Look, my friend, the great comic Holly Bruckner wrote a birthday poem for me! aw shucks!!!

From: Holly Bruckner
Date: December 2, 2006
To: MargaretCho
Subject: Margaret a poem in your honor

So I was bored and I decided to write you a birthday poem. I hope you like it.

Margaret you are the coolest person on Earth
You’re like so much better than penis girth
You make me laugh till I pee
Whenever you talk about your pussy
You’re so talented- you can rap and you can dance
And even better you take a stance
You fight for the issues that matter most
Scaring the republicans like they’ve seen a ghost
Now you work for good vibrations- that’s so neat
Now I’ll think of you when my man’s about to skeet
You’re like the biggest inspiration in my life
Well…you and Paul McCartney’s soon to be Ex-wife
I mean…damn I should fuck and marry an old man for his cash
But then again I’m not gutter-trash
Oh I’m sorry I lost track for a second there
Anyways thank you for doing and saying what you dare
You’re a hero to me and plenty more
Because you hate Bush- I can’t believe he won again in 04
But you’re right at least we know where all the stupid people are
A color coded map of the states where you can’t find a gay bar
Where marriage is an exclusive right
Where they rather put an idiot into office than give into the homo plight
They won that battle- but we will when the war, in time
As we speak the ladder of equality we slowly climb
Thanks to your courage and support
One day everyone’s marriage will be legal in the eyes of the court
Not only the straight
Anyways you’re fucking great!

Happy Birthday

—-Original Message—–
From: Sara Benincasa
Sent: Sunday, May 14, 2006
To: margaretcho
Subject: Thank you for inspiring me to become a stand-up comic

Dear Margaret,

I have been listening to your CDs/watching your performances (via DVD and TV) for a number of years now, but only in the past 3 years have I truly come to understand the magnitude of your impact on American popular culture, stand-up comedy, and me.

I am 25, and first encountered your work when I was 14. Over the past eleven years, your work slowly helped heal the ethnic, religious, sexual and gender-related prejudices I brought from my childhood. You helped me to heal my ignorance, and you continue to do so. Your work, as well as the work of outspoken artists and writers like Michael Moore, the Dalai Lama, Sandra Bernhard, Bruce Bawer, SARK and Chris Rock, played a large role in ensuring that I grew up to become a socially conscious adult willing to sit with the questions and to be comfortable with the fact that no one has the ultimate answer.

In my childhood, I did not understand the immense importance of your presence on the American pop culture scene. I did not comprehend the enormity of the impact that you made as a groundbreaking, Asian-American, female, feminist, queer comic. I did not know the burden and the blessings that any and all of these labels bestow.

I understood your comedy on a superficial level, and enjoyed it, but it would be a long time past eighth grade when I finally appreciated the badass revolutionary qualities you embody.

As I have grown, I have watched your work evolve and change. Your unhinged rants showed me that rage can be funny. Your unabashed political opinions showed me that it was okay to talk about real stuff, important stuff, serious stuff, onstage. Your bravery in speaking about your sexuality helped me to finally, at the age of 24, be able to admit to myself and to others that I was attracted to women as well as men. Your honesty about food troubles and triumphs informs and validates my own periodic struggle with eating.

A boyfriend once told me, “I’m afraid that if you continue to gain weight, I won’t be physically attracted to you anymore.” I was 5’3″ and 130 pounds. I know you have heard things like this, all kinds of things from all kinds of people–intimate relations to total strangers. I know because you have told the world about it and have refused to stay silent and compliant. When that guy finally dumped me, I looked in the mirror and said, “I’m never going to allow someone to speak to me that way again.” Then I took out my copy of “The Notorious C.H.O.” and gave it a good listen.

Today I am a high school teacher by day and a stand-up comic by night. I doubt I would have thought I had anything worthy of being heard in a comedy club or a theatre if I hadn’t encountered your work as a kid. I get on the mic in large part because you got on the mic.

Thank you for continuing to affirm that you are beautiful and that everyone has the ability to be beautiful.

Thank you for also sharing your shitty selfishness and acknowledging that we all can be shitty and selfish and still unbelievably lovable.

Thank you for posting the blog entry “No Time for Suicide” (an early one, I believe). I just read your blog for the first time today and spent about three hours pondering the things I discovered.

Thank you for sharing your ups and downs. It is draining sometimes, I know, but you keep on keepin’ on.

