After the debacle that was her short-lived 1994 sitcom “All American Girl” (rent her smash stand-up concert special “I’m the One That I Want” for the details), comedian Margaret Cho is enjoying a triumphant return to TV with “The Cho Show.”
As a bisexual and a self-proclaimed “fag hag,” Cho brings her gay Glam Squad to the series, as well as a lesbian psychoanalist. The pseudo-reality series is part Cho’s life — a la Kathy Griffin’s “My Life on the D-List” — part sit-com and 100 percent TV on Cho’s own terms. Since its August debut on VH1, the show is catching on quickly with audiences.
With her current stand-up show “Beautiful” on tour and “The Cho Show” in full swing, we asked the comedian to give us the goods on the Glam Squad, her real life, and what it would take to be her gay BFF.
Southern Voice: Are you a big reality TV fan?
Margaret Cho: I love it, but it’s fake. Of course it’s not real. I don’t think “reality” even exists. Ours is basically a sitcom starring real people. It’s along the lines of a Christopher Guest film, where they script the situations, but not the dialogue.
SoVo: Was there one show that you modeled yours after?
Cho: I really love Kathy Griffin’s show, and our stand-up comedy is similar as well, so it seemed like the right kind of format.
But ours is probably even more scripted than hers because there are more actors.
SoVo: Your Glam Squad of gay stylists — John Stapleton on makeup, John Blaine on hair and Charlie Altuna on wardrobe — are prominently featured on the show. Does it really take a gay village?
Cho: It does take a gay village. I’m super low maintenance — like camouflage capris and crocs. My life is gross.
But in showbiz, you have to put on makeup and look nice, so I do need help.
SoVo: Give us the real dish on the Glam Squad: have they all slept together?
Cho: No, and they don’t want to! I think that’s the last thing any of them want to do.
SoVo: Tell us the truth: Is each vying to be your #1 gay?
Cho: Yeah, they probably are, but they’re all very special to me in their own way.
SoVo: So what if any random queen wanted to be your BFF? What would it take to get in good with you?
Cho: You don’t really need that much. Just have drugs. [Laughs]
SoVo: Do you prefer tops or bottoms when it comes to your gays?
Cho: I’m real flexible.
SoVo: Which upcoming episodes of “The Cho Show” are your gay fans going to go nuts for?
Cho: There’s one where I decide to get anal bleaching. It’s much simpler than you think it’s going to be. We also have our own beauty contest — a Cho Universe Pageant.
And I took all the gays camping and made them go without electricity, cell phones, Blackberries and laptops for a couple days, so that’s great.
It was not cute.
SoVo: Once you sat down and watched the show after taping, did you learn anything about yourself?
Cho: I realized that I’m a lot thinner than I thought I was!
And I realized that a lot of times I can dish it out, but I can’t take it. Like, after all the dirty jokes I tell, my dad tells me a really dirty joke on the show, and I totally flip out and get really Christian on him.
SoVo: Kathy Griffin’s show made stars out of her parents. Are yours ready for the added attention?
Cho: I think so. They’re divas to begin with.
SoVo: Is there any celebrity that you wish had their own show so you could get a peak inside their life?
Cho: I don’t know who would be as fun and interesting as me. [Laughs]
Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or
other inappropriate comments or material will be removed
from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned
or contain "signatures" by someone other than
the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take
steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards,terms
of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing
this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries
and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content
that you post.
