Exclusive Q&A with actress/comedian Margaret Cho; she's headlining Zanies Comedy Club Sept. 10-13
September 10, 9:12 AMNashville Entertainment ExaminerJonathan Pinkerton

As she prepares for an extended run of her stand-up tour at Zanies in Nashville September 10-13, it's evident there's nothing Margaret Cho can't do. Getting her start In the late 80s, she was a featured comedian on Stand-Up Spotlight; by the early 90s, she was the star of her own sitcom, All-American Girl; over the years, she has headlined national stand-up tours and TV specials (Notorious C.H.O., I'm The One That I Want, Beautiful); she's a movie star (It's My Party, Bam Bam and Celeste, 17 Again) cover-girl (the first woman to grace the cover of Unzipped), reality star (VH1's The Cho Show) and current co-star of Lifetime's Drop Dead Diva--the network's most successful series ever. Heck she's even soon to be a recording artist.

Testing the bounds of what she can do, Margaret is currently in the middle of a national stand-up tour with a twist--her doctor has put her on vocal rest. That's right, Margaret Cho, who has made a name for herself by not being afraid to say anything is continuing her live stand-up with what has been dubbed the Silent Shows. Earlier this week, I had a chance to email questions to Margaret (the way she is currently conducting interviews with the press due to the whole voice thing) to get the scoop on vocal rest, Drop Dead Diva and her upcoming music project.

Jonathan Pinkerton: Ok, so television geek that I am, of course I remember you from your sitcom All-American Girl, but I first saw you in an episode of the Golden Girls' spin-off, Golden Palace in 1992. Did it register at the time that these women were TV legends or was it just an early role for you?
Margaret Cho: I didn't even really understand who I was working with or how amazing that experience was. Rue McClanahan helped me figure out how to sing and the ladies were all incredible.

JP: You later worked again on our mutual friend Del Shores' series Sordid Lives, which also starred Golden Girl, Rue McClanahan. Did you and Rue even see each other on the set?
MC: I didn't see Rue there. We shot it in Shreveport, LA and I was in and out in a day, so I didn't get to see hardly anyone-but what a tremendous cast! I loved that project.

JP: When I heard you were cast inDrop Dead Diva, I wrote that you would surely steal the show. While you are indeed funny, your character is so much more subtle than your stand-up persona. Is that part of the appeal of the role, to showcase a different layer of your talent?
MC: It's certainly a fun role but yes its quite subtle and I do get to do a lot more dramatic stuff later on in the season. I love the show and I love the message and its just perfect!

JP: I told Ian Harvie that when I saw you two at Zanies last year in Nashville and met you both backstage, you were both so gracious to spend a minute with me and my friends, even posing for photos. What is your take on fame and being "nice" even when you feel like crap?
MC: Oh well, I am a fan of lots of different artists and I certainly appreciate those people who take time out for their fans. I'm a big fangirl, so I live and die by what my idols say and do to me! Whenever anyone comes to a show and wants to meet me I'm just so flattered and happy!

JP: Were you surprised by your warm reception in Nashville? I was thrilled when I heard you were coming back.
MC: I love Nashville! I'll be spending more time there anyway because I'm recording part of my album there with Andrew Bird.

JP: Talking about your Mom in your stand-up routine has become a fan favorite. On your reality show, she seemed to finally LOVE being part of the act. Was it something you had to talk her into allowing you to do, or did you just do it?
MC: She loved it and wants to do even more! She wants her own show! I think it's a great idea!

JP: If fans came to see your last tour, what can they expect this time around?
MC: Who knows?! I don't even know! I'm doing to silent shows right now, because my voice is still giving me problems-and so it depends on what's happening with me physically!

JP: Ok, so THE VOICE....reports indicate that you are on vocal rest. What exactly happened?
MC: I got sick and pushed through it to talk and sing and perform anyway, and it really messed up my cords. I have nodes now, and I'm trying to avoid surgery by being very diligent about not speaking and changing my diet and all these other things.

JP: Even with no voice, you are continuing with the tour to great response from what I know. What adjustments are you making in the show to still get the laughs and please the audience?
MC: It's forcing me to be a lot more creative and innovative in the way I'm performing. I'm utilizing other performers voices as I 'act' out my material as well as using the text to speech function on my computer. Its gone so well I will likely keep some aspects of the silent shows even when I get my voice back.

JP: Drop Dead Diva just got picked up for season two...you ARE coming back, right?
MC: Yes I will be back next season!

JP: What else is coming up for you?
MC: I'll be working on my album this fall with Jon Broin and Patty Griffin and it will be released next year.