Margaret Cho is currently in the midst of her “Beautiful” tour which has received colorful reviews:

“90 minutes of fleshy hilarity that will make you turn to your neighbor and whisper, “Oh my God, is this really happening?” -Washington Square News

“Margaret Cho’s burlesque-cum-variety act is worth every hoot and catcall, not only for her zinger-filled standup, but for the freewheeling sexual demagoguery of the whole enterprise.”
-NY Press

Margaret Cho makes no apologies for who she is and seemingly encourages the rest of us to do the same. She unabashedly speaks her mind, shows her ass, and then graciously takes a bow at the end of the show. Pop- Rock Candy Mountain caught up with Cho in an attempt uncover a different, softer side of the comedian. Different, that is, than sides you’re likely to catch a glimpse of when you go to see “Beautiful“.

Pop-Rock Candy Mountain (PRCM) As a part of your current “Beautiful” tour you are holding a charity auction for VIP tickets, the proceeds of which will profit the Gay and Lesbian Leadership Institute. Tell us a bit about the Institute and why you feel it is an important cause.

Margaret Cho (MC) I think it is important for the lgbt community to be very active and engaged in politics. i feel that because gay marriage was such a divisive factor in the last election, that our issues are being swept under the rug in order to keep voters within party lines. I fear that the homophobia in our nation goes a lot deeper than we think.

PRCM: When touring do you experience times when the crowd isn’t responsive or you feel that you are having an “off” night? If so, how do you deal with it in the moment?

MC: I just try to stay with the moment. That is what live performance is all about. the crowd is rarely wrong - when things aren’t the greatest, it is usually my fault!

PRCM: Is it difficult not to internalize the audiences responses whether they be positive or negative?

MC: Of course it is hard not to internalize, because the things that I talk about are really from the heart. It is scary to put yourself out there like that, but ultimately, it is very rewarding.

PRCM: You speak openly about a lot of issues but the one I find most interesting is your willingness to talk about your spirituality. That seems to be a very un-hip thing to do these days. Have you gotten much flack about it? How would you compare your openess about your spiritual beliefs and your openness about your sexuality?

MC: I think spirituality is very important. I also was raised within the church and so have a lot of history when it comes to religion. I don’t belong to a church anymore, but I am very spiritual. I believe all faiths are vital, and they are all thrilling in different ways.

I think my sexuality is very in tune with my spirituality - because there are so many ways to worship!

PRCM:The Cho Show is premiering on VH1 this summer- can you tell us a little bit about it?

MC: It is my new reality show that features my family -both my Asian family and my gay family - it is gay and Asian. So the show is super Gaysian!