Margaret Cho is angry— and you should be, too

BY FRANCESCA THEOFILOU AND RIYA SUBBAIAH

This is how comedian and activist Margaret Cho described the theme of her upcoming tour “Live and Livid,” but also her general state of being, in an interview with the Voice . “If you are looking at the news, if you’re a political progressive, if you’re a feminist, if you’re queer, if you’re a person of color, all of these things, it’s really an affront to our way of life.”

Cho is an Emmy- and GRAMMYnominated performer whose art has always been inseparable from her activism. She’s been a stand-up comic since she was 14, and acted in projects like Fire Island (2022), All-American Girl , and 30 Rock . We spoke with Cho ahead of her upcoming sold-out appearance at the Warner Theater on Friday, March 10, and she discussed the many sources of inspiration—or rather, desperation—that fuel her work.

Her comedy has been steeped in a ragedriven hunger for change since her first performances in her hometown of San Francisco. Even decades later, her passion for activism has only grown; she continues to stoke the fire inside of her through comedy, writing, music—any form of art she can. In “Live and Livid,” she marries this sense of urgency with wit and humor to remind her audience that after their laughter dies down, they should be angry, too.

Throughout our conversation, Cho expressed her rage at the unjust ways in which “people are dying” in our country while emphasizing that these issues did not occur spontaneously. Homophobia, racism, sexism, xenophobia—all of these phenomena are rooted deep within the systems the United States was founded upon, and Cho is determined to work to dismantle them all.

Despite wearing many hats in the entertainment space, Cho defines herself first and foremost as a comedian: “I like that label because it encompasses it all.” She added that comedy is a powerful tool in political activism; with the heaviness of the issues we are discussing these days, Cho likes that comedy allows us to confront them meaningfully and still find joy.

“I think that comedy is a good way to talk about social issues and politics because it disarms people right away,” she elaborated. “We understand the language of jokes and laughter.”

Cho’s newest set expresses her rage at the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade , as well as the school curriculum debate. She calls out those unwilling to confront America’s racist history: “[It was] never taught in the first place.” Passion poured out of her as she detailed the ways in which our country has systemically and repeatedly failed those living in its margins.

A queer woman herself, Cho expressed disgust at the treatment of other queer and trans people, and revealed particular concern with the way that queerness is portrayed in media. Cho rejected the claim that any piece of media could be evil or satanic in nature: “No, it’s dance music, it’s pop music, rock and roll has always had that sort of edge.” She also mused about the role of religion in policing queerness, especially in an America marked by religious diversity. She emphasized the historical use of Christianity as justification to villainize and marginalize queer and trans people.

“If the United States is formed on religious freedom, we need to actually have it,” Cho said. “Jesus is king? No, there’s no monarchy.”

Cho’s sillier side came out when we started our interview by asking her one of the Voice ’s signature icebreakers: Would you rather that fruit had bones, or meat had seeds? Her response? She would love it if fruit had bones so that she could eat it like a popsicle with tahin (yum!). When we asked her what defines a jort versus a jean, she declared once and for all that jorts are not about the length of the cutoff but rather about the width of the pant leg. “You could even say it’s also how much of the leg that we see underneath,” she added. “If it’s a wide-leg pant, you will see more of the leg in the motion.” Her ability to take just about anything and enthusiastically run with it is trademark, and what makes her comedy so special.

A larger-than-life actor, comedian and performer, Cho is also deeply human. Throughout our conversation, she switched gears with ease, but she was especially comfortable when discussing her deep love of animals. Cho is a proud mother of three cats. Two of them are pink female Sphinxes, named Sarong (“heart” in Korean) and Sacra, who is hard of hearing. She also has a fierce werewolf cat named Uju (“universe” in Korean). “[Uju] is the only male that I will tolerate in this house,” she said.

Cho is living the lifestyle of her dreams: taking care of pets and hundreds—yes, hundreds—of plants while touring the country without any intention of “settling down.” Through openly expressing the joy she finds in her home life, Cho rejects societal pressures often placed on women to conform to a heteronormative family structure, sending the message that there is more than one way to find fulfillment.

So what’s next for this multi-talented artist? When she’s not busy binging The Glory 2, a sequel to the K-drama she absolutely loves, on Netflix or recording for her upcoming podcast, Cho is looking forward to more producing, acting, animation, and voice work. In all aspects of her career, Cho comes back to the fundamental idea of channeling her advocacy through words, and believes her audience has the power to do the same in their everyday lives. “Language is what makes up who we are, and so we need to lean on it,” she said. “The idea of being able to identify yourself and use language to do so is so important.”

What we know for sure: Cho is fired up and ready to take on challenging issues, one joke at a time.G

BY ADORA ADEYEMI

“It’s been 5.5 years since we released our last album. What did we miss?”

To answer the question Paramore posed on Feb. 9, the night before the release of their newest album: a lot. Since May 2017, when the band last dropped a full-length project, the world has certainly experienced some hardship— and so has Paramore. The album’s liner notes list several intense, oddly specific emotions (e.g. “Disbelief At The Inconsistencies of The American-English Language”) with the promise that if you have experienced any of them in the last few years, the album is for you. This Is Why (2023) is the explosive yet polished result of six years’ worth of pent-up emotion.

The rock group—made up of vocalist Hayley Williams, guitarist Taylor York, and drummer Zac Farro—may have kept themselves busy during their hiatus, but they were never quite out of the spotlight. With a slew of individual projects from its members and a sharp resurgence of poppunk among Gen-Z artists, the band’s relevance never dwindled. So they were greeted with open arms and high hopes by loyal and new fans alike when they announced their return with cover art for an upcoming album. The art puts this trio front and center, comically smushed up against our screens. This pressure—both literal and metaphorical—translates directly into the music from the album’s first song.

The titular track is placed right at the start with a strong message for its listeners. With soft vocals but blunt lyrics, Williams opens “This Is Why” with a warning for her expectant audience: “If you have an opinion, maybe you should shove it.” We quickly realize the song isn’t meant to ease listeners back into Paramore’s world, nor apologize for their disappearance. Instead, it’s a reminder of their defiant decision to take a break.

The song works on multiple levels: It’s relatable for listeners, yet deeply personal to its artists. People can connect with it as an anthem highlighting pandemic life with lyrics like “This is why I don’t leave the house / You say the coast is clear but you won’t catch me out.” The song also expresses emotions felt by a band that’s shaped the pop-rock world for nearly 20 years. Within that time, the group has faced its fair share of problems: sexist scrutiny towards the band’s frontwoman; criticism for shifts in its sound, which ranges from grunge to ’80s synth-pop; even internal disagreements resulting in changes in the band’s lineup (This Is Why represents their first album to feature the they’ve found the confidence to sing to the world, “You’re either with us or you can keep it to yourself.”

If we consider the album’s opening message of shutting out the world to be its thesis, then the rest of powerful white men who evade accountability. Williams knows that while he manages to outrun the consequences of his actions, the “Big Man” is a “smooth operator in a shit-stained suit.” The harshness of her words is balanced with sarcasm, giving the song a relaxed feel. Meanwhile, “You First” takes an angsty approach as the upbeat song unpacks the dilemma of acknowledging your faults but still taking the time to call out others’. Williams is aware that “karma’s going to come for all of us” but still hopes it “comes for you first.”

The tension that comes from this dichotomy of internal and external blame seeps into the album’s production. From raging punk-rock to reserved acoustics, the styles vary widely from track to track. But the album’s instrumentation remains precise, creating the band’s most mature sound. With York’s simple guitar melodies and Farro’s sharp drumming, the general ethos seems to be that less is more, creating several moments of earworm material. Fan-favorite “Figure 8” is the height of the album’s production prowess. The repetitive synth arpeggio at its center carries a sense of incompleteness that keeps it looping endlessly in your head. This pairs neatly with lyrics about being caught in the cycle of a toxic relationship.

Paramore leave the house? Tracks like “The News” and “Running Out of Time” continue the opener’s theme of exhaustion with the outside world, while also detailing the self-loathing and detachment it induces. With hard-hitting drums and harsh guitars, “The News” encapsulates the helplessness of witnessing the world’s horrors through a screen. Feeling useless because she can only contribute from her home, Williams expresses “a war behind her mind”; the song attempts to convey that same jarring feeling. It’s relentless in the best way, with its screeching chorus underscoring that you can “shut your eyes but it won’t go away.” If each listen makes you feel like bashing your head against the wall, then its mission is accomplished.

However, toward the album’s midpoint, the focus shifts from examining one’s own shortcomings to pointing out others’ faults. In “Big Man, Little Dignity,” Williams diminishes the power of a charming but dishonest man—a figure symbolic

But at times this precision works to the band’s disadvantage. Paramore’s power of reinvention has kept listeners on their toes, steadying the band through the rise and fall (and rise again) of pop-punk. But much of this album lacks the bite its projects usually carry. The “verse, prechorus, chorus, repeat” structure shouldn’t feel so restrictive, but as we approach the album’s end, I can already anticipate each track’s movement. This makes “Liar” and “Crave” the weakest moments in the album, with weak hooks.

But I’m still happy to say that despite moments of formulaic repetition, This Is Why is a success for the band, debuting at #2 on the Billboard 200. With its intimate nature and cohesive sound, the album has found a large audience and pleased longtime fans.

So what comes after a comeback? Right now, Paramore is relishing its album rollout as the band prepares to hit the road for the next leg of the tour (I’m counting down the days till I see them at home in Atlanta). As an album that so many can relate to after the last few years, it looks like This Is Why might give us all a reason to leave the house. G