FOR EDGY WIT, IT'S CHO TIME
Wednesday, October 8th 2003, 7:16AM
Subtle humor is not Margaret Cho's specialty.
"I'm like Bigfoot. I don't tread carefully, because I don't care [what anyone thinks]," says the Korean-American comedian, who will stomp through the Beacon Theater Friday and Saturday with new material from her "Revolution" tour.
She's famous for raunchy routines that feature graphic tales of orgasms, racism, eating disorders and S&M; fetishes. "These are all of the things that I am [about]," says Cho, 34. "It is about giving voice to a justified anger. This tour is about having a revolution from within."
And it's not the only way that she plans to wage war.
The politically minded, self-proclaimed "information addict" (who drops references to Gloria Steinem, Bill O'Reilly and 19th-century libertines in casual chatter) is working on a rap album, feature film and book of daily affirmations.
The gangsta-style album, titled "I'm Your MD," is Cho's response to the country's health-care difficulties.
"It's all practical raps about the food pyramid, early detection of breast cancer, sexually transmitted diseases and not feeling bad if you're lactose intolerant," says Cho, who records under her alter ego, MC MC, though she concedes that she is "the worst rapper ever."
"I'm really concerned about how many lower-income families have no general practitioner," she says. "This is about raising awareness within a community that is in dire need of support."
Her book of daily affirmations will be culled from her online blog (www.margaretcho.com), which tackles issues such as illegal immigration, her love of hip hop, and psychological terrorism.
"Those 'Chicken Soup' books are not heartwarming - they give me heartburn," she says of the best-selling feel-good, self-help series. "My book will be like 'Chicken Soup for the Curmudgeon Intelligent Self-Defeating Self-Hating Person.' "
In other projects, Cho has written "Bam Bam and Celeste," an autobiographical film about an outcast teen and her gay friend, which she plans to make once her tour ends next month. The comic is filming "Revolution" under the aegis of her company, Cho Taussig Productions, as she did with her previous tours, "I'm the One That I Want" and "The Notorious C.H.O."
Cho began performing standup in San Francisco, where she was raised by her immigrant parents, when she was 16. In 1994, she was tapped to star in the ABC sitcom "All American Girl," the first show about an Asian-American family. The network forced her to drop some pounds, a demand that led to severe illness and substance abuse.
Her confessional humor has earned honors from several Asian-American and gay and lesbian groups. Cho also won the National Organization for Women's first-ever Intrepid Award earlier this year.
In June, Cho married artist/writer Al Ridenour.
"It's not a traditional situation," she says. "It's not a committed marriage. We're just friends who share space. My parents don't understand it. They just send us Yahoo E-cards wishing us well."
