Posted on 10/02/2004 6:57:05 PM PDT by Kokojmudd
By Cathalena E. Burch ARIZONA DAILY STAR
Comedian Margaret Cho is on a political mission. She's out to boot President Bush from office.
She believes in her mission, so much so that she's financing "State of Emergency," a cross-country tour of cities in states that politicos believe could swing in either direction on Nov. 2.
Arizona is one of those states, and Cho has decided that Tucson should be the city where she spreads her hugely anti-Bush, anti-conservative gospel.
She's politically liberal, in case you haven't guessed. Most comics do lean that way these days. She has more reasons than her profession for her politics: Being Korean-American, she's been on the receiving end of prejudice her entire life, she says. She said she believes Bush and his policies - as well as the conservative-leaning Congress - encourage similar biases.
"The whole idea of having the federal marriage amendment is so corrosive to legislation in our country," she proclaims, calling it the issue that took her over the edge, politically. "This idea that equality can be given out by degree when it's not equality if it's given out by degree. It's something else. It's getting back to the nature of democracy."
Cho, who also has been the target of public insults dished up because of her seesaw battle against obesity and her self-professed occasional bisexuality, decided she had had enough. On Aug. 28 at the famed Apollo Theater in New York City, Cho kicked off her "State of Emergency" tour before a sold-out crowd. A few blocks away, Republicans, including Bush, were holding their national convention.
"I think it's important to get out there to almost do a countercampaign," Cho, 35, said during a phone interview two weeks ago from her home in Los Angeles. "There's so much happening politically that I would like to be more involved with. This is the best way for me to use my voice, to use my work as a platform and take what I believe is right out there."
On the phone, Cho sounds quiet and calm compared with her loud stage persona. You find yourself waiting for her to go into one of those high-pitched, almost whiny scream fests that became her trademark soon after she blipped onto the national radar in the early 1990s.
"State of Emergency" is blatantly political and scathingly funny. No one is safe, particularly Republicans.
"We're talking about politics, talking about current events, talking about the state of the world and the nation and voting," she said.
She also might talk about her home life. Almost two years ago, she married performance artist and journalist Al Ridenour and settled down with a few pets. She and Ridenour are contemplating having kids.
She'll also likely discuss her new slimmer physique.
"I used to be so obsessed with working out and eating right, and that kind of made me fat," she deadpans, sounding a lot like the personality she projects onstage. "Now I don't care. More emphasis is on doing things that make me happy."
Like belly dancing.
It's great exercise, Cho is quick to note. It's fun.
She's been doing it for a few months, but she's not ready - yet - for her stage debut.
"Probably never, but that's a really a big hobby of mine," she said.
Almost as big a hobby these days as her political activism.
Cho said she plans to take "State of Emergency" abroad this fall and then swing back through the United States next spring.
"It's more of a motivational tool to get people involved, to empower people," she said. "It's exciting."
who's margret cho?
Margaret Cho is one of the biggest idiots in show business, and that's saying a lot. I'd rather listen to Jeanine Garofolo ramble on with her faux intelligentsia than listen to Cho...that shows how wacked out and dumb she is.
She married a man? Wow! I had just sort of assumed...
The GOP, or some 527 should make a compilation video of all the nutcase celebrities and their idiotic ramblings and use it in 'our values versus their values' type of add.
Who?
Fat, ugly, and stupid is no way to go through life, Mag.
Cho is so repulsive and obscene you can't even listen to her for 2 second -
Fat stupid foul mouthed bitch. Go back to kimchee-land.
This is a pretty simple equation to me:
Her TV show sucked + Her "act" sucks + her politics REALLY, REALLY, Monica-sized suck = WHO THE HELL CARES WHAT HAG-RET CHO SAYS ABOUT ANYTHING?!
Anybody who claims to vote for Kerry because of Cho's inane, unfunny ramblings should have all their money invested in Enron's stock and be barred from reproducing for the sake of the general population (just kidding there...or am I?).
Oh, and we've got Larry the Cable Guy anyway, who could mop the stage with your half-baked wonder-bread act. So suck on THAT, Cho.
She'll be preaching to the choir. Who is going to be swayed by an angry liberal foaming at the mouth?
TRANSLATION: I'm prejudiced because I'm a "victim" of prejudice.
Performance artist AND journalist? It might as well have been a lesbian wedding.
Gad! She's a three bagger! One for her, one for you and one for your dog so he'd respect you the next day...
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