“It is a combination of trying out material and also going to see different kinds of performances for my [second] show. It is kind of a talent-scouting thing, so it’s really exciting,” Cho says.

The first show will likely surface as a new tour much like fan favorites such as The Notorious C.H.O. and Revolution. To prepare, Cho has been workshopping material at a number of GLBT-related events like OutSpokane in Washington and more locally, Milwaukee PrideFest, which Cho says is absolutely fantastic. “I don’t know why, but I just didn’t think that [Milwaukee] would have a pride festival that would rival any major city. The people that were performing and the people that were participating [were] pretty amazing.”

Cho’s other new show, called Sensuous Woman, marks a new direction for her and is already being performed on the Coasts. “It’s a burlesque and comedy show [with] music. It’s kind of like an old-time variety show—almost like a vaudeville show. I’ll be traveling and looking for different people to put on the show with me, and getting some new faces. It’s interesting. It’s fun.”

In the meantime, as the politically-minded comedian workshops new material, she admits the Bush administration has been the No. 1 supplier of her new material. “I think that our rights are being sacrificed in order to pacify an angry nation that is justifiably angry because of a needless war,” Cho says. “The first thing they go to is, Okay, let’s cut back gay rights. What makes me so mad is that gays and lesbians have nothing to do with the war in Iraq. They didn’t start it, they didn’t want it, [but] they are the people that are ultimately going to pay the price for it because that’s the only thing that the Bush administration can do to get people to be on their side again: using homophobia, using people’s prejudices as a kind of marketing tool or as a kind of demographic which is so disgusting to me rather than spending time educating people about tolerance.”

But amid the hypocritical chaos of the regime, Cho sees plenty of reasons to be proud of America. “What is great is that there is so much opposition and…so much righteous anger toward all of this that none of it can be taken seriously,” she says. “All of the Democrats who were totally crucified before for criticizing Bush, the war, and his policies, and everything are now really gloating. Just being right about everything now that it has all kind of come out is really a great feeling.”

Her focus this week will be on her double appearance at the Chicago Gay Games, first as part of the opening ceremonies’ all-star lineup and again with her own show. While one can only imagine the kind of antics Cho would evoke as an athlete, she insists we won’t see her competitive side. “I am not very good at anything that sporty,” she says. “My dream would be the synchronized swimming, but I’m not very good at it. It would be great to do.”

At the very least, we can all cross our fingers that maybe we’ll catch a glimpse of her out on the town, maybe even on Halsted Street. “You know what’s weird is that I’ve spent a lot of time [in Chicago], but I’ve never had a chance to hang out or do anything because it’s always so fast, [but] I’ve been to Sidetrack, which I love. It’s a great, great, great video bar, very fun.”