to put the message out there to gay teenagers who are having trouble. I mean, it’s a rough time for gay kids now and so, to do a dance in tribute of them and in celebration of pride was the only choice.

I’ve read that you are a big fan of The L Word and Queer as Folk. Did you ever get into Ugly Betty?

Yes, I love Ugly Betty! It’s a great show and has some similarities to the show that I’m on now called Drop Dead Diva, which is also a wonderful show. And it’s also all about feeling beautiful, accepting yourself and loving yourself.

You’ve been an outspoken supporter of LGBT rights and you consider yourself a member of that community, yet you got married to your husband in 2003. Did you feel it was difficult for people at the time to reconcile those things?

I don’t think so. It’s what committed me to fighting for gay marriage…like understanding what an important thing family is for the gay community and for everyone. So that’s why I wanted to get married and that’s what really made me a gay marriage activist.

Do you think people are starting to think of sexuality as more fluid?
I don’t know….or they’re starting to think of sexuality in different terms. There’s more fluidity in my sexuality, but I’m bisexual.

I first discovered your work when I picked up a copy of your standup album, I’m the One I Want. Do you ever hear back from Gwen or any of the other people you mention in your sketches? Do they ever get in touch with you afterwards?

No. She was just a hospital worker that I never really knew, so…um, no. Generally not.

You’ve been slowly integrating music into your career and now you have your album Cho Dependant, which is all music. When you’re performing the songs live, does it feel the same to you as it does when you’re doing stand-up or are you still getting used to singing?

I think I’m getting used to it. I loved doing music and to me it feels really comfortable and it feels really right. It’s also stand-up comedy too, because the songs are funny, so it’s not as if I have left comedy. To me, it’s the same.

You’re in the middle of a huge tour. You performed in Western Canada at the start of the month, correct?

Yes, in Calgary, Edmonton and also Vancouver.

Are there any differences between the audiences in Western Canada and Eastern Canada?

I don’t know. I’ve always loved to play Canada, for so many reasons. My politics are very progressive, and so that fits in well very well with the people who are coming to see me. Calgary and Edmonton are relatively new places for me to go. I haven’t been there as much as I’ve been to Montreal. So I’m not sure yet.

You said in an interview with George Stroumboulopoulos that Toronto is the best city in the world when it comes to music. Do you feel like Montreal has an edge over other cities in terms of other things? Simply put, is there something that we’re particularly the best at?

Montreal has great music as well! There’s the amazing band Stars, from there. Also Sara of Teagan and Sara is there, so that’s a wonderful thing. And those are people that I’m trying to work with. I worked with Teagan and Sara a lot on my last album so I’m planning to do more with them and also trying to do some with Stars. Montreal’s an amazing place for comedy as well. I’ve done the Just For Laughs festival many times.

In that interview with George, I really enjoyed how he tried to hook you up with Broken Social Scene right in the middle…

That actually happened! I am working with Kevin Drew on something. So that’ll be in the future.

Some of your proceeds from the tour are going to the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies in Gulf Port, Mississippi. Why was that something that was important for you to do?

I visited that area and I wanted to do something that was restorative to the environment, which is what those people are so great at doing. They’re making sure that the animals are going back into the wild that’s cleaned up and able to swim and able to survive. That’s a very rough thing. It’s one thing to cap the oil spill but another to actually clean up all of the mess, and that’s what going on there.

What sort of material can we hope to see in your new show as it comes to Toronto and Montreal?

It’s all new material. A lot of fun. It’s pretty raunchy. There’s lots of stuff about gay rights. A lot of stuff about Dancing With The Stars. A lot of stuff about my family. So it’s going to be great!

You’re famous for imitating your mother during your stand-up act. I was curious if she ever imitates you to any of her friends, or you hear that she’s been sharing embarrassing stories..

Well, I’m sure there’s tons of embarrassing stories but I don’t know if she tells them, and I’m not sure if she can do an impression of me. Her voice is so distinctive.

And that might not be her style.

Yeah!

So, you’ve sung, you’ve done burlesque, you’ve been on television, you’ve been in film, you’ve danced…what other experiences would you like to have during the course of your career? What other things would you like to branch out into?

I’d love to do singing and dancing at the same time! That’s really hard. The next challenge is to combine those.

Lastly, I’ve had this one in my head for a little while, and I’m sure you’ve probably heard it before, but I’m going to say it anyways: You, Rosie O’Donnell and Kathy Griffin hosting a show like The View. Is that something that would ever happen?

Oh, what a good idea! That would be really fun. We would love it. I know I would love it!

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The Cho Dependent tour hits Toronto’s Massey Hall this Friday October 22nd, and swings by Montreal’s Salle Wilfrid Pelletier Saturday, October 23rd. For ticket information, visit www.margaretcho.com.

The Cho Dependent album, meanwhile, featuring Fiona Apple, Teagan and Sara and others, is in stores now. Watch for Drop Dead Diva on Showtime or pick up the first season on DVD.