Photo: Nick Spanos
by Jaiden van Bork
“I hate this administration,” says comedian Margaret Cho, “I’m prepared to go down… I’ll be fine to be executed if it’s for my beliefs and for being funny.” The 56-year-old comedian has never shied away from being political. In the early 2000s she took aim at the Bush administration—a move for which she drew serious criticism—but with her new show Choligarchy, which comes to Provincetown Town Hall on August 1 and 2, Cho says she is going all out against Donald Trump and his political allies, saying: “It’s so weird how bad it has become, and I want to fight with everything we have.”
This will come as no surprise to those familiar with the San-Francisco-born comedian, who has made a name for herself as a queer icon, both through her comedy and her staunch advocacy for marriage equality prior to the 2015 Obergefell decison, as well as her continued support for other LGBTQ+ issues.
Cho herself identifies as queer, as well. And though she aligns herself with the Democratic Party, she describes her politics more radically. “I am an anarchist witch,” she says, “I totally believe in like no government and [that] witchcraft should rule all.”
For her, a connection with nature is hugely important—perhaps why she feels some disillusionment with the political status quo. “Nature is the most important ruler, as we can see. Nature equalizes everything, and if you don’t respect nature, you are foolish,” she says.
“‘I’m actually really going to try to see if I can get in trouble,” she says defiantly, citing the success of fellow comedian Rosie O’Donnell after she managed to anger the president. “I want to see if I can get on that side of him… He hates women in comedy. He’s afraid of us, so let’s give him something to cry about. That should be the goal of every female comedian right now.” She admits, however, that the current state of free speech rights is indeed worrying.
In these strange times, Cho says comedy is changing. “I think people are looking to comedians now for reassurance,” she explains. She says comedians have a special role to play by both taking on current events and also providing relief to people. “I’m trying to provide [reassurance],” Cho continues, “like, I would like to provide that, but I’m scared, too. I’m actually really worried.”
She acknowledges that, in some part, comedy and comedians have played a role in the dramatic shift in the political climate. Speaking on comedians in the podcast space like Theo Von and Joe Rogan, who have been credited in some part with aiding the Trump campaign and other prominent conservative figures, Cho says she feels unsure. “There’s a lot of feelings that I have about it,” she explains, “But it also kind of is clouded by my personal feelings for the people themselves… Theo Von is truly my friend… Joe I’ve known for 40 years… It’s pretty tough when you’re politically, really not aligned.”
Addressing disgraced comedian Louis C.K.—who she has also known for some time, and who she will headline the New York Comedy Festival with this fall—Cho feels similarly, saying “It’s all very strange to me… Cancelation is kind of weird.” Cho points to a hole in the logic of cancelation put forth by many so-called “politically incorrect” comedians, who in fact continue to do quite well from themselves despite ceaselessly arguing that they have been silenced, saying, “What is important in comedy is that people will buy tickets to see you… And so the fact that cancelation doesn’t always negate that [is] interesting.”
Many of these comedians have made a name for themselves in conservative circles by calling out “cancel culture,” but Cho says she doesn’t get the idea that comedy is exactly under threat from some kind of woke liberal political correctness. “That’s what they’re rejecting, is this idea of like, ‘Well, we can’t make jokes about anything’—That’s not true,” she argues, “You can always make jokes about everything, as long as you have the skill to do so. Skill is like, always undisputed, like, if you’re funny, you’re going to be funny regardless of what society’s norms are for what is proper…”
It’s worth taking Cho at her word on this. She herself employs immense skill to do exactly this in her comedy, constantly pushing boundaries (and buttons), but with such clever wit that she can actually get away with saying transgressive or “edgy” things.
Cho insists, too, that there is light at the end of the tunnel. “Comedy got us into it…” she says, “I think comedy will get us out of it. We can actually joke our way back to a more-sane society—I feel like it’s possible.”
In addition to her comedy, Cho is also an accomplished musician, who just released a new album, Lucky Gift this year. “[Music is] so important,” she says, “I play music every day. For me, it’s a social thing, because all of my friends are musicians, and I go and see music, I play shows with people. I’m so involved in the community of music. And, you know, I’ve always done that.” She also stars in the upcoming film by Greg Araki, I Want Your Sex, alongside Charli XCX, Olivia Wilde, Johnny Knoxville, and others.
When asked whether she prefers Provincetown or its rival gay tourist destination Fire Island (where she has also spent considerable time), Cho diplomatically declines to choose, but says. “I love, love Provincetown… It’s a very special, important place.”
Margaret Cho performs in Choligrachy Friday, August 1 and Saturday, August 2 at 7:30 p.m. at Provincetown Town Hall, 260 Commercial St.as part of Payomet Center for the Performing Arts’ Road Show series. For tickets ($49 – $80 advance/ more at the door) and information call 508.487.5400 or visit payomet.org.
