Margaret Cho will be 'Live and LIVID!' at the Byham Theater

Margaret Cho, the Emmy- and Grammy-nominated stand-up comedian, actress, activist and musician, will be “Live and LIVID!” on Saturday at the Byham Theater in Downtown Pittsburgh.

“I always love to go see The Andy Warhol Museum, which is really amazing, really really incredible,” Cho said about Pittsburgh in a phone interview. “I’ve just done a few shows there, so I’m so glad to be coming back.”

Cho, a native of San Francisco, began doing stand-up at the age of 14. Over her lengthy career, she has embarked on 10-plus tours, released numerous comedy albums and specials, and has appeared in many films and television shows, including her starring role in the 1994 sitcom “All-American Girl.”

She is known for her incisive — and often cutting — political comedy and activism on behalf of several underrepresented communities. She discussed how she channels her anger into her work to make her voice heard.

“If you’re not angry, you’re not paying attention. Everybody has to be angry. There’s a million different things [to be angry about],” Cho said.

Despite feeling frustrated about the current landscape, she wants her comedy to be a source of strength and optimism for the audience. “You need to find a way to find a sense of hope around the future,” Cho said. “There is hope.”

“I think that’s really the whole point — if we can just find a way to see the light in the situation, then we can find a way to carry on through,” she added.

She is especially concerned about laws concerning bodily autonomy, a current hot-button issue across the United States. She has also incorporated her own life experience into her stand-up.

“And then my own issue of getting older, being an elder in the comedy community, in the Asian-American comedy community, certainly it’s a very different perspective, so I’m happy to bring that,” she said.

Looking at the current entertainment scene is a huge source of pride for Cho, whose career has been an inspiration for younger generations of funny people.

“It’s very exciting. It’s really wonderful. I love that comedy is so expansive and diverse and now welcomes so many diverse voices, especially within the queer community and the Asian-American community … I am so proud of all my children. I mean, these are my kids,” she said, citing newer stars like Joel Kim Booster, Bowen Yang, Ali Wong and Awkwafina.

“These are my babies, they’re my legacy and I’m always hitting them up for jobs now,” she joked.

She noted that she felt alone as an Asian-American comedian and actor for the majority of her career and that she’s broken down barriers for those who followed her. “I’m loving what’s happening in comedy because it’s, for me, really satisfying,” she said.

The “Live and LIVID!” tour is a chance for her to connect with audiences on important issues, and for her to spur conversations about the future that matter to her. She said that she learns from her audiences all the time.

“You have to, you have to be hyper-aware of what’s happening and how your message is being perceived, especially when you’re talking about topics that are pretty volatile. To handle them with a sense of grace and listening is really important,” she explained.

At 55, Cho is a decorated and accomplished performer, musician, activist, entrepreneur and author, but she isn’t nearly done yet. Looking to the next stage, she has a slew of projects to be excited about.

“I’m looking forward to this tour,” she said. She is also working on a play that she’s hoping to stage later this year, a film and her first music record in the better part of a decade. “Stuff that’s happening, but not ready to be announced yet, but there’s stuff coming down the pipeline.”

But making people laugh is still top of her list of goals. “I would like to do more stand-up comedy and more acting, for me that’s where it’s always been. I love that I get to do this as my job, so I think it’s just to continue on with the same pace and same enthusiasm, that’s the reward.”

Margaret Cho’s “Live and LIVID!” tour will be at the Byham Theater in Downtown Pittsburgh at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. The show will contain mature content. For more information and tickets, visit trustarts.org.