TresSugar

The Results Are In: Your Pick for Funniest Female Standup Comedian of 2008

GiggleSugar — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 13:38:04 -0800

The results are in for GiggleSugar's poll Who Is Your Favorite Female Comedian of 2008? - and it was a tie between Chelsea Handler and Sarah Silverman! Looks like these funny ladies are going to have to share the spotlight this year. They each ended up with with 21% of your votes (with Kathy Griffin and Wanda Sykes both virtually tying for third place). My vote goes to Wanda Sykes.

Revisit our 2007 winner in this category and check out the rest of our Best of 2008 polls to see who's winning across the Sugar network!

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GiggleSugar Interviews Margaret Cho!

GiggleSugar — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 04:00:00 -0700

When I think of Margaret Cho, I think of her hilarious standup act in flashes of representative scenes. There's Margaret telling everyone how weird it is to be an Asian American on an airplane with a flight attendant offering you Asian chicken salad. ("That is not the salad of my people!") There's Margaret imitating her mother's cute Korean accent and puzzling over gay men and their, uh, interest in "the ass." And then there's Margaret imagining how period-centric the world would be if men menstruated. The busy comedian/activist/all-around rad diva took some time out of her schedule to talk with us about her many projects, including VH1's The Cho Show (the second episode airs tomorrow), what it's like to have a day named after you in San Francisco, and who is hotter: Lindsay Lohan or Samantha Ronson?

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To check out the interview (and/or to listen to it!), read more.

GiggleSugar: People feel very connected to you personally. Do you have any funny or crazy fan stories?

Margaret Cho:
People really connect with me for a lot of different reasons. I was the first Asian American person they ever saw on TV, and I was the first person to talk about gay stuff. I think when people see images of themselves in the media they feel like they matter, they exist and they‘re real so a lot of my connection with people who are fans of mine, it goes deeper than just an entertainment or artist kind of relationship, so I don’t really have like, a funny or weird fan story.

GS: You have a lot on your plate right now, particularly with The Cho Show which premiered on VH1 last week. I really love the chemistry you have with Selene, your gay friends, and your parents. It seemed to me like a 21st-century family.

MC: It’s like this beautiful, queer, multicultural, and very functional family. It’s really beautiful.

GS: Can you tell me what your vision for the show was?

MC: Well, I wanted to do a show about another Asian American family because I brought the first Asian American family to TV (All-American Girl) and I then I was alarmed that there had not been another one.

GS: Race, and sexuality and gender have been really central to your work and have inspired lots of people to join comedy who might not have felt like they could be a part of it. What do you think the state of race issues in comedy is these days?

MC:
It’s a big deal. Race is still very much a factor in how much we see of you. Like I look at my contemporaries, the people I started with are people like Ben Stiller, and I feel like, considering the difference in our careers, and how far he goes . . . he’s white, he’s straight, he’s a man. I think he’s great, I like him a lot, but . . .Race is a big factor in how successful people become.

GS: With some comedians I get the sense that they’re saying we’re post-identity, post-race, they think race doesn’t matter as much because now we’re all liberated . . .

MC: No! It’s just as bad as it always was. It’s incredibly sexist, incredibly racist, and incredibly homophobic. There’s no difference. It’s not liberated.

GS: I’m wondering if you saw the pictures of the Spanish basketball team . . .

MC:
Oh, yeah. That to me is so offensive but I feel that to them it was supposed to be affectionate. That’s how you’re affectionate, by showing racism. I think that there’s such a casual attitude towards racism against Asians that exists because I feel like the Asian community at large and especially the Asian-American community is not responsible enough to stand up to it and so I feel like it’s my responsibility to stand up to it.

GS: Who are some of the comics who inspired you and who are some of your favorite comedians now, and why?

MC:
When I was growing up, probably Joan Rivers or Richard Pryor or George Carlin or Steve Martin, Whoopi Goldberg, Paula Poundstone. Major huge influence. Love her. And now Wanda Sykes is my favorite. Chris Rock. Dave Chapelle. Bobby Lee. I’m a big fan of comedy.

GS: Do you see comedy evolving?

MC: I feel like comedians are becoming political - they’ve always been political - but they’re becoming more political now, and are even invited into the political realm to talk about politics. I’m an Obama campaign surrogate so to me that’s a very exciting thing to do. And so, I think, comedy has evolved and people are taking us more seriously as social commentators. Which is really cool.

GS: This is more a personal question but is also related to your humor. In your earlier shows like The Notorious C.H.O. you talk a lot about your experimentation when you were younger with sex, drugs and being kinda self-destructive. Do you regret any of that or do you think it contributed to who you are now and to your humor?

MC: I don’t regret that. I feel like . . . I want the brain cells back. (Laughs.) That’s the hard part . . .

GS: Don’t we all!

MC: Cuz I remember I used to be so lightning fast and it was like really crazy how smart I was. And now I’m just f*ckin’ so dumb, and I can’t remember sh*t.

GS: I think that’s age, too, cuz I’m right there with you.

