The Korean-American comedian, author and activist's work -- from the seminal concert film Notorious C.H.O., filmed at Carnegie Hall in 2001, to later works Revolution, Assassin, The Sensuous Woman and the off-Broadway one-woman show I'm The One That I Want that started it all in 1999 -- clearly show a hyper-talented, complicated, profane, painfully honest performer who tends to take long pauses while her audiences laugh, clap and fawn.

But Cho, who brings her latest comedy tour Beautiful to the National Arts Centre Sunday night, is all too aware that not everyone is a fan.

"I get hate mail and death threats on a daily basis," said Cho, speaking from her hotel room in Jacksonville, Fla., recently. "It's vile. And it's from people who are supposedly Christian. I don't know what kind of Christianity they're practising exactly, but it's pretty vile."

SEAL THE DEAL WITH PALIN

Like many left-leaning celebrities, Cho has been vocal in her criticism of Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin. Unlike other celebrities, Cho has mused on her blog that while appalled by Palin's politics, she would be happy to perform oral sex on the Alaska governor.

"I've had sex with so many appalling people," said Cho with a laugh when asked if she would really seal the deal with Palin, if given the opportunity.

"Sometimes the grossest, most conservative, Republican, awful, awful people are like the hottest because it's like your polar opposite."

It's comments like these that get her in trouble with the right-wing, hate-letter writers. But for Cho, who turns 40 in December, speaking her truth is what launched her career, what makes her fans love her and what inspires her to keep going.

An ardent activist for the queer community, Cho happily discusses having sex with men, women and transgendered people while eschewing a sexual orientation label.

"I'm not bi, I'm 'I', " is the way she puts it.

Cho also celebrates her own beauty in the face of a culture and entertainment business that years ago had her in a self-loathing spiral of crash dieting and disordered eating.

These days, belly dancing, burlesque dancing and a passion for tattoos have Cho celebrating her beauty and sexuality more than ever before.

"(Beautiful) is really raunchy for me, which is saying a lot," Cho said. "I think it has to do with my age and experience and my attitude towards what I'm doing. I'm very focused on what I'm doing. I'm very happy with it."

Beautiful, also featuring comedian Liam Sullivan, is at the NAC on Sunday. Tickets are $31-$48 at the box office and at Ticketmaster outlets.