Margaret Cho
Los Angeles, CA USA
"To be rich is to do what you want and be happy, and to be able to live."
Career Roadmap
Margaret's work combines: Acting & Theatre, Television, and Being Creative
See more careers and stories that connect to your interests.
Take Roadmap Quiz
Day In The Life
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
At age 16, she realized she could be a comedian, but her parents weren't supportive, so she ran away to San Francisco.
2.
Says she realized very early on that she didn't want to ever compromise her own happiness to appease her parents.
3.
She went to L.A. to try to be an actress at the age of 19, but quickly realized that she was going to face a lot of typecasting.
4.
At one point, Rob Schneider's agent told her, "Asian people will never be successful in comedy. You have your life ahead of you-you should quit."
5.
She ignored that advice and kept going; took any odd job she could to keep her afloat in her pursuit of her dream.
6.
She worked as a Raggedy Ann doll at FAO Schwarz, at a bookstore, and as a short-order cook, and did comedy gigs late into the night.
7.
Soon, she was the most-booked act on college campuses, and once Bob Hope featured her on one of his specials, she became an overnight celebrity.
8.
Says the key to success is that you have to enjoy the small steps along the way; "if you love every step [of the process], it will lead somewhere."
Defining Moments
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
The agent said: 'I can't represent you because Asian people will never be successful in this business. You should just quit.'