Kathy Griffin says she feels vindicated – and ‘uncanceled’ – nearly nine years after she faced personal and professional consequences after posting a photo holding a severed head resembling President Donald Trump.
The 65-year-old comedian was asked Thursday by WUSF about how she’s been nearly a decade after the national controversy, which cost her lucrative jobs and landed her under federal investigation.
‘I think I’m uncanceled, which is a miracle to me because I didn’t think I would ever be uncanceled,’ the Emmy-winning comic said.
The Oak Park, Illinois native went into detail about the fallout of the scandal, and how she’s slowly rebuilt her career in the time since.
‘I didn’t work for seven years,’ Griffin said, ‘and then when I went back on tour last time, which I made a special out of, which is free on YouTube, it’s called Kathy Griffin My Life on the PTSD List.
Griffin said that she understands she will forever be linked to the photo (which was snapped by photographer Tyler Shields), saying, ‘People still define me by it.’
Kathy Griffin, 65, says she feels vindicated – and ‘uncanceled’ nearly nine years after she faced personal and professional consequences after posting a photo holding a severed head resembling President Donald Trump. Pictured October 29 in NYC
Griffin said that in the wake of multiple controversies that have plagued Trump, she feels like a vindicated visionary to have made the bold artistic statement early into his first term.
‘Now, I really own it, and I absolutely lean into it, because I was right, and I was ahead of my time,’ Griffin said. ‘And so, when I look at that picture now, I’m very proud of it, because I know Donald.’
She opened up about her longtime link to Trump that preceded his foray into politics.
‘I’ve known him since the ’90s,’ Griffin said. ‘I’ve worked with him, and the fact that he came for me specifically was so bizarre.’
She revealed a comedic reaction Trump had whenever he ran into her when they were on better terms.
‘Whenever I would see him in person, he would act like he was scared of me, and he would put four fingers up like a cross, and go, “Oh, here she comes. She’s gonna be tough on me. Don’t make fun of the hair,”‘ Griffin said.
Griffin said that words of wisdom from one of her comedic colleagues – Jim Carrey – helped buoy her through the turbulent times since May of 2017.
‘Even when horrible things were happening to me, I kept thinking of what Jim Carrey told me when he called me the day the [Trump] picture blew up, and he said most comedians would give their right arm for this to happen to them,’ Griffin said.
Trump pictured in the Oval Office in January after signing an order
Griffin said that she understands she will forever be linked to the photo (which was snapped by photographer Tyler Shields), saying, ‘People still define me by it’
The My Life on the D-List personality added, ‘I was crying, and Jim said, “Put it through your Kathy Griffin comedy prism, and something funny will come out of it.”
‘And then when I finally went back on the road after seven years, it was fantastic.
‘And I can’t believe how wonderful the audiences have been, every single audience. It’s like they’re embracing me.’
Amid the backlash when the photo was published, Griffin lost a New Year’s Eve gig with CNN opposite Anderson Cooper.
Trump at the time tweeted, ‘Kathy Griffin should be ashamed of herself. My children, especially my 11 year old son, Barron, are having a hard time with this. Sick!’
Griffin subsequently apologized for the photo in a video, saying, ‘I sincerely apologize.
‘I am just now seeing the reaction of these images. I crossed the line. I went way too far. The image is too disturbing. I understand how it offends people – I get it.’
Griffin she the creative idea behind the image stemmed from Trump’s previous jabs involving blood aimed at journalist Megyn Kelly.
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