Direct from LastBlogOnEarth.com (CityBeat's Blog)
After three years on hiatus, actress, fashion designer and, above all, comedian Margaret Cho is back on tour. Cho is queen of the raunchy kind of humor that makes you so uncomfortable you have no choice but to giggle and wiggle around in your seat. She’s a middle-aged women, for Christ’s Sake, you’ll be thinking, how can she be saying these nasty things?
Dubbed the “Beautiful” tour, the last thing you can expect from this political-minded, bisexual, race-in-your-face funny girl is talk about things that are cute. She may go off on a tangent about puppies and where she likes to kiss them, but aside form that, she’ll be dishing on the ridiculousness of women’s issues with their own bodies, how Hollywood seems to hate Asians and other such socially critical conjectures that’ll make you laugh, but think a little, too. Just a little, and we promise it won’t hurt.
Since Cho is coming to San Diego’s Viejas Concerts in Park at 8 p.m. Friday, and Saturday May 16 and 17, she decided to let us have one of our bushy-tailed interns, Amanda Schoepflin, send her an e-mail Q&A. So here it is. Nice and unedited and raw, which is how we roll when it comes to the CityBeat blog:
Amanda Schoepflin: After reading your bio, it all comes together as to where you came from—San Francisco being one of the freest minded creative centers of the U.S. Do you feel as if growing up there held any influence on the way you developed your interest in comedy?
Margaret Cho: I think growing up in SF had a huge impact on my world-view. It made me much more progressive politically and more interested and compassionate towards different and diverse communities. There was also a huge comedy scene there when I was growing up and I couldn’t wait to jump into it. I love San Francisco.
AS: How do you play a role in the LGBT community? Have you always been active? I found your website loveisloveislove.com; tell me about all you do there.
MC: I have been active within the LGBT community for many years. When I started doing comedy I did a lot of AIDS fund-raising, and then played many gay clubs and have worked within the queer community since. I wanted loveisloveislove.com to be about gay marriage, to share our stories with each other, to talk about the importance of it—the goal was to make it happen.
AS: Petitions against gay marriage are popping up everywhere in the U.S. California’s deadline
for signatures was this month. Do you believe the legislative efforts are mostly based on personal beliefs instead of the fairness?
MC: It is ridiculous. People want to hold onto their homophobia so bad, they want it written into the lawbooks and constitutions. I don’t get it.
AS: What are you opinions on gay couples’ hopes for building families?
MC: That this must happen.
AS: What is one way for the LGBT community to stand stern against the denial of homosexual marriages?
MC: By sharing our experiences, by voicing our opinions, by making sure we are heard.
AS: Generally San Diego upholds is free-minded when it comes to tolerance and acceptance, including local teen centers, GSA’s and LGBT organizations in several high schools. How would you encourage people to spread the peace?
MC: It is about telling our stories, in any way possible. When you can speak about an issue personally, it is inevitable that people will be forced to understand you. If ignorance is fought with love and truth, love and truth will prevail.
AS: What would you say to the younger generation about being comfortable in their own skin, regardless of their sexual preference?
MC: That they are perfect and beautiful.
AS: Do you believe that the younger generation will stand a better chance for acceptance as members of the LGBT community compared to the earlier generations?
MC: I am always inspired by younger people. They have gay-straight alliances in high schools now! It blows my mind. The kids today are so cool!
AS: Was it ever a problem for you growing up, finding acceptance from your peers or family? I heard one of your stands-ups on YouTube, where your mom is calling about you being gay. How’d you deal?
MC: My parents are very accepting. They were the first people to tell me that gay people were no different than straight people. They put me into the care of many gays and lesbians when I was a kid because they thought it would be the perfect ‘charm school’. My father believed gay men knew more about art, literature, music - he wanted me to learn from them and I did!
AS: How do you feel about your current tour? It’s been three years and now you’re back on stage, how does it feel being back on the road?
