Search - Margaret Cho - I'm the One That I Want on DVD

Lordy - What an UNEXPECTED TREAT

Jose R. Perez | Yonkers, NY USA | 01/11/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I found myself gasping for air a couple of times during this stand up routine, from simply laughing so so much! To be honest, I never expected Cho to be as affable, accessible and plain funny as she proves to be here. Nothing she'd done that I'd seen before prepared me for the warmth and good nature she brings to the stage. If you are like me and think that her jokes will only appeal to gays, lesbians and Asians, you are flat out wrong. In an almost Lenny Bruce-like fashion, without as much fire and brimstone, Margaret Cho nails her jokes with ease, flair and an almost deceptively devlish good-girl grin. I took a chance and bought this DVD after hearing good things about the movie release. Not only am I thrilled I did, but I have since shared it with friends and family just to re-experience moments that are rarely seen in stand up comedy. More abrasive than Ellen DeGeneres, Cho is part Richard Pryor-part Carol Burnett, and charming all the way! This woman's got GUTS and laughs to last a lifetime! But it - you'll love it."

Fanning the flames.....

gac1003 | 08/25/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Margaret Cho describes the rise and fall of her TV show "All-American Girl," her close ties with the gay community, being Asian-American, and her dead-pan impersonations of her mother. By far one of the funniest stand-up films around, what makes this a great film is that she lets the audience see her human side. It takes much courage to discuss the whirlwind of emotions as well as the physical and mental stresses surrounding her failed TV show -- the producers said she was too fat to play herself, she wasn't Asian enough, the alcoholism, the hospital time. To go through that hell and still come out strong and with your sense of humor intact and then want to share it...she is to be admired.This is one film that I truly can watch over and over. Even though I know the jokes and though my friends and I quote some of the lines to one another (the line about Gwen will drive you mad!!!), I still laugh so hard and so loud and wipe the tears from my eyes. The DVD extras are also worth watching. A definite winner!"

Painfully funny, and painfully honest...

Robert W. Berg | New York, NY United States | 11/05/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I must admit that there were a few segments during this show that I was in literal pain, clutching my stomach with one hand, and hitting my lap with the other, incapable of breathing, and incapable of controlling my laughter. This was, without a doubt, one of the funniest, most brutally honest stand-up comedy shows I have ever seen. And yet, I would not want to label it as "stand-up comedy," since it was something much deeper and profound. This was not the expected list of witticisms and observations about society and pop culture that most people expect stand-up comedy to be. This is one woman's deep, penetrating look into herself, at good times and horrible times. She tells things to her audience about herself that most people would be too ashamed to say, but it is her hope that by revealing the bad things about her past, she can help others in her position. She talks about the discrimination she suffered, based both on her race and her weight, she talks about a long period of depression, boozing and drugging she went through, she talks about the producers of "All-American Girl," her short-lived sitcom, and how they coerced her to lose 35 pounds in 2 weeks, causing her kidneys to collapse...All of this sounds like this show is a real downer. But, ya know what? It isn't. This, as I said before, is also one of the funniest performances I have ever seen. She finds humor in even the bleakest of situations. It is a real testament to her that she found a way to make dark situation funny, and yet not mock the situations themselves, or herself. She strikes a delicate balance between pathos and comedy, and does so perfectly. Having survived a dark period in her life and come out on top, she can now look back on it from a different perspective. And it is one worth hearing, especially for young actors or actresses who feel they have to change themselves in order to become famous. But I must stress one more time...If you are just in the mood for laughs, do not run away from this film because of the dark parts. Because it is, once again, gutbustingly funny. There will be tears of laughter streaming down your face, and that is a guarantee.Margaret Cho is a great writer. Her routines are so meticulously worded, and in most cases, you cannot foresee her punchlines. She throws you for a loop everytime, making the jokes even funnier and more brilliant. And you must SEE her perform as well. Her facial expressions are priceless. And her accents are wonderful: her Valley Girl impression, her black gay guy impression, and of course, her impression of her Korean-born mother, which is both touching and hilarious. I recommend you purchase rather than rent this concert. I have watched it repeatedly, and it is still as funny as the first time I saw it. I always liked Margaret Cho, but this one DVD has made me a huge fan of hers. Her talent must be seen to be believed. She is that great."

Groundbreaking, hilarious & subversive

Eduardo Nietzsche | Houston | 12/15/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As an Asian-American I only wish that there were more Margaret Chos out there, female and male...such a powerful counterpoint to the "Model Minority" stereotype of Asians as submissive and faceless conformists and techno/corporate coolies. There's no doubt about it: this lady is hilarious, her facial expressions are just comedic gold, her graphic humor and acerbic wit devastating. In a nutshell, she has verve, and she has COJONES! Her jokes revolve around sex, admiration of gay men, racism and sexism...it's mostly the second that distinguishes her from most comics, who still tend to lean towards the homophobic side. Towards the end there is a bit of a confessional that flirts with self-pity and then syrupy self-help, but that's a small thing compared to the rest of this side-splitting movie. I'm ordering a copy for my very "proper" sister, who more closely fits the impeccable Yuppy suburbanite Asian stereotype...will relish watching it again with her, to see all the squiriming but also the shocked laughter."