Some comedians spend day after day trying to write the perfect joke. They write and rewrite, not stopping until their wording, timing and delivery are just right. While these comedians approach comedy in terms of a joke, Margaret Cho looks at comedy as a point of view.
On her current "Revolution Cho" tour, which comes to the Center for the Arts on Friday night, Cho finds comedy in the current events that she finds important - and ridiculous.
"I try to put a low-brow twist on some very high-brow issues," Cho said in a phone interview last week. She sees the political situation in America as an endless source of comedy.
"There is just so much going on right now that you can make a joke of," said Cho. "It is a great time for comedians."
While most comedians on tour usually tell the same jokes every night, Cho changes her material on a daily basis to fit the changing news.
The focus of her material has changed over the years. When her popularity rose in the early 1990s, many of her jokes were funny, but lacked a certain uniqueness found in celebrated mainstream comics. Common bits in her act included imitations of California "valley girls," as well as her now-famous impression of her Korean mother.
Cho, whose Korean-American family is the source of much of her act, became the first Asian American to star in a prime-time sitcom. ABC's "All American Girl," which aired in 1994, tanked after arguments between Cho and producers over the direction of her character.
Cho is now able to incorporate more of her personal views and ideas in her act.
"The most important thing I want people to realize is that all people have a right to an opinion," she said. Emphasizing freedom of speech and every American's First Amendment rights, Cho thinks it's time for change in America.
"We have gotten so far away from the original intentions of the constitution. The ideal America would be one where everyone is treated equally."
Cho also criticizes some of the government's actions toward religion.
"I'm not rejecting religion," Cho said. "But there are people in this country that don't only believe in one god, and the president and his influences are trying to force that idea upon everyone."
When asked about the increasing relationship between Hollywood actors and political office, Cho expressed great concern.
"I don't know where to put the stop sign. It makes no sense. I have my political views, but that doesn't mean I belong in office. I've never had an office job."
While Cho may be the first to admit she's not one for holding office, she doesn't shy away from those who do.
"I don't know how to handle that, and I guarantee that Arnold Schwarzenegger isn't prepared to either," she said.
Right now, though, Cho is focused on her tour. If there's one thing that she has going for her, it's her ability to spread her unique and powerful comedic voice across the country. There are few comedians on the national circuit who share her spunk.
Not that she has time to notice other comedians, though.
When asked if she felt that Dan Phan, winner of NBC's "Last Comic Standing" reality show where stand-up comedians compete for a contract, had cheated her by stealing her style of ethnically-based humor, Cho explained that she had been to busy to even notice the contest.
"I don't watch much TV," she said, "besides CNN." She said she was happy for Phan, though, and didn't mind if he shared her shtick.
"There are so many ideas out there, nobody can say that they were the first one to think of something," Cho said. "Comedy stems from ideas, and I don't think that you can really steal an idea."
"Revolution Cho" will be at the Center for the Arts on Friday at 8 p.m. Tickets are available at the CFA Box Office and all Ticketmaster locations.
Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki
