Whether she’s rocking out as a musician, making us laugh talking about her Mom in her stand-up, guest starring on 30 Rock (and scoring an Emmy nomination!) or playing Teri on the fourth season of the Lifetime hit series Drop Dead Diva, Margaret Cho always gives 110%.
And as if she weren’t busy enough shooting Diva and trying to figure out what to wear for next month’s Emmy show, Cho dons a wig and sexy Gaga-esque outfit in this week’s episode as “Lady Bodacious“. We jumped on the phone with Cho to get the details on her Emmy outfit and on becoming a Lady.
AfterElton: First of all, your Emmy nomination! Congratulations!
Margaret Cho: Thank you. I’m really excited about it. It’s going to be great!
AE: Where are you with what you’ll wear to the show because I know that’s a big deal, right?
MC: I haven’t found anything yet. I don’t know, it’s such a long day…you just go in early for the day and if you wear a gown, it’s so uncomfortable. I don’t know. Someone has to offer to make me something because I’m not going to go shopping.
Never Miss a Beat
Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights.
AE: Do you have a team to help you out?
MC: No! One would think but I’m just trying…a 90s girl is my aesthetic. I’ve never been comfortable dressing up. I’m not in the mindset.
MC: It came from Josh [Berman, creator] but I am a musician so it makes sense to have that be a part of my story. It’s really exciting to put the music on the show that I work on and which I love. It’s a lot of fun and I, of course, love Lady Gaga. Every singer/songwriter just wants to put on a wig and an Applonia 6 outfit.
AE: Joan Rivers has been on this season as Jane’s subconscious. Had you met her before?
MC: Yes, we’re friends and she’s a major influence in terms of comedy for me. I really adore her. I can’t think of anybody better for our show. She’s just marvelous.
AE: Do you think you’ll be doing what you do when you get to be her age? She’s a machine who does not stop!
MC: Yes, which is great. I would hope so! That’s the goal and that’s something that I certainly would love to do.
AE: On the show, part of Teri’s story is with Luke (Carter MacIntyre), the new angel on the show. How is having the Luke character on the show as opposed to Fred (Ben Feldman)?
MC: Yeah, it’s all different. The character is different from Fred but I love Carter and the character is so funny. Craig is a really, really funny guy, too. He’s really hilarious.
AE: He’s pretty cute, too!
MC: Yeah! And so is Ben, who is also nominated for an Emmy this year for Mad Men!
AE: Margaret, you’ve always had the gays on your side since early in your career. Do you have other groups that follow you that might surprise us?
MC: Well, it’s very racially mixed and, also, I think gender and sexuality and all of these things make up different approaches that people have like people who are polyamorous. That’s something that I think is a really important topic and is an important part of the arena. That sort of includes my sexuality because in the LGBT the B is often silent and that’s what I am so that’s something that I find that I can separate it in my mind that it is thought of as more polyamorous.
AE: The Dancing With The Stars: All Stars cast was just announced. Was it ever an option to go back to the show this season or would you go back?
MC: I wanted to go back! I wanted to do it so badly. I don’t know how well I would do, but I would’ve loved to. It was a really crazy, crazy time, but I did it and I really loved it and would love to do it again.
AE: You tweeted about the web series Where The Bears Are and I loved the trailer. How are you involved in it?
MC: They’re friends of mine that are making it and I was trying to do it but I wasn’t able to get back in time to do it so I’m hoping I’m doing the next season but it’s really funny.
AE: Tell me about the Mother tour.
MC: I’m doing a show here and there for it, but I haven’t launched the tour officially, but it’s all about my Mom. I waited to put all that material together in one place and then see what would end up. It’s a lot of fun. It’s for people who enjoyed that material of my act of my Mom for years. It’s a tribute to them.
AE: What else do you have coming up?
MC: I’m always working on my album, which will be after the tour at some point. I’m trying to focus on the stand-up right now, but the music stuff is always in me and I’ll work on that after. I work on my blog on www.margaretcho.com. I’ll be on the tour, and then wait to see what we’ll do with Drop Dead Diva. I’m going to a lot of places internationally. I’ll be going to Stockholm and then London a couple of weeks after that. It’s crazy.
AE: What’s making you happy these days?
MC: Well, the fact that I can wear my Toms and it’s summertime and it’s time to just have fun. Summer, to me, is just all about being relaxed, going to Provincetown, which I love, and part of that celebration is wearing my Toms.
Drop Dead Diva airs Sundays at 9/8c on Lifetime and you can check out Where The Bears Are on its website.
