Margaret Cho

One of comedy's most unique and subversive voices, Margaret Cho, visited Wilmington's DuPont Theatre last week as a stop on her current "Mother" tour, and brought her signature brand of politics with her. If you happen to be one of the few people who have not experienced Cho through her comedy, television appearances and roles, or political activism, then this show would serve as something of a primer in understanding her achievements in the entertainment industry.

Opening the show for Cho was the ever-dynamic and hilarious Selene Luna, who is equally diverse in her different roles in the industry, the most pertinent one being her frequent appearances on The Cho Show. With jokes largely pertaining to her fondness for marijuana, sexual escapades and challenges facing little people, Luna was a perfect jolt to the audience and a reminder that this is comedy not meant for the faint of heart.

With the quickest segue I have ever seen in a show, Luna ended her set and welcomed Margaret Cho to the stage. Having seen her a few times now, I will preface my thoughts of the show by saying that for a Cho performance, the "Mother" tour is somewhat more tame than I remember her.

But that's not to say it didn't have a bite. The difference between "Mother" and past tours I have seen is that Cho seems to have gained a stronger focus on the issues important to her than before.

Where jokes of the past were always much more steeped in shock value and hilarious impressions, Cho now lets her more natural sense of humor shine while she discusses subjects mostly pertaining to women's rights, racial issues and the current struggles of the LGBT community. These have always been subjects near and dear to Cho, and through her much acclaimed activism she has gained more to say and less to mock.

All of this aside, Cho still knows how to thoroughly shock an audience into laughter. Being someone who prefers his comedy with a healthy dose of irreverence and an equal helping of inappropriateness, I am not the easiest person to surprise. But Cho has never failed to leave me laughing until I cry at some of her more graphic or nasty impressions and references.

Margaret Cho has always amazed me with her commitment to political issues while always maintaining a level of comedy rarely matched by her peers. While always making sure to remain a comic first, it was one of the better comedy shows I have attended and my favorite Cho tour to date.