Stand-up comedian Margaret Cho will headline MIT's sixth student drag show, "Fierce Forever 6," on Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. in Kresge Auditorium.
The award-winning celebrity is best known for her successful one-woman shows, including "I'm the One That I Want" (2000) and "Notorious C.H.O." (2001), and her 1994 television sitcom, "All-American Girl."
The main event of MIT's annual Fall Festival, "Fierce Forever" features more than 30 student and professional performers and usually plays to packed houses.
Hosting duties this year will be shared by Cho, Honey Dijon (aka Sylvain Bruni, a graduate student in aeronautics and astronautics) and Kitty Elektra (aka Ricky Ramirez, a senior in chemical engineering). Doors will open at 6 p.m.
A champion of gay rights, racial equality and feminism, Cho was described as a "sequined comic love child of Benny Hill and Gloria Steinem" by Helen Razer in The Age. The New York Times called her "equal parts inspired clown, committed advocate and ferocious Republican-baiter."
"I didn't mean to be a role model," Cho once said. "I just speak my truth. I guess speaking from your heart really creates a huge impact, and if I can encourage people to do that, then I would love to be a role model. If I could encourage people to use their voices loudly, then that's my reward."
Cho, who regularly tours and maintains an award-winning blog, recently received the First Amendment Award from the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, and the Intrepid Award from the National Organization for Women. She last appeared at MIT in October 2003, when she performed at MIT's Fall Festival during her third national comedy tour, "Revolution."
The Oct. 29 event, which is expected to sell out, is open to MIT students and affiliates as well as to local college students and their guests. Advance tickets are $10 for MIT students, $20 for other students and MIT staff, faculty and affiliates, and $30 for invited guests (tickets must be purchased by a student or affiliate and will become available on Oct. 23); an additional $5 will be charged for any tickets available at the door.
For more information, call x3-0684, e-mail fierce@mit.edu or visit web.mit.edu/fierce.
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on October 18, 2006 (download PDF).