MC: The show is called Beautiful for a number of reasons—but one is because it is the raunchiest show I have ever done, and I think at my age that is just beautiful. I love this show. I am very proud of it—but the road is exhausting!
AS: How’s working close with Liam Sullivan? I’ve also seen you and Liam in The Dresden Doll’s “Shores of California” music video. Were you friends before, or was it the comedy that brought you together?
MC: Liam is amazing and so much fun. This is the second show we have done together. The first was the sensuous woman, which we toured with and then did off Broadway last year. I introduced Liam to the Dresden Dolls. We are all going to do the Dresden Dolls show in la later in May.
********
Speaking of Liam Sullivan, our intern got talked into doing a Q&A with the guy by the scheming PR peeps behind the Margaret Cho machine. It’s a good thing she did, though, because it turned out pretty interesting:
AS: Liam Sullivan: comedian, actor, and bringing the “betch” out of us all. What really got YouTubers addicted was more than Shoes; it was the charisma of the character of which you’ve created, Kelly, with her bleached wig and bright lipstick and awkwardly fitting sense of style. Becoming a YouTube sensation seems more than easy for you with your hilarious videos. Was it a surprise for you when “Shoes” became the winner of the 2007 People’s Choice Award for “Favorite User-Generated Video” by YouTube?
LS: It was a surprise, definitely. I never thought this would go so far.
AS: You’ve become an internet celeb as well as made several appearances in the mainstream scene. You’ve done gigs for TV shows: 8 Simple Rules, Gilmore Girls, Alias, and in the movie The Convent and starred for two shows A Liam Show and I Hate My 30’s. Do you prefer touring over doing TV projects?
LS: I prefer actually making my own videos. I love performing live, but it’s very gratifying to have a vision for something and shoot it myself. I seem to do best in that arena.
AS: Did you expect your fame to grow as much as it had through the internet? I mean c’mon, “Shoes” is on iTunes, has been on the top-10 spot of iTunes Comedy. You’ve done a lot of comedy and theater in Boston and L.A. What is it that you love about your job?
LS: I love making people laugh. It’s kind of addicting.
AS: Where did the character Kelly—the blond headed with the take-no-shit-from-anyone attitude—come from? After reading a couple blogs, its apparent that word is spreading that Kelly’s supposed to be your inner self, your alter ego?
LS: Kelly is my inner teenage girl. I didn’t know I had one, until one day when I was playing around with my voice, as I am wont to do on occasion. I said, “Shut up, betch!” and Kelly was born. I like her because she is very strong-willed, she makes up her own vocabulary (betch, deck, shetbag), and she doesn’t let anyone or anything stand in her way.
AS: How’s touring with Margaret Cho? Do you find it a lot different getting up in front of a crowd of people and doing your thing, compared to TV recordings for shows?
LS: Touring with Margaret Cho has been a delight. She is a true professional, and she’s taught me a lot. People seem to know who I am when I walk out on stage, so that helps me get over my nerves of being out there.
AS: How long are you expecting this tour with Cho to be? Got any secret projects you’ve been working on?
LS: We’ve got about six more shows, and after that, I don’t know. I am working on something for Aunt Susan, Kelly’s aunt…probably a video or two and a whole album of her funny folk songs. I’ve got a new Kelly video coming out on May 27th.
AS: Is there anything you’d like to say about the tour? Is it generating a lot of support for the LGBT community?
LS: I didn’t even know what LGBT stood for before I did the Kelly character. I’m still not sure. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender? I’ve been very lucky that I’ve found an audience that digs what I do, and I appreciate every laugh I get.
After three years on hiatus, actress, fashion designer and, above all, comedian Margaret Cho is back on tour. Cho is queen of the raunchy kind of humor that makes you so uncomfortable you have no choice but to giggle and wiggle around in your seat. She’s a middle-aged women, for Christ’s Sake, you’ll be thinking, how can she be saying these nasty things?
Dubbed the “Beautiful” tour, the last thing you can expect from this political-minded, bisexual, race-in-your-face funny girl is talk about things that are cute. She may go off on a tangent about puppies and where she likes to kiss them, but aside form that, she’ll be dishing on the ridiculousness of women’s issues with their own bodies, how Hollywood seems to hate Asians and other such socially critical conjectures that’ll make you laugh, but think a little, too. Just a little, and we promise it won’t hurt.
Since Cho is coming to San Diego’s Viejas Concerts in Park at 8 p.m. Friday, and Saturday May 16 and 17, she decided to let us have one of our bushy-tailed interns, Amanda Schoepflin, send her an e-mail Q&A. So here it is. Nice and unedited and raw, which is how we roll when it comes to the CityBeat blog:
Amanda Schoepflin: After reading your bio, it all comes together as to where you came from—San Francisco being one of the freest minded creative centers of the U.S. Do you feel as if growing up there held any influence on the way you developed your interest in comedy?
Margaret Cho: I think growing up in SF had a huge impact on my world-view. It made me much more progressive politically and more interested and compassionate towards different and diverse communities. There was also a huge comedy scene there when I was growing up and I couldn’t wait to jump into it. I love San Francisco.
AS: How do you play a role in the LGBT community? Have you always been active? I found your website loveisloveislove.com; tell me about all you do there.
MC: I have been active within the LGBT community for many years. When I started doing comedy I did a lot of AIDS fund-raising, and then played many gay clubs and have worked within the queer community since. I wanted loveisloveislove.com to be about gay marriage, to share our stories with each other, to talk about the importance of it—the goal was to make it happen.
AS: Petitions against gay marriage are popping up everywhere in the U.S. California’s deadline
for signatures was this month. Do you believe the legislative efforts are mostly based on personal beliefs instead of the fairness?MC: It is ridiculous. People want to hold onto their homophobia so bad, they want it written into the lawbooks and constitutions. I don’t get it.
AS: What are you opinions on gay couples’ hopes for building families?
MC: That this must happen.
AS: What is one way for the LGBT community to stand stern against the denial of homosexual marriages?
MC: By sharing our experiences, by voicing our opinions, by making sure we are heard.
AS: Generally San Diego upholds is free-minded when it comes to tolerance and acceptance, including local teen centers, GSA’s and LGBT organizations in several high schools. How would you encourage people to spread the peace?
MC: It is about telling our stories, in any way possible. When you can speak about an issue personally, it is inevitable that people will be forced to understand you. If ignorance is fought with love and truth, love and truth will prevail.
AS: What would you say to the younger generation about being comfortable in their own skin, regardless of their sexual preference?
MC: That they are perfect and beautiful.
AS: Do you believe that the younger generation will stand a better chance for acceptance as members of the LGBT community compared to the earlier generations?
MC: I am always inspired by younger people. They have gay-straight alliances in high schools now! It blows my mind. The kids today are so cool!
AS: Was it ever a problem for you growing up, finding acceptance from your peers or family? I heard one of your stands-ups on YouTube, where your mom is calling about you being gay. How’d you deal?
MC: My parents are very accepting. They were the first people to tell me that gay people were no different than straight people. They put me into the care of many gays and lesbians when I was a kid because they thought it would be the perfect ‘charm school’. My father believed gay men knew more about art, literature, music - he wanted me to learn from them and I did!
AS: How do you feel about your current tour? It’s been three years and now you’re back on stage, how does it feel being back on the road?
MC: The show is called Beautiful for a number of reasons—but one is because it is the raunchiest show I have ever done, and I think at my age that is just beautiful. I love this show. I am very proud of it—but the road is exhausting!
AS: How’s working close with Liam Sullivan? I’ve also seen you and Liam in The Dresden Doll’s “Shores of California” music video. Were you friends before, or was it the comedy that brought you together?
MC: Liam is amazing and so much fun. This is the second show we have done together. The first was the sensuous woman, which we toured with and then did off Broadway last year. I introduced Liam to the Dresden Dolls. We are all going to do the Dresden Dolls show in la later in May.
********
Speaking of Liam Sullivan, our intern got talked into doing a Q&A with the guy by the scheming PR peeps behind the Margaret Cho machine. It’s a good thing she did, though, because it turned out pretty interesting:
AS: Liam Sullivan: comedian, actor, and bringing the “betch” out of us all. What really got YouTubers addicted was more than Shoes; it was the charisma of the character of which you’ve created, Kelly, with her bleached wig and bright lipstick and awkwardly fitting sense of style. Becoming a YouTube sensation seems more than easy for you with your hilarious videos. Was it a surprise for you when “Shoes” became the winner of the 2007 People’s Choice Award for “Favorite User-Generated Video” by YouTube?
LS: It was a surprise, definitely. I never thought this would go so far.
AS: You’ve become an internet celeb as well as made several appearances in the mainstream scene. You’ve done gigs for TV shows: 8 Simple Rules, Gilmore Girls, Alias, and in the movie The Convent and starred for two shows A Liam Show and I Hate My 30’s. Do you prefer touring over doing TV projects?
LS: I prefer actually making my own videos. I love performing live, but it’s very gratifying to have a vision for something and shoot it myself. I seem to do best in that arena.
AS: Did you expect your fame to grow as much as it had through the internet? I mean c’mon, “Shoes” is on iTunes, has been on the top-10 spot of iTunes Comedy. You’ve done a lot of comedy and theater in Boston and L.A. What is it that you love about your job?
LS: I love making people laugh. It’s kind of addicting.
AS: Where did the character Kelly—the blond headed with the take-no-shit-from-anyone attitude—come from? After reading a couple blogs, its apparent that word is spreading that Kelly’s supposed to be your inner self, your alter ego?
LS: Kelly is my inner teenage girl. I didn’t know I had one, until one day when I was playing around with my voice, as I am wont to do on occasion. I said, “Shut up, betch!” and Kelly was born. I like her because she is very strong-willed, she makes up her own vocabulary (betch, deck, shetbag), and she doesn’t let anyone or anything stand in her way.
AS: How’s touring with Margaret Cho? Do you find it a lot different getting up in front of a crowd of people and doing your thing, compared to TV recordings for shows?
LS: Touring with Margaret Cho has been a delight. She is a true professional, and she’s taught me a lot. People seem to know who I am when I walk out on stage, so that helps me get over my nerves of being out there.
AS: How long are you expecting this tour with Cho to be? Got any secret projects you’ve been working on?
LS: We’ve got about six more shows, and after that, I don’t know. I am working on something for Aunt Susan, Kelly’s aunt…probably a video or two and a whole album of her funny folk songs. I’ve got a new Kelly video coming out on May 27th.
AS: Is there anything you’d like to say about the tour? Is it generating a lot of support for the LGBT community?
LS: I didn’t even know what LGBT stood for before I did the Kelly character. I’m still not sure. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender? I’ve been very lucky that I’ve found an audience that digs what I do, and I appreciate every laugh I get.
Susan Street Fine Art Gallery has been showcasing international contemporary art since 1984, bringing talents of the Solana Beach community out from the studio and to the public. With an upcoming exhibition featuring two gifted artists, James Shay and Joseph Maruska, Susan Street Fine Art Gallery continues to keep the scene fresh. Shay’s Japanese influences and Maruska’s aesthetic style all come together as a harmonic addition to the Californian contemporary culture. Shay’s works have extended the canvas being featured in several architecture developments on both coasts,
as Maruska’s works have been shown in the Venice Art Walk each year.The exhibition is up and running from Feb. 12 until Mar. 16. , and is currently located at 415 S. Cedros Ave, Ste 160 in Solana Beach. www.susanstreetfineart.com
From the sound waves to a moving page James McBride continues to be an outlet creative expression. McBride, a graduate of Columbia University with a masters in journalism by age 22--his talents not only exceeding the saxophone but manages to turn heads worldwide. McBride also a developed musician has written songs for Anita Baker, Grover Washington Jr., and Gary Burton.
