Hype! Margaret Cho‘s concert film, "I’m
the One that I Want", chronicles her rise, fall and recovery during
and after the airing of her sitcom.
By Angela Salazar
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
Margaret Cho defies all boundaries.
In her concert film, “I’m The One That I
Want,” Cho explores many of the issues that have affected her
life. From high school expulsion to drug addiction to eating
disorders, Cho talks frankly about what she has learned.
“It’s really a universally-loved film because it
deals with things that everybody can relate to. It’s all
about self-love and self-esteem and self-reliance in the face of
adversity,” Cho said in a recent interview.
She explained that the film is told in the language of stand-up
comedy, but takes on serious topics such as racism, lookism and
sexism, and appeals to a wide audience.
She feels the film is especially important for teenage and
college-age girls because of the messages it sends about body
image.
“(It’s) really an issue for me, talking about weight
and talking about the politics of weight and looks and how we are
viewed,” Cho said.
Her personal experiences with such issues, starting at a young
age, are what supplied her with the material for the film.
 Hype! Cho hopes to reach women with
topics like weight issues. At 16, Cho began doing stand up comedy,
mainly because of the trials she was facing at home.
“I was a really bad student because I was rebelling
against my parents. (They) didn’t want me to be a performer
and that was always my truest desire,” Cho said.
After being expelled from her San Francisco performing arts high
school for juvenile delinquency, Cho was left without the support
of her family or friends.
“I started doing stand-up because I had no choice but to
follow my dreams. I was forced to do exactly what I wanted to do
because I destroyed the rest of my life and that was it for
me,” Cho said.
She quickly achieved success in the stand-up comedy circle, and
was given the opportunity to do her own television show. The
short-lived “All American Girl” boasted the first Asian
American family on TV. But disputes with executives of the show led
to its eventual cancellation.
“It was an incredibly harrowing experience, being this
person that’s not really represented by Hollywood … dealing
with executives and with race and gender and weight issues,”
Cho said.
The show’s difficulties were as much personal as they were
professional.
“The executives of my show thought that I was too
overweight to play the part of myself,” Cho said. “I
became incredibly anorexic and was hospitalized. Since I was so
focused on my weight I couldn’t really focus on the
comedy.”
After “All American Girl” ended, Cho became
depressed and addicted to drugs and alcohol.
“I was so hungry I had to have something to take the edge
off but there was nothing that I could eat and I felt like I was
dying,” Cho said. “I really needed something to make me
feel better and I fell in love with this rock-and-roll fantasy of
being a touring stand-up comedian and being addicted to drugs and
alcohol.”
Through her film and tour, Cho has finally begun to heal and
confront her problems in a positive way, letting all her
frustrations out and hoping to help others with theirs.
“I think this film is a great way to find healing because
we are seeing somebody on screen that has been through it and is
really talking about it,” Cho said. “I think weight
issues are incredibly shameful for women to talk about.”
To ensure that her message reaches as many young people as
possible, Cho is visiting college campuses as part of her film
tour.
“To really recognize (body image) as a political issue is
what I’m concerned about when I go into different
universities,” Cho said. “When you feel bad about your
body … you are going to be much less likely to report sexual
harassment or ask for a raise or do whatever is going to require
you to be strong. There is going to be hesitation and in that
moment of hesitation so much political power is going to be
gained.”
Currently Cho is working on completing her memoir, also titled,
“I’m The One That I Want,” which is due out next
June. She would like to continue using the film as an educational
tool in universities.
FILM: “I’m The One That I Want” shows tonight
at the Mann Four Plex, located 1050 Gayley Ave. in Westwood. For
show times call (310) 208-7664.