Margaret Cho
Margaret Cho is loved by many, but the comic’s family still has notes. “My grandmother said ‘You look like bloated, as if you’ve been found dead in a lake after several days of searching,’” Cho recalls. “Koreans are the most savage of all the Asians.” Cho is a true pioneer for women in comedy, dating back to her early days of opening for Jerry Seinfeld and creating and starring in the 1994 sitcom All-American Girl, one of the first shows to prominently feature an East Asian family. Now touring the country once again and co-starring with Bowen Yang in the hit gay romcom Fire Island, the five-time Grammy- and Emmy- nominated stand-up comedian, actress, author, and podcaster tackles tough topics like racism, addiction, childhood trauma, and the pressures of Hollywood with razor-sharp wit and hilarious insight. “I just always loved comedy and started very early on becoming a comedian,” she tells GO. “I love the lifestyle and the constant challenges it presents. It’s the best job and in many ways the hardest job. I will always want to do it.” Having been part of a scene still dominated by cishet white men, Cho has encountered her share of challenges but takes them in stride. “It’s all part of what makes an artistic life worthwhile,” she tells GO. “I find setbacks and adversity an opportunity to overcome obstacles and be present and in acceptance of the moment.” A surprising tidbit about the groundbreaking comedian? “I love gardening and feeding wild birds!” –LE
