Comedy icon Margaret Cho has candidly discussed her personal experience with GLP-1 medications, revealing she suffers from a binge eating disorder and considers the treatment a vital tool for managing her condition. The 57-year-old star, who recently recounted Donald Trump's persistent efforts to recruit her for The Apprentice, described the medication as a "lifesaver" that effectively suppresses her appetite.
Understanding GLP-1 Medications
GLP-1, or glucagon-like peptide-1, is a hormone naturally produced in the gut that plays a crucial role in regulating blood sugar levels and controlling appetite after meals. This hormone signals the pancreas to release insulin when blood sugar rises and slows gastric emptying, helping individuals feel fuller sooner. Modern pharmaceutical versions of GLP-1 are designed to amplify these natural effects, leading to improved blood sugar control and significant weight reduction for many patients.
Cho's Personal Experience with Impulse Control
During an appearance on Richard Taite's podcast We're Out of Time, Cho shared her positive experience with GLP-1 medications. "I have taken them. I think they're great. I think they're really amazing for curbing impulse eating," she stated in the interview, which was first published by People magazine.
The conversation between Cho and Taite, founder of Carrara Treatment, Wellness & Spa, explored how GLP-1 medications have shown promising potential in treating various addictions, including those to drugs and alcohol.
Cho revealed the depth of her struggle, explaining: "I have a binge eating disorder. So, for me, it's actually been quite a lifesaver. I think that they are just perfect for any kind of impulse control that we're sort of looking at... people really criticize it, but I love them. I'm really grateful for them."
Addressing the Root Cause
While Cho did not specify which particular GLP-1 medication she uses—notable examples include semaglutide (sold as Ozempic and Wegovy) and tirzepatide (marketed as Mounjaro and Zepbound)—she emphasized that her primary motivation wasn't weight loss. "I started using it just to stop the food noise," she explained. "And it was less about losing weight... 'cause the way that I have a binge eating disorder, like, I'll eat to the point of my mouth is sore."
The Drop Dead Diva star described her eating behavior as stemming not from physical hunger but from "a kind of like wild inner hunger that doesn't make any sense." She characterized this pattern as a form of self-soothing that had become "definitely a very destructive habit." Reflecting on the medication's impact, Cho concluded: "And so, I think yeah, it's been incredibly helpful. I really love GLP-1s."
Trump's Persistent Recruitment Efforts
In a separate revelation, Cho recently recalled what she described as Donald Trump's "odd" insistence on having her join the cast of The Apprentice. Years before entering politics, Trump hosted the reality television show that featured ambitious business professionals competing for employment at his company.
"It was just odd, because he really wouldn't let up over a couple of years, he really wanted me to do it," Cho told The Daily Mail during the 2026 Queerties ceremony, where she received the Icon Award.
A Stressful Experience That Changed Her Mind
Cho's reluctance to join the show solidified after she appeared on an episode to support her friend, singer Cyndi Lauper, who was competing on The Celebrity Apprentice. "And I just was like, I have a bad feeling," Cho recalled. "I had gone on briefly for when my friend Cyndi Lauper had done The Apprentice. And so I went to visit her challenge in her diners, and it was just very stressful. I didn't want to put myself in that position."
She added that at the time, she had limited familiarity with Trump's persona: "I had no idea who he was. I never really spent that much time in New York, and he's such a New York kind of person. Everybody knew, but I didn't really know."
Cho first shared this anecdote during a recent appearance on The Julia Cunningham Show, explaining: "I was asked several times to be on it, season after season, and they kept saying, 'Well, Donald Trump really loves you. Please come on.' I just had a bad feeling about it."
Political Boundaries
The lifelong Democrat expressed further bewilderment when she was approached to support Trump's presidential campaign in 2016. "At the beginning of the campaign in 2016, Michael Cohen somehow got my email and was really begging me to become part of the campaign," Cho revealed. "And I'm like, 'That's insane. I'm a lifelong Democrat.' Why would I back somebody that... I didn't know anything about him also, because I'm not a New Yorker."
At the Queerties ceremony, Cho used her platform to criticize Trump and his administration, telling the audience: "I'm so honored to be here with all of you, I love the Queerties. I'm just proud that we have an award ceremony to acknowledge what we do—we make each other laugh, we make each other survive this terrible administration, we make each other want to revolt even harder."
Cho's Career and Advocacy
Margaret Cho rose to prominence after creating and starring in the short-lived ABC sitcom All-American Girl. She has since become best known for her stand-up comedy routines, which frequently critique social and political issues with particular focus on race and sexuality.
Throughout her career, Cho has been a consistent supporter of LGBT rights and has received numerous awards for her humanitarian efforts on behalf of women, Asian Americans, and the LGBT community. In 2012, she earned an Emmy Award nomination for her guest role as Dictator Kim Jong-il on 30 Rock.
Currently on tour, Cho continues to use her platform to address important health and social issues while maintaining her status as one of comedy's most influential voices.
