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MARGARET CHO

Margaret Cho does San Diego
May 14, 2008 - 4:49 pm — Kinsee Morlan

After three years on hiatus, actress, fashion designer and, above all, comedian Margaret Cho is back on tour. Cho is queen of the raunchy kind of humor that makes you so uncomfortable you have no choice but to giggle and wiggle around in your seat. She’s a middle-aged women, for Christ’s Sake, you’ll be thinking, how can she be saying these nasty things?

Dubbed the “Beautiful” tour, the last thing you can expect from this political-minded, bisexual, race-in-your-face funny girl is talk about things that are cute. She may go off on a tangent about puppies and where she likes to kiss them, but aside form that, she’ll be dishing on the ridiculousness of women’s issues with their own bodies, how Hollywood seems to hate Asians and other such socially critical conjectures that’ll make you laugh, but think a little, too. Just a little, and we promise it won’t hurt.

Since Cho is coming to San Diego’s Viejas Concerts in Park at 8 p.m. Friday, and Saturday May 16 and 17, she decided to let us have one of our bushy-tailed interns, Amanda Schoepflin, send her an e-mail Q&A. So here it is. Nice and unedited and raw, which is how we roll when it comes to the CityBeat blog:

Amanda Schoepflin: After reading your bio, it all comes together as to where you came from—San Francisco being one of the freest minded creative centers of the U.S. Do you feel as if growing up there held any influence on the way you developed your interest in comedy?


Margaret Cho: I think growing up in SF had a huge impact on my world-view. It made me much more progressive politically and more interested and compassionate towards different and diverse communities. There was also a huge comedy scene there when I was growing up and I couldn’t wait to jump into it. I love San Francisco.


AS: How do you play a role in the LGBT community? Have you always been active? I found your website loveisloveislove.com; tell me about all you do there.

MC: I have been active within the LGBT community for many years. When I started doing comedy I did a lot of AIDS fund-raising, and then played many gay clubs and have worked within the queer community since. I wanted loveisloveislove.com to be about gay marriage, to share our stories with each other, to talk about the importance of it—the goal was to make it happen.

AS: Petitions against gay marriage are popping up everywhere in the U.S. California’s deadline for signatures was this month. Do you believe the legislative efforts are mostly based on personal beliefs instead of the fairness?

MC: It is ridiculous. People want to hold onto their homophobia so bad, they want it written into the law books and constitutions. I don’t get it.

AS: What are you opinions on gay couples’ hopes for building families?

MC: That this must happen.

AS: What is one way for the LGBT community to stand stern against the denial of homosexual marriages?

MC: By sharing our experiences, by voicing our opinions, by making sure we are heard.

AS: Generally San Diego upholds is free-minded when it comes to tolerance and acceptance, including local teen centers, GSA’s and LGBT organizations in several high schools. How would you encourage people to spread the peace?

MC: It is about telling our stories, in any way possible. When you can speak about an issue personally, it is inevitable that people will be forced to understand you. If ignorance is fought with love and truth, love and truth will prevail.

AS: What would you say to the younger generation about being comfortable in their own skin, regardless of their sexual preference?

MC: That they are perfect and beautiful.

AS: Do you believe that the younger generation will stand a better chance for acceptance as members of the LGBT community compared to the earlier generations?

MC: I am always inspired by younger people. They have gay-straight alliances in high schools now! It blows my mind. The kids today are so cool!

AS: Was it ever a problem for you growing up, finding acceptance from your peers or family? I heard one of your stands-ups on YouTube, where your mom is calling about you being gay. How’d you deal?

MC: My parents are very accepting. They were the first people to tell me that gay people were no different than straight people. They put me into the care of many gays and lesbians when I was a kid because they thought it would be the perfect ‘charm school’. My father believed gay men knew more about art, literature, music - he wanted me to learn from them and I did!

AS: How do you feel about your current tour? It’s been three years and now you’re back on stage, how does it feel being back on the road?

MC: The show is called Beautiful for a number of reasons—but one is because it is the raunchiest show I have ever done, and I think at my age that is just beautiful. I love this show. I am very proud of it—but the road is exhausting!

AS: How’s working close with Liam Sullivan? I’ve also seen you and Liam in The Dresden Doll’s “Shores of California” music video. Were you friends before, or was it the comedy that brought you together?

MC: Liam is amazing and so much fun. This is the second show we have done together. The first was the sensuous woman, which we toured with and then did off Broadway last year. I introduced Liam to the Dresden Dolls. We are all going to do the Dresden Dolls show in la later in May.