Someday, when you are 85 and selling out Carnegie Hall and they make an award-winning and popular documentary about it, I hope to be one of the wrinkled gray talking heads making comments like, “Ah, yes, I remember back in my young days, when I first saw Margaret Cho. We watched what we called ‘television’ back then and we didn’t have much to do, as this was before hoverboards were invented. I have to say, I wouldn’t have been such a ginormous earth-shattering blindingly fabulous success as a comic if it hadn’t been for Margaret’s example.”

I hope to see your show in Englewood (always up ta no good!) in August.

Thank you for being imperfect and not afraid to show it. You are aware of your power as a public person and, like all superhero/ines, you use your power for good rather than evil.

With gratitude,
Sara Benincasa
www.myspace.com/sarabenincasa

Margaret is out of town and away from her computer – performing tonight at the “Bring Em Home Now” Concert.

Some of your recent letters:

—–Original Message—–
Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2006 12:25 AM
To: margaretcho
Subject: More re South Dakota

Check the NEW South Dakota state logo at Feministing…

—–Original Message—–
Sent: Tuesday, March 07, 2006 8:31 AM
To: margaretcho
Subject: Dear Margaret

Dear Margaret,

I just watched “Assassin” the other day, and you are right on target when you talk about Christians and the overwhelming lack of compassion. I just read an article on Fred Phelps and his “God Hates Fags” propaganda, and I feel like crying.

I don’t know who else to write to about this, I’ve read the articles on your site and I agree with you. What’s more is I am a Catholic Christian straight military member who agrees with you. What you say and what you write seems so obvious, why others don’t see it doesn’t make sense to me.

I could write fan girl stuff for pages about how I understand wanting to be white so I could get good roles when I perform, or even the lighter side when talking about your gay friends, or drag queens. It’s good to know I’m not the only one with that frame of mind.
May your voice never be silenced Margaret. The world needs more famous compassionate people. While you have the masses’ ears say what must be said! In short, you rock sista’!

BTW,
Thank you for making me realize I am beautiful even when I gain weight.

-C
—–Original Message—–
Sent: Monday, February 27, 2006 12:05 PM
To: margaretcho
Subject: I’m way behind, i know.

Dearest Fucking Margaret Cho,

You are an incredible, amazing, and brave person, and I can’t believe how long it’s taken me to read one of your books. Of course, I’ve seen you on Sex and the City, caught glimpses on comedy central, but I finally picked up “I have chosen to stay and fight” a few days ago and cannot put it down or stop reading excerpts to my friends. Seriously, everything you say strikes this resounding chord of truth and love deep in my soul. I am a French Canadian university student, and yet I feel we couldn’t be more identical. What an example of the universality of the human condition. I particularly loved the Fuck It Diet. wow. story of my life, so now I am following the fuck it diet. This is new, and it will take a while to erase the guilt from eating “bad” food, but life is just too short, and I am getting over my Crazy Eyes.

Your intense political stance and willingness to shout out amidst the silent support of crazy white male motherfuckers is a complete and utter kick in my pants to remind me that there IS something I can do about all of this shit. and that is to love. you give me words to voice all the messed up feelings of despair, hopelessness, anger and frustration i have with the Bush administration and with our Western society as a whole.

I wish you would come and tour western Canada someday. or else I’ll have to go find you in the Land of the Free!!

love forever,

-J
—–Original Message—–
Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2006 7:39 PM
To: margaretcho
Subject: From an “older” but staunch fan….

Hi Margaret:

I just wanted to let you know that you’re one helluva funny lady & have brought hours of laughter into my life. I’m in my middle 50′s, married to the same man for 28 years & have raised 2 children among my many claims to fame, lol. My life is dull at best. However, even though I already knew your comedic work, I discovered your Blog one night over a year ago, while researching my damned plantar’s wart on the internet. I just couldn’t believe how hard you made me laugh at something that had given me so much pain over the years. I became an instant, die-hard fan of your blogs. Your wit, humor, insight, and views on life in general are simply brilliant, as you’re able to pen my thoughts as if reading my mind.

Even when suffering through the pain of helping my son battle heroin addiction, you were able to make me laugh. I cannot thank you enough for just “being there”. I totally agree with you… I’ve never liked my friends because they were perfect, but because they had been to the depths & back, which gave them depth in character. I too, have suffered through many addictions throughout my life, only to emerge realizing that I really didn’t want to die. I just wanted to be noticed, or loved, or cared about, or something. Anything. Anything but being ignored or unseen or unheard or not cared about or just ordinary. I also had a dear friend whom I did community theatre with, that died too young from AIDS. His death nearly took me with him. On my first to trip to New York (eons ago) he took me to my first gay bar where we danced all night till 3 in the morning. It was sheer excruciating pain watching him fade away from my reach, knowing there was no way I could ever repay him for all the fun we’d had together, or all the joy he’d brought into my life while he was here.

