Gay and lesbian winter enthusiasts will take over Whistler January 24th to 31st and, as part of the week-long festival, comic Margaret Cho will take the stage on Wednesday January 28th. Her show There’s no I in Team, but there’s a CHO in Psycho reflects on current events, such as school shootings, violence against women and the recent Ottawa shooting. Dark material, but somehow Cho finds a way to relate it to the audience through comedy.
"I am a rape survivor, a child sexual abuse survivor, a recovering drug addicted person, and an alcoholic. All of these things inform my work, and everything comes from a place of compassion. It is a place I have been and understand. That is the difference: I am queer and someone who has long been involved in politics. The inclusion is an important perspective. It also makes me very unsalable because I am a woman of colour, and queer, and all of these things that really speak of the other. It is a good place to be, from an arguing standpoint; it is always a compassionate view," Cho told GayCalgary.com recently. At the time of our conversation, the Jian Ghomeshi scandal had just broke, which Cho was unaware of. She talked about it in subsequent shows in Vancouver days later.
"Oh my god I didn’t know that! That is so weird. I only know him from being interviewed by him; I would never have known. There has been a disturbing trend of violence in the last few years that is getting worse: school shootings, and violence against women and younger people. This is what the show is about."
Cho has worked different venues and is currently performing mostly multi-night appearances in clubs as opposed to theatres. The audience is the same and the venue doesn’t matter, she said.
"It has always been a gay audience in my mind. I just assume everyone is queer, or queer friendly, and understands gay life. It never really shifts; there isn’t much of a difference for me. Every show in my mind is just what I want to do and be, as great as I can. Every time I go to work I am giving it my all. I don’t feel the shows are that different if I am playing a club as opposed to a theatre. It is about making it a great experience for everyone."
Whistler is one of the top ski resorts in North America and Cho is excited to return, but don’t expect her to fly by you on the slopes, at least not on skis.
"I was there quite a long time ago, and last time we were put in a helicopter, and they took us up to this beautiful mountain peak and laid out this beautiful picnic for us. I am not a skier but I think it will be a magnificent day."
Cho has always been a gay rights activist and recent movements forward in the U.S., regarding gay marriage, are a positive sign that the hard work of the gay rights movement in the States is paying off.
"It is all going to happen; everything is changing and it is really important and exciting. Gay marriage is a really symbolic step towards equal rights. Even though it is still not perfect everywhere, it is a great sign that people are acknowledging and accepting that we have to be like Canada and have gay marriage."
TV is another sign that times are changing. Shows like Orange is the New Black, Looking and Transparent are getting rave reviews and ratings. However, when the show How To Get Away With Murder featured a gay sex scene it came under fire, evidencing the amount of work still to be done.
"I love Transparent and one of my best friends, Ian Harvie, is one of the stars. It makes me cry. I know the truth of it, and the real story is so compelling and truthful. I have been around people transitioning for a long time in different kinds of situations. It really addresses so many of the feelings that come up for everyone. I love Drag Race (of course – I was a judge in Season 3 and was really honoured to do it) – I love that show. We still come up against some kind of resistance, but I am so proud that [How To Get Away With Murder] did it and are defending themselves, which they have a right to, and is a really important thing. Things are getting better in terms of inclusion. I would like to see more queer women on television – that would be a great thing – but things are going very well in that arena."
Things are also going well in the comedy ring. "Weird Al" Yankovic’s Mandatory Fun album gave him his first number one record, and Cho appeared in his first video from the album for the track "Tacky".
"He is a great guy. I have really loved him for a long time. I am so excited to be able to work with him and know him as a friend. He is really the best; he is just like you think he is going to be... It means a lot that it went to number one; it surprises me that he hadn’t had an album reach number one before. It is a testament to his hard work. He put out a video every single day and each one was hilarious and a great song. He is a great musician and funny comedian; he is a master in so many ways."
Cho has also been busy writing music on the side. "I have two records that are finished and I am trying to figure out when the best time is to release them. I’ve been on these projects for awhile. That may happen next year. I am also working on a comedy special so maybe I will release them around that same time."
While 2014 brought many personal and professional highs for Margaret Cho, it also saw the loss of two of her biggest influences and mentors: Joan Rivers and Robin Williams. She pays tribute to both in her show.
"Joan was such a mentor and a good friend for years. I am still having trouble with not reaching out to her for things. In my mind, I can’t picture her as dead, and I have a bit of a disconnect there. I am very grateful for them both. My friend Jason Mecier takes people’s garbage and makes portraits of people. He has done a large one out of garbage from myself and Phyllis Diller, Kathy Griffins, Sarah Silverman’s, Rosie O’Donnell’s... it is this homage to Joan created by all females of comedy. I bought it for a lot of money – I had to have it – and she would probably understand why it was so expensive and why I had to have it. I would like to have the same kind of wonderful celebration like Joan had: full of laughter. For Joan, there was a sense of the unapologetic nature of who she was, and that is something we should celebrate and remember."
Williams brings up different feelings for Cho.
"Robin was the first celebrity I ever met. He was a customer at my father’s store when I was a kid. He pretty much invented San Francisco comedy. We were so proud of him, and his loss was so hard to take. He is a little different for me because I am still in such grief about it. It is the situation and circumstances that are very hard to let go. He was a lot younger than Joan, so it is still very painful. It makes you realize how short and precious life is, and [that] we never know what is happening inside others."
There’s no I in Team, but there’s a CHO in Psycho has received positive reviews. For those attending Whistler Pride, this is a must see evening with one of queer comedy’s finest.
