Interview With Margaret Cho

AE: You have said in the past that your show and reality TV in general has changed the racial landscape on TV. When did you first become aware of this?
MC: I feel like I noticed it [with] the show Charm School with Monique hosting it for VH1. I was so moved and excited because it's like there are these women of color. It's about improving their lives and how can we improve their lives and how we make ourselves better. I just thought it was so beautiful. That was a show that every episode I would weep.

So I feel that what reality television does is that [it] really multiculturalizes. You have to, because you're casting that other real world. You're actually seeing real people. That's really important.

AE: Tila Tequila: Love her or hate her?
MC: Love Tila Tequila. I love her. I think she's proof of how far we've come as a society where we can have that kind of bemused acceptance of an Asian-American woman who is bisexual, who has this dating show where men and women are fighting over her. That's so genius.

To me she's like my spiritual daughter because I look at her and I'm like, oh my God. She's Asian, she's bi, she's tattooed, she's so cute. I love her. I just want to cry when I see her. People complain about it. I think it's genius. I love her. Even if it's made up, that's fine. I admire her and I love that show. I think it's really genius.

AE: Do you watch American Idol?
MC: On and off because I get almost too emotional about the contestants, like I would cry. I got so emotionally invested in Sanjaya last year because he was so beautiful and cute and sweet. And just precious, so precious. I totally got his whole struggle. I remember all of these people from India getting really upset about him, and that's really happened to me. A lot of people in Korea are really upset about me (laughs). It's the same thing. I felt connected in his struggle.

AE: And yet, ironically, you've been honored as Korean of the Year. What about the Korean community's perception of you has changed?
MC: I've been around as a comedian for over 20 years. The fact that I still maintain this career is a good thing, so it's forced the Korean community to really accept me for who I am and enjoy me, because they didn't at first. It was really shocking.

Korean culture is very conservative. It's very sexist, very racist, very homophobic, like the most homophobic. It's a really difficult culture, and so because I'm Korean American, I have to talk about it and be critical about it. It's really difficult. I have a conflicted relationship with the Korean community, but it's also become very good and very loving, too.

AE: Your act initially centered on your parents and your experiences with the gay community. After the last election, you focused a lot on politics. Do you plan on covering both?
MC: Yeah, a little bit of both. A little more of what is personal is political, which I think is, for me, more interesting and easier to write about. I mean, I love politics and I love to talk about politics, but I don't want to make it my focus now. Now, I'm really more about everything.

AE: Are you looking forward to the election?
MC: I am very much looking forward to the election. I'm an Obama supporter and I was a campaign surrogate. I actually went and I spoke on his behalf. So I'm really excited about the election. I think he's going to be an amazing president.

The Cho Show airs Thursday nights at 11 p.m. ET on VH1.