JOHN WIEDENHOEFT
608-252-6182
November 8, 2006

When Margaret Cho jumped into the consciousness of mainstream America with her mid-1990s sitcom "All-American Girl," the country probably wasn't ready. At the time Cho was selling out college tours with autobiographical humor that mixed raunchiness with sexual openness and, most famously, a dead-on impression of her Korean-born mother.

Although the sitcom was short lived, it provided a launching pad (and plenty of material) for Cho's continuing career as a comedian and proved her ability to branch out beyond stand-up. Speaking by phone from London, Cho discussed issues from how Americans view Koreans to her show Thursday night at the Orpheum Theatre.

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Cho: Yes, and they think he's my uncle...

Our perception of North Korea is so strange. The way that they handle things is foreign to us and so odd. They are so odd to me, yet I see them as familiar because it reminds me of the way that a lot of my family act even though my family is from South Korea. Koreans tend to act the same whether they are from the north or south. I know that this is a very controversial statement, but they are very similar to me.

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Rhythm: "All-American Girl" was released on DVD in January and you did a commentary track. What was that like?

Cho: It was weird because I hadn't seen the show for years. It was strange to watch a very odd period of my life. There were so many things that I had forgot, so it was funny to go back and see it and sort of relive it. It's a cool relic. Television has changed so much, and I've changed so much as a person and I would never imagine doing anything like that now. I was just like a kid starting out and trying figure out what I could do.

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Rhythm: Do you think television has changed since then?

Cho: Yes, and it's definitely better. I think reality television pushes the rest of television to be better. I know that some people are very anti-reality TV and think it's trashy. I think so, too, but I also think it's great. It mobilizes and informs the rest of the television world. I think that there's more racially equanimity and racial diversity on television in general because of it.

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Rhythm: You've been quoted as saying that your marriage (to artist and writer Al Ridenour) is not traditional. Is that still the case?

Cho: It's become a traditional marriage. I think that marriage is important and I think that partnering is important whether you are gay or straight. I believe that human beings are meant to live together and it enriches your life. Being married has really become something extraordinary.

Marriage is not really about romance. It's about partnership and togetherness and working on the relationship in a very real way. A lot of people aren't willing to do that - especially in this business where it's more the rewards and the frills. Marriage is not necessarily full of that, but I think it's really important for everybody. I don't understand why it's not available to gays and lesbians, but that's another thought.

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Rhythm: Your stand-up has become more political over the years. Is that a trend you see continuing?

Cho: It ebbs and flows as I become a more political person and as I become more aware of my immediate environment and wanting to fix things and change things. It's back and forth. Yes, I think I'm becoming more political as a person and it informs my work. And then I also step back and go into other things. •

Rhythm: Since the Madison show isn't part of a major tour, what material should we expect?

Cho: I'm going to be doing a mix of things - some older things that I haven't been able to do for a long time. I've done four different one-person shows and traveled all over the world with them. It's a nice selection of things that I maybe haven't been able to do for a while because it wasn't in the last show. It's kind of crossing over and doing a best of and also doing lots of new things. It should be a fun mix.