(1996), since publication the novel has become required reading nationally for high school curriculum, and a successful book featured in book clubs renowned. The Color of Water sold almost two million copies worldwide, spent more than two years on the New York Times bestseller list, and is published in more than 16 languages. The story of growing up with problems hit the readers market and spread like butter on a pancake. He has been active in his writing, pumping out two other books since '96. Miracle at St. Anna—a novel story of friendship in war—and now hot off the press is debuting his new novel entitled Song Yet Sung (Feb. 2008), a story of a runaway slave escaping a slave-catcher’s imprisonment in 1850 through the swamps of Maryland’s eastern shore. Striking a more involved fan, this novel earned its respect in line as his third book, a symbol of strength as a writer—McBride publishes with pride. San Diego, here he comes don’t miss him at Warwick’s in La Jolla 7:30pm on February 18th, where he will hold a reading, questionnaire and signing for Song Yet Sung. 7812 Girard Ave, La Jolla.
SD art rings off the hook. Art calls the creative, pick up the phone; art’s gotta lot to say! This is the case for three creative couples of San Diego. District 117—a sanctuary for urban art—founded by three couples who shared one creative idea. The gallery became an ultimate output of common interests; a little friendship, a little art and POW District 117 is born. The name District 117 stems from an unexpected meeting the couples had in San Diego, (of which lies at the 117th longitudinal degree of the globe), it was there the epic tale begins. The gallery founders embrace an interdependent outlook on art, all with roots from Los Angeles, New York, Madrid, Asturia, and Barcelona. Making history, promoting art, 117 has become a home to the owners and the artists of the Hillcrest community. As what regularly stands as a gallery for the more contemporary urban edge of art, is now for the first time going photographic with their upcoming 1st Juried Photography Art Show District 117, where twenty talented photographers can strut their stuff. The show presents over 50 photographs of international styles from digital and film with an urban touch, to countryside landscapes. The show hosts photos taken by photographers of different nationalities US, Spain, UK, France and many more. The show opens Feb. 1 until Feb. 24th at both District 117 and Bamboo Lounge. Two locations, twice the photographic action! District 117 is located at 1425 University Ave, suite B. For more info: 
arning science from a textbook isn’t always the most fun way to learn, most say textbook learning actually skims the tip of the iceberg for most readers. Just think, what would you prefer reading about magnetic forces or feeling the push between two giant magnets? Now with the new upcoming exhibition “Strange Matter”, at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center you can play and learn. The new exhibit runs from Feb. 9. 'till May 18, and has a bunch of cool interactive exhibits for both the kids and their parents. Exhibits include the study of both exotic and ordinary materials, allowing visitors to play with gravity defining liquids and mess around with metal that bounces higher than a trampoline. Science ain’t just what’s in the books; Reuben H. Fleet Science Center jumps it up another level. 1875 El Prado, Balboa Park, 
Since March of 07, it's been more than apparent that Modest Mouse continues to uphold their musical individuality while remaining true to their origin. With their latest album, we were dead before the ship even sank came another catchy and melodic likeliness as compared to their previous album Good news for people who love bad news. Underground fans who had fallen in audio obsession since their earlier works such as the fruit that ate itself, can define a distinct altercation from their old works, while listening to "Dashboard" being played on the radio several times a day. Collectively, the latest album is a collaboration of best hits--the sort of CD you play without skipping tracks until it plays all the way through. A success hitting mainstream in the most indirect way, with only two tracks hitting the radio airwaves; leaves faithful fans in disarray. Once a MM fan, always a MM fan. This album kicks major rhythmic ass.