Interview: Margaret Cho

As political conservatives continue their regressive crusade against trans rights and reproductive freedom, the incisive monologues of comedy legend Margaret Cho are as poignant as ever.

Cho, a second-generation Korean-American, has been a trailblazing force since the '90s, when, despite only lasting one season, her show All-American Girl broke barriers as the first primetime sitcom centered on an Asian American family. As a prominent openly queer woman, she has consistently amplified marginalized voices and relentlessly advocated for LGBTQ+ rights — all while remaining ceaselessly funny and cementing her status as a cultural icon.

Proving that her talent ranges well beyond stand-up comedy and acting, she’s also a celebrated writer, podcast host, and musician, collaborating on tracks with the likes of Fiona Apple, Andrew Bird, and Ani DiFranco. More recently, her 2019 appearances as the Poodle on The Masked Singer revealed the quality of her pipes to a wider audience.

Cho’s Live & LIVID! tour arrives in Asheville on Thursday, June 22, for a sold-out show at The Orange Peel. She was kind enough to talk with Asheville Stages about Moog Music, being named Grand Marshal for LA Pride, and the most surreal moment of her career. 

Jonny Leather: I just saw that your show sold out here in Asheville, so congrats on that.

Margaret Cho: Thank you.

JL: I was recently listening to a random episode of your podcast [The Margaret Cho] and, coincidentally, you were talking to [fellow musician and podcaster] Tony Thaxton about plans to visit the Moog factory. Will you be doing that while here for your show?

MC: Well, I hope so. I hope I have time. It's one of those things where we're just so crammed [for time]. I may have to make a separate journey out there. I still can't figure out…I have the Grandmother [semi-modular analog synthesizer] and I really fucking just do not... It's also like I thought I was buying a piano. I just saw the keyboard and I thought, “Oh, it's a piano.” It is not…[but] it is totally amazing. I was inspired by trans pioneer Wendy Carlos, and I wanted to be like her.

I should just take lessons, but I thought if I went to the Moog factory, they'd be able to help me. I have little ideas and have this patch thing but it's an incredible machine and incredible instrument that I just cannot figure out — but I will.

JL: And they're so intimidating. It's so fun to go to Moog.

MC: Yeah. I wanna go.

JL: Is there anything else that you like to do in Asheville when visiting?

MC: I very rarely go. It's a very interesting place because it's so rock ‘n' roll and very punk rock, liberal, queer, but it's in North Carolina. To me, a lot of North Carolina has always been sort of liberal, queer. My experience of going there has been hosting things for Merge Records [in Durham] or hanging out with any of these bands that they work with, whether that's Bob Mould or Imperial Teen. To me, that's like the most queer rock ‘n’ roll, punk rock sensibility, you know? So I just can't get the Superchunk out of the North Carolina no matter what I try. I know it's probably conservative somewhere in there. There's a Carolina in there somewhere.

JL: Yeah. It's everywhere in between. We even had Madison Cawthorn as our Congressional Representative in Asheville, just because we're so surrounded.

MC: It's just the weirdest thing that Madison Cawthorn would be a Rep there. This is a place that's so steeped in indie punk rock tradition that I can't even understand.

JL: It's just the product of gerrymandering.

You just did a bunch of dates in Florida. How was that?

MC: Yes, it was great, actually, because the people who are coming to my shows are mostly queer, mostly progressive, feminist, who really want other voices than the ones they're hearing.

I took a picture of a car that was at my hotel. They had a lot of different bumper stickers that were like "Trump Girl" and "Guns and Glory" and all this stuff. It had a Trump/Pence sticker but they have blotted out Pence's name, which is so funny, like, how deep into it they are that they're just going to ignore the Pence of it. So it's weird. [laughs]

JL: Do you feel like your material goes over differently in various states because of the politics there?

MC: No, I think because people are really frustrated everywhere about what's happening with gay rights all over the world, and in particular in the American South. It's very scary. Now, Montana is actually banning drag queens at the library. That's just the weirdest thing. Like, what is wrong with drag queens? There's nothing inherently wrong with it, but somehow they've made it into this very sinister idea. Very frustrating.

JL: Yeah. It's been interesting seeing a lot of bands playing in drag in Tennessee and elsewhere in protest. It's pretty great to see, but it's also just crazy that we're at that point after all these years.

MC: I know, but it's great that bands are [doing that]. The thing is that rock ‘n’ roll is drag. Rock has always been drag. Elvis is very drag. If you look at any of Elvis's old outfits, they're so drag. You can see it.

JL: Right? We've come from Little Richard and Bowie to this.

MC: So drag. I mean, like, legit gay, very queer, very queer-coded. But I love that rock stars are standing up for gay rights. That's a really important thing.

JL: Agreed. And on that note, you were just named Grand Marshal for LA Pride. That's pretty awesome.

MC: Yeah, it's great. And I'm sharing duties with my dear departed friend Leslie Jordan, who was a very amazing person and somebody I miss very much. So, I think it'll be nice.

JL: Your career is just so full of so many different highlights and, I have to ask: is there any moment that stands out as just the most surreal, ‘is this really my life’ sort of moment?

MC: [With very little hesitation] One time I was forced into doing vodka shots with Mikhail Gorbachev at a function that was being held. It was actually an award ceremony for the environment, which was a brainchild of Jane Fonda and Ed Begley in the ’90s. [laughs]. I wish that it continued on because we need that now, that kind of consciousness. 

It was awarding different corporations and productions that were highlighting the environmental issues at the time. And so, the guest of honor was Mikhail and Raisa Gorbachev. We had to do a vodka toast, and at the time I was not drinking alcohol and I got super drunk. But you can't really turn it down if you're doing shots with Gorbachev. Also, my date was Kermit the Frog. That was pretty crazy. I always forget that part.

JL: That's the best. You can't even make that sort of thing up.

MC: It was like a weird rebound from Miss Piggy [laughs], but I didn't really get to know what the situation was. You have to sign a heavy non-disclosure thing if you appear anywhere with the Muppets. So, I'm not even sure if it's still binding. Probably, so I'm talking out of turn, but that was a very surreal moment.

IF YOU GO

Who: Margaret Cho
When: Thursday, June 22, 8 p.m.
Where: The Orange Peel, 101 Biltmore Ave., theorangepeel.net
Tickets: $45-75

(Photo by Sergio Garcia)