At any rate, I don’t want to get off on one of my rants. I just want to let you know you have a kindred spirit out here in the Middle American Abyss. A frumpy housewife who once had dreams of being in Broadway musicals but wound up getting married & having children, as I was expected to do. I hope you don’t mind if I occasionally live vicariously through you. It’s such fun to do so. Keep those thoughts & opinions coming!

Cheers!

-L

Note: Margaret is on vacation and away from her blog. She gets so many nice and touching letters from you folks we thought we’d share some recent ones today (since you’ve all seen the not so nice ones). Thanks for sharing your kind words:

—–Original Message—–
From: [removed]
Sent: Monday, December 26, 2005 1:00 PM
To: margaretcho
Subject: fan commentary

HI MARGARET!!!

I’m a 22 year old gay man living in Tempe, Arizona (Phoenix area), and I’m a REGISTERED Democrat. (I make it a point to say that because so few of my friends even bother to vote, which is a shame.)

About 6 months ago a new friend of mine showed me your video “Cho Revolution.” I have to confess that up until that point I had never heard of you before. I thought your comedy style was HISTERICAL! Three months later I purchased a 3-video set of “I’m the one that I want”, “Notorious C.H.O.”, and “Cho Revolution.” I watched your first two videos back to back AND COULD NOT STOP LAUGHING MY ASS OFF!

What I really enjoy about your comedy, aside from the fact that it’s fucking funnier than anything I’ve ever seen, is how you present social issues, particularly HIV/AIDS, eating disorders, body dismorphia, and the general social inequality in our country with regard to Gays and Lesbians. You do so in an up-front, in-your-face style – you hold nothing back. Not only that, but you integrate it into your comedy routine so it’s though provoking, yet funny at the same time!

I just recently rented your most recent video “Assassin” which I LOVED, as well, and I intend to buy it. I was particularly interested by your reference to the hate mail you received. I looked on your website in the hate mail section and I couldn’t believe the nasty things they were saying! That’s right-wing fundamentalist HYPOCRITICAL Christians for you though – instead of actually addressing the issue they just attack the person. Masters of the Ad Hominem fallacy, they are. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were inspired by Karl Rove himself!

I wanted to let you know that you inspired me to become more interested in politics, which I had previously just ignored. I also just got done writing a letter to Senator John McCain of my home state of Arizona – the first time I’ve every written my Congressman. To summarize my 2 page letter: I gave him a little background on my life, explained why I felt gays should be allowed to marry, refuted as many anti-gay marriage Republican arguments I could think of, and ended it by saying that marriage is a part of happiness in life for (most) people in this country, and that the U.S. Constitution guarantees life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And I managed to say all of it in a respectful manner so he couldn’t dismiss my arguments so easily. We’ll see if it has any effect on his views. I’m hopeful it will because Arizona is actually full of moderate Republicans and Democrats. In the 2004 election Bush only got 56% of the vote here – usually Republican candidates get around 70%. A lot of people have moved to the Phoenix area from California and it seems that most of them are liberals! As a side note: perhaps you could throw something into your routine to encourage young people like me to get off their asses and vote, too!

Anyway, thank you so much for your comedy, your political inspiration, and for sharing powerful and compelling stories from your own life!

KICK ASS MARGARET!!!!

Hugs and kisses,

-Mike

—–Original Message—–
From: [removed]
Sent: Thursday, December 29, 2005 6:45 PM
To: margaretcho
Subject: Dude, I’m e-mailing Margaret Cho

Heh. No, this isn’t an e-mail detailing in what ways I can help to make your penis larger, or even an e-mail giving you a free suscription to a website where you get to see a horse fucking women. No, this is just an e-mail of a devout follower of you and Bruce, who wants to share some of my life and my own experiences with you.

I’m 13. I’m gay. I’m overweight, and honestly, you’re one of the few people who I really think I can talk to about this kind of thing. I don’t actually know if you’ll ever read this, but eh. You might, and that’s plenty of motive for me to do so.

I remember when I first saw I’m The One That I Want. I was 11 and we were watching it on a DVD she borrowed from a friend at work. For some kind of reason or another, I felt an odd sense of acceptance as I watched. The fact is, I’ve been really, really gay since I could speak. I think my first words were Dolce and Gabana, my mom just pretended it was cheesburger.

The moment I hit puberty, I was unable to look at a boy who was even remotely attractive without having my brain launch into the darkest, filthiest, most disgusting place my 12 year-old mind could conjure. I knew I was gay and it was terrifying, because it meant that all the kids at school who were calling me a fag and a homo and a queer were right. I was gay. It was almost like I’d let them win.

