As promised in this week’s feature, Marie-Reine Velez’s extended e-mail interview with Margaret Cho, who hits the Terrace Theatre in October and whose reality show, The Cho Show, can currently be seen on VH1.

Hi Margaret, in your upcoming show Beautiful, you examine beauty and the confines of society’s standards. What makes this show different from I’m the One that I Want and Notorious C.H.O.?

Margaret Cho It is all new material and the show is a lot more risque than my other shows. I am getting older, but certainly not slowing down at all.

I think burlesque was really what helped me get over feeling fat or old. Like it is the ultimate beauty treatment. You feel great about yourself. Burlesque has the power to do that.

Not really, but I think that if we can take charge of our own self-esteem—that is, define our own standards of what is beautiful—then we are able to save ourselves from being judged.

Yes, I will be doing lots of impressions of her! But you can tune in to VH1 Thursday nights at 11 p.m. and see the real thing!

MARGARET CHO’S ‘BEAUTIFUL’ LONG BEACH PERFORMING ARTS CENTER | TERRACE THEATER | 300 E OCEAN BOULEVARD | LONG BEACH 90802 | LONGBEACHCC.COM | SAT OCT 25 7&10PM | $35-65 | TICKETS ON SALE AT TICKETMASTER OUTLETS AND AT THE LONG BEACH PERFORMING ARTS CENTER BOX OFFICE

Tags: burlesque, margaret cho, the cho show, VH1