MC: Yeah, but it’s f*ckin’ drugs. For me, it was totally drugs. I have huge gaps.

GS: But you weren’t a huffer or anything? (Laughs.)

MC: No, but you know, I did every drug, and a lot.

GS: You were a San Francisco girl, how could you avoid it?

MC: It’s so fun, but I miss the brain cells.

GS: They’ll regenerate. I think. (Laughs.) So, speaking of San Francisco, how does it feel to have a Margaret Cho day christened by the mayor?

MC: That was April 30. That was just last April. It was really cool and I actually work with Mayor Newsom a lot, because he and I are big gay marriage advocates.

GS: And your parents are still in San Francisco?

MC:
No, they moved. They’re in San Diego now.

GS: They’re so cute!

MC: They’re really cute.

GS: Your parents seem so not uptight!

MC: Well, they have their moments of getting super-uptight. They can’t fight their culture all the time. They can be pretty uptight sometimes and annoying. But they’re super-sweet and really fun, too.

GS: How does it feel to be successful and to also remain rebellious? Do you still feel like an outsider?

MC: I’ll always be an outsider because of who I am. There’s never going to be a feeling where I feel like I’ve arrived or I’m comfortable, but I feel like I’ve created my own thing. I love performing, I love doing standup comedy, and I love writing.

GS: You’ve been married for six years.

MC: We’ve been together for like 10. We’ve been married forever!

GS: But you still identify as bi or queer.

MC: For sure. Which I’ll always be. That doesn’t change.

GS: That’s wonderful. Are there any other projects that you’re working on that you’d like to talk about?

MC:
I’m doing a show for the Lifetime Channel now called Drop Dead Diva which is a comedy/drama. I play a legal secretary which is really cool and funny. I have to cover up my tattoos in a suit and be super-vanilla which is cool and which I love. And it’s a great show and then I’m going to finish out my tour dates, and then I’m gonna see if I finish out season two of The Cho Show. (I hope we are!) But we don’t know yet.

GS: What are some things that your fans might not know about you that would surprise them?

MC: Like, I am really a dog mom.

GS: Oh . . . ! [This is where I kept quiet about my cat fetish.]

MC: I have three dogs. They’re my whole life.

GS: Silly questions, now. Either or questions: Strawberry or grape-flavored gum?

MC: I can’t chew gum because I’m such a spaz like I would bite the inside of my mouth so much and bite my tongue and then my whole mouth would be filled with blood. It’s really stupid. I’m really dumb about chewing gum. I’m not sure how to. Sometimes, I’m super dumb about stuff. The other thing I’m dumb about is I don’t know how to do the laundry.

GS: I wish I didn’t know how to do the laundry and then I could make someone else do it. Granny panties or thongs?

MC: Um, I’d say thongs. But I do appreciate a granny panty in moderation.

GS: Lindsay Lohan or Samantha Ronson?

MC: Oooh. I love Samantha. (GS: I know!) MC: She’s such a hot dirty butch. I like her a lot.

MC: That’s it Margaret, thank you so much for your time. I hope to catch your show, Beautiful, in Santa Rosa!

George Carlin: 1937-2008

GiggleSugar — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:00:00 -0700

These days, most comedians swear like sailors and revel in shocking their audiences, but for standup comedy pioneers like George Carlin, who died yesterday of heart failure, swearing and shocking were not gratuitous. He wanted to shake up a hypocritical society and make people think about what "clean" language hides underneath it. (His famous "Seven Words You Can't Say on Television" routine got him arrested and went all the way to the Supreme Court, where they ruled that his language was "indecent" but not "obscene.") George Carlin will always be remembered as a comic genius. Here's a clip of George railing against euphemisms - a crank and a gadfly to the end. (Thanks, eBaum's World!)

Demetri Martin's Very Dry Standup Comedy

GiggleSugar — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 16:00:00 -0800

You know someone's funny when they don't make a big deal out of all their jokes by yelling, cursing or using some gimmick--and people are laughing anyway. Introducing, Demitri Martin.

The Results Are in: Your Favorite Female Stand-Up Comic of 2007

GiggleSugar — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 11:30:00 -0800

To kick off our Best of 2007 coverage, I asked you guys to vote for your favorite female stand-up comic of the year. After all, it's still hard out there for a lady stand-up comic, but there is cause to celebrate the hilarious ladies who break through the glass ceiling and thrive. And the winner of the GiggleSugar readers' choice for best female stand-up comedian is . . .

Chelsea Handler! The veteran stand-up savant hit the big time this Summer, with her own late-night show on on E! called Chelsea Lately. Giggle regular Kathy Griffin came in a close second, and my pick has to be Kathy Griffin.

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Who Is Your Favorite Female Stand-Up Comic of 2007?

GiggleSugar — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 08:00:00 -0800

I've been to stand-up comedy auditions-these folks are a brave tribe of people! Imagine getting up in front of an audience that half expects you to suck, and killing them with hilarity instead. Although some of the funniest people I've ever known were women, it's still hard out there for a lady stand-up comic. Many say there's an unspoken rule about "one woman comic a night" at comedy clubs, and when they're there they have to face the preconception some people in the audience have that women just aren't funny-or shouldn't be funny. (You know-too aggressive.) Sigh. That's no laughing matter, but there is cause to celebrate the hilarious ladies who break through the glass ceiling and thrive. Who was your favorite female stand-up comic of 2007?

