Margaret Cho on Turning Down ‘Heated Rivalry’ and What It Takes to Stay Funny

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Craig Melvin (1:09)

Hey there, everyone. Welcome back to Glass Half Full. I'm Craig Melvin. Welcome back to the Basement Bar as well. Margaret Cho, you know her, you love her. She's been hilarious for decades now. Open for Seinfeld, Bob Hope, Arsenio Hall. Like she's done all the things. She's been on tour for literally more than three decades now. And you probably also know that she made history as the first Asian American to have a show, a network show that was centered on this Asian American family. Groundbreaking, glass ceiling shattering. And let me tell you, still funny. In fact, so funny, she started talking about how she came of age in comedy during puberty. And here she is in menopause, still making people laugh, including myself, a lot.

I think you'll enjoy it.

Margaret Cho, welcome to Glass Half Full.

Margaret Cho (2:18)

Thank you.

Craig Melvin (2:19)

And as you know, we start every episode with a toast. I've got my traditional bourbon here, the glass is half full. And oh, that is a massive, that is a massive drink.

Margaret Cho (2:32)

It's water and cranberry juice and key lime juices, the house cocktail here.

Craig Melvin (2:37)

I like the house cocktail. Cheers, cheers to you.

What are we toasting by the way? What are we toasting this episode? What's Margaret Cho celebrating right now?

Margaret Cho (2:47)

I'm just celebrating, you know, being home, which is pretty rare because I'm on tour a lot and traveling a lot. I just got home yesterday, and I get to be with all of my sweet animals here in my house. So I love that.

Craig Melvin (3:03)

It feels like you've been on tour for maybe 30 years now, roughly.

Margaret Cho (3:08)

That's right. That's right. I have been, and the only time I ever took a break was during the pandemic, and I took a lot of time to actually unpack my suitcases for the first time in decades, and actually take in home life, which I really enjoy.

Craig Melvin (3:23)

Would you consider yourself, generally speaking, a Glass Half Full person, or are you more Glass Half Empty?

Margaret Cho (3:32)

I am a Glass Half Full person, always. I'm a real optimist. I think that, you know, sometimes with, like, if I'm looking at something through a comedic lens, it is funny to be a pessimist because a lot of, like, comedic kind of things are coming from a pessimistic idea of the world, and the glasses are all half empty. But if I'm to be really, like, truthful, I actually have a pretty good life, and I have a pretty good time, thanks.

Craig Melvin (4:02)

Yeah, it would seem like you've had a pretty good life for a while now. Have you always been optimistic, or is this something that you've had to learn to develop over time?

Margaret Cho (4:13)

I think I learned through aging.

You know, when you get into your 50s, you realize that life is actually kind of okay. Like, I've had some difficult things, I've had some struggles, but at the same time, I'm alive, which is amazing. I have an awesome career. I have so many wonderful friends. I really love my home. I love my creature comforts, all my animals and my, you know, my favorite things are all around me. So I'm doing well.

Craig Melvin (4:42)

You seem content. Yeah. You have that air about you, if you will.

Margaret Cho (4:46)

Yes.

Craig Melvin (4:46)

On the podcast, we like to focus on the moments that really sort of shape people professionally, personally as well. When you look back on your career, when you look back on your life even, is there a moment that you can point to that really sort of shaped Margaret Cho, that turned you into the person that we've all come to know and really enjoy?