I’m only out to one girl at my school, and she’s been my rock through the whole thing. She’s my fag-hag and she loves it, but it’s also upsetting, because I know that no one else will be as accepting as she is.

Including my mom. My dad died in June, and I miss him, sometimes. He was very critical of all my actions. He wanted me to lose weight, and get some friends who were boys. It never happened. I don’t know how my mom’ll react at this point in her life. I can’t lose her, she’s the only one I have left.

There’s days when I feel bad, and, as corny as it may sound, I pop in one of your specials, I laugh my ass off, and I take comfort in that there’s someone who understands it.

You know, I’ve been in 4 musicals at my school. It’s a mystery to ME that they don’t know I’m gay.

I wanna be an actor someday. Or a comedian, and I want to be able to tell my stories to people and find support. I want to be able to end my shows with a deep, meaningful monologue and end it with a joke that makes people laugh like what I just said didn’t affect them any.

I’m at an age where, like the rest of the children around me, I am trying to come into my own. But what do I even do when my own isn’t going to be accepted by them around me?

I love you, girl. Thanks for all the help through the years.

-Nick

—–Original Message—–
From: [removed]
Sent: Wednesday, December 28, 2005 1:32 PM
To: margaretcho
Subject: One Voice

Margaret,

First, I’ve been a fan of yours for years, following your act since I was introduced to your talents on HBO. I was lucky enough to get tickets to your show, Revolution, at the Majestic Theatre in Dallas, where I reside. I actually got the tickets from some old troll at a gay bar here called Woody’s. I smiled, shook my ass and kissed his sweet cheek for the gift. To see you live was an incredible experience.

OK, I’ll stop blowing menthol smoke up your ass and get right to the point.

I’ve always been scrutinized for my extremely gregarious character and blatant, sometimes brasen, yet always honest voice. But, much like you, I only speak the truth. Words are just vowels and consenants. But, actions speak volumes.

When I was 21, I came out to my father. I’ll be 30 in February. His words to me were “Just don’t bring any of your boyfriends here or to any family function.” Those were the wrong words to say to me. At the time, I was a TV reporter on a gay TV show in Houston. So, just to be a rebel fucker, I sent my father tapes of every show I was on. That way he could watch me trapse around the gayborhood like the little queen I was, and I could rub it in his face. Later, I moved to Dallas to start a fresh new life, where I mailed photos of me kissing and hugging boys to my father. Nine years later, my intolerence for ignorance payed off, and my father, along with my entire family, embraces and accepts me and my homosexuality.

I pounded the pavement in my twenties – for equality. My first TV report was on late Matthew Shepherd of Wyoming. Initially, I had signed up to cover the entertainment portion of the show. But, my producer insisted that I get my feet wet by covering the biggest and most important story of the decade. For that, I thank him. Covering the Matthew Shepherd story opened my eyes to so many injustices in this world – injustices that I had taken for granted as a young, 21 year old kid who was newly out.

Matthew Shepherd led to my own awakening. I soon joined the Pride Committee of Houston and LGRL (Lesbian Gay Rights Lobby), now called Equality Texas, of which I’m still a member. And my voice is loud. I do not tolerate ignorance – not from my family, not from any mullet-wearing redneck fucker – not from anyone.

Just this year, the CEO of my company came to visit my office in Dallas. He rarely visits any offices around the nation. Each employee was charged with submitting a question we all wanted answered by our CEO.

Mine was simple:

“Why do I come to work every day and work tirelessly, putting in countless hours of time – even from home when I’m off work; practically married to my job…why am I devoted hopelessly to a company that’s not devoted to me? Why does my company not offer me domestic partner benefits?”

The CEO answered several questions that day, but failed to mention mine. However, about 30 days later an internal memo was sent out that announced the inclusion of sexual orientation in our EEO statement, and the additon of domestic partner benefits. I didn’t care that he was too chicken shit to discuss my issue with everyone outloud. He made a change. That’s all I wanted. That’s what I got.

My point: The power of one can change the world. This was just one small step. But, it’s one more company out there that is listening to the world around it, and moving forward with the times. All because I asked one simple question.

I’m preaching to the choir here, Margaret. But no one can ever get too much positive feedback. Your voice is so important. As a gay man, I would like to sincerely thank you. Thank you for advocating on my behalf. Thank you for standing up and making a difference. Thank you for making me laugh and cry with joy. Thank you for not being afraid. Thank you for giving the gay community a voice. Thank you for waking up the advocate in so many people, who will in return make their voice heard. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Jason