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Who Is Your Favorite Male Stand-Up Comic of 2007?

GiggleSugar — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 04:00:00 -0800

Stand-up comedy is tough-take it from John Mayer. This past May, the soulful crooner mustered up enough nerve to get on stage at the Comedy Cellar in NYC and pull off his best impression of the dudes below. That is, he tried to be live, funny, and the only one standing. The reviews were mixed, but you got to give Johnny credit for attempting one of the most difficult jobs out there. Yesterday we asked you to name your favorite female stand-up comic. So, who is your favorite male stand-up comic of 2007?

The Results Are in: Your Favorite Male Stand-Up Comic of 2007

GiggleSugar — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 04:30:00 -0800

You've coronated Chelsea Handler as your favorite female stand-up comic of 2007, but who will be her king as she reigns over this kingdom of funny? Well, according to our readers' poll, your pick for male stand-up comedian of the year is . . . Dane Cook!

At last count, he was edging out Dave Chappelle by a mere eight votes. My fave? It's a tie: Dave Chappelle and Jim Gaffigan.

GiggleSugar Interviews: Victoria Jackson

GiggleSugar — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 14:00:00 -0800

Saturday Night Live alum Victoria Jackson is well-known for her send-up of the ditzy blonde. With a tiny voice and goofy antics, Victoria became famous on Johnny Carson's The Tonight Show where she performed stand-up while variously on a balance beam, doing handstands, and playing the ukulele. She went on to perform on six seasons of Saturday Night Live, working with the likes of Mike Myers, Phil Hartman, and Chris Farley. Victoria still does stand-up (of the handstand variety), records ukulele CDs (!), and acts in movies. She granted this interview to promote the newly released Christian comedy DVD Thou Shalt Laugh: The Deuce, which features a night of stand-up comedy hosted by funnyman Tim Conway. Without further ado, here's Victoria in her own words...

GS: How did you get your break in comedy?
VJ: My big break was on The Johnny Carson Show. I was doing standup in L.A. while doing handstands and playing the ukulele, and a scout from the show contacted me.

GS: Did you expect that comedy would be your life’s work?
VJ: When I was a kid, I wanted to be a teacher, mostly because I liked chalk…But I got the comedy acting bug when I was at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. A friend was auditioning for a play and I was with her. Her drama teacher suggested that I act. Once I did it, once I was up on stage, I realized I was controlling the audience with my feather duster, and I became addicted.

GS: You were on Saturday Night Live from 1986 to 1992. You were only 27 years old-what was it like to reach the comedy big time? Were you nervous, intimidated?
VJ: Well, I was married and had a baby at 27, so I thought I was grown up. I’m 48 now and feel like a kid, but I thought I was really mature back then! Auditioning made me nervous; I knew it could change my life if I got the part. And SNL was a very stressful environment. It was survival of the fittest. The more you wrote for the show, the more you got to perform. So while Mike Myers was writing six sketches a week, I was doing like two a year and staring at blank paper in my typewriter.

GS: Was live television nerve-wracking?
VJ: I didn’t mind live television. As a gymnast, I was used to being on a balance beam four inches wide, with judges rating my performance, so I was used to the adrenaline rush. Actually, if I didn’t have that, I would die. I finally left SNL because I was going through a divorce, I wanted to spend more time with my daughter, friends were leaving the show…and I ran out of ideas.

GS: As a female standup comedian, do you feel women are treated differently when they’re on stage? Are people’s expectations different?
VJ: I don’t like when people complain about being a woman in comedy. I think that’s B.S. It was survival of the fittest on SNL whether you were a dog, horse, woman, man. I mean, comedy is different for women-different things are funny for women and men. When Chris Farley was dancing with his belly jiggling, for example, it was funny. If I were in a bikini doing it, it wouldn’t have been funny-it would’ve been sad. But I don't think the treatment is different.

GS: What’s been your favorite part of participating in Thou Shalt Laugh: The Deuce, and what would you like our readers to know about it?
VJ: I like that there are no bad words and no sexual innuendoes. I had this cab driver recently who asked me what I did, and I said I do standup comedy. “So you tell dirty jokes?” he asked me. That’s what people associate comedy with now! The best comics-Jerry Seinfeld, Steve Martin-they don’t have to be dirty. I don’t know what’s happening in this country that that’s what comedy is associated with. Aside from that, I got to meet Tim Conway!

GS: Oh, I love him, too. Thanks, Victoria!

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Who Is Your Favorite Female TV Comic of 2007?

GiggleSugar — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 09:40:00 -0800

It's tough being a lady comic out there. The chances of moving from the stand-up circuit to television are pretty slim. So with that in mind, let's celebrate television's funny women and choose a fave. Who is your favorite female television comic of 2007?

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