“There are just so many great places,” Cho told Examiner.com just weeks before it was announced that she would be a contestant on the eleventh season of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars.” “Nobu inside the Hard Rock, in particular, is simply phenomenal.”

Performing inside The Pearl at the Palms this Fri., Sept. 17, one might think Cho’s pretty self-conscious about what she eats, having dealt with weight issues in the public eye before. Surprisingly, though, the former “All-American Girl” admitted that her slimmer figure these days has nothing to do with how she eats or even how often she works out.

“I don’t work out at all, actually,” Cho stated. “It’s pretty gross. I really gave up on everything. I do nothing, which is horrible. I’m not on any type of diet and I’m thinner than I’ve ever been. Really, it makes no sense. Women in my family, though, tend to get thinner as they get older. It’s genetics.”

In fact, when asked what some of her guilty food pleasures were, Cho replied with a lot of foods that most people would cut out of their diets if they were at all concerned about their weight.

“I love chocolate cake,” Cho said, “especially that Duncan Hines kind. I also love hard shell tacos. Really, I like cheapy ‘70s stuff. That and mom food. Right now I’m living in the south (Atlanta, where Lifetime’s ‘Drop Dead Diva’ shoots) and there’s no shortage of fried, delicious things there, like fried peach pies. Atlanta is another good foodie town, too.”

Currently on tour promoting the release of her first comedy music album, Cho Dependent, Cho said that fans can expect to hear a few songs “here and there” during her Vegas set, but for the most part she’ll be doing what she’s best known for: stand-up.

“This tour is about stand-up, which I’ve been dying to do,” Cho, whose last major stand-up tour Beautiful stopped by The Pearl at the Palms in March of 2008, said. “Living in the south, there’s a lot of homophobia and racism around me. It’s been really interesting to hear that change of perspective compared to the progressive thought that comes out of San Francisco or New York.”

Cho actually credits living in the south and filming “Drop Dead Diva” with how Cho Dependent came to be in the first place.

“Living in Atlanta and working on ‘Drop Dead Diva,’ there’s a lot of down time,” she said. “So I learned guitar and how to play the banjo and started writing some songs and working on my comedy. Really, I have no social life; the only people I know [in Atlanta] are the people on-set.”

When asked if she ever considered herself to be a singer before embarking on this musical adventure (which Cho said is a “classic combination that a lot of comedians, including Steve Martin and Cheech and Chong, do”), Cho replied that the thought didn’t really cross her mind until a few years ago.

“My mother’s a singer; she has a great voice,” Cho said. “Me, though, I have a distinct voice—a capable voice—that works with what I try to do. I’m lucky that I can carry a tune.”

Cho joked that she “exploited” her music connections to help put the CD together, as, despite her musical talent, she can’t write music. Musicians who Cho utilized for the lavish production include such recognizable names as Fiona Apple, Ben Lee and Patty Griffin.

“I loved getting to work with Fiona and Ben,” Cho exclaimed. “The song I co-wrote with Patty Griffin (‘Hey Big Dog,’ which features Apple and Lee) is actually one of my favorites. It’s such a beautiful song about my relationship with my dog, this German shepherd mix who unfortunately died. I really think the importance of animals in our lives isn’t talked about enough. They’re just so important, and they really help you build a better life. I cared for that dog as much as a person; he was my love.”

Even though Cho Dependent only came out on Aug. 24, Cho said a second CD is already in the works, as there were quite a few songs she couldn’t fit on the 13-track album (which includes such songs as “Captain Cameltoe,” “Lice” and the YouTube hit "My Puss"). When asked who she would like to work with on her next CD, Cho replied with the biggest name in music these days (and a natural fit), Lady Gaga.

“She’s phenomenal,” Cho said. “I’m a big fan. I would also love to work with Jack White or go back and work with any of the great people I got to work with on this album.”

With Cho Dependent now available in stores, another national stand-up tour to her credit, two seasons of “Drop Dead Diva” under her belt and “Dancing with the Stars” premiering Sept. 20, Cho hopes that fans recognize just how much she’s maturing as a comedian with each passing project.

“The more expansive I get, the better comedian I’ll be, I hope,” Cho concluded. “That’s my goal at least. Sometimes it’s hard to tell.”

Cho’s many longtime fans will likely argue otherwise.

Margaret Cho performs inside The Pearl Concert Theater at the Palms Casino Resort Fri., Sept. 17, at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are just $35 & $55, plus fees. To reserve your seats, click here.