Kathleen Mary "Kathy" Griffin (born November 4, 1960) is an
AmericaThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
n actress, stand-up comedian, media personality, and
LGBTLGBT is an initialism referring collectively to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. In use since the 1990s, the term “LGBT” is an adaptation of the initialism “LGB” which itself started replacing the phrase “gay community” which many within LGBT communities felt did not represent...
rights advocate. A self-proclaimed "D-list celebrity", Griffin first gained recognition for appearances on two episodes of
SeinfeldSeinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. The eponymous series was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, with the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
, and then for her supporting role on the
NBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices in Burbank,California...
sitcom
Suddenly SusanSuddenly Susan is an American sitcom that was broadcast on NBC from 1996 to 2000. Its headlining star was Brooke Shields, who got the show after a guest appearance on Friends in the episode "The One After the Superbowl"....
. She is now the star of the Bravo reality show
Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-ListKathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List is a reality show starring Kathy Griffin and airing on Bravo. The show made its debut in August 2005. The show follows the struggle of self-proclaimed "D-list" celebrity Kathy Griffin to climb the Hollywood ladder. This often includes scheming for publicity with...
, for which she won two Emmy Awards as executive producer. She has also worked as a voice artist and
red carpetA red carpet is traditionally used to mark the route taken by heads of state on ceremonial and formal occasions, and has in recent decades been extended to use by VIPs and celebrities at formal events.- Overview :...
commentator, in addition to several other career pursuits. In 2008 she was nominated for a
Grammy AwardThe Grammy Awards —or Grammys—are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States for outstanding achievements in the music industry...
for Best Comedy Album.
Early life
Griffin was born in the Chicago suburb of
Oak Park, IllinoisOak Park, Illinois is a suburb bordering the west side of the city of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is the twenty-fifth largest city in Illinois. Oak Park has easy access to downtown Chicago thanks to public transportation such as the Chicago 'L' Blue and Green lines, CTA...
, and raised there and in nearby
Forest ParkForest Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago in the United States. The population was 15,688 at the 2000 census...
. Her family is
Irish CatholicIrish Catholic is a term used to describe people who are both Catholic and Irish .The term is of note due to Irish immigration to many countries of the English speaking world, particularly as a result of the Great Irish Famine in the late 1840s, following which the population declined by over half...
, her mother, Margaret "Maggie" (
néeA married name is the family name adopted by a person upon marriage, and in speaking of the many cultures where the practice is traditional for women, the maiden name is the family name that the married name replaces....
Corbally), was a hospital administrator; and her father, John Patrick Griffin, was an electronics store manager. She attended St. Bernadine's Elementary School in Forest Park and
Oak Park and River Forest High SchoolOak Park and River Forest High School, or OPRF, is a public four-year high school located in Oak Park, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is the only school of Oak Park and River Forest District 200....
, where she graduated in 1978. After high school she attended
Triton CollegeTriton College is a two-year community college located in River Grove, Illinois, a suburb northwest of downtown Chicago. Triton College offers an education as well as career-oriented learning opportunities....
in
River Grove, IllinoisRiver Grove is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 10,668 at the 2000 census.-Geography:River Grove is located at ....
later dropping out. Griffin is the youngest of five children — she has two older brothers, John and Gary, and an older sister, Joyce. Her other brother, Kenny, is deceased.
In her 2009 autobiography
Official Book Club Selection, Griffin went on the record for the first time about the troubled life of Kenny Griffin. Detailing his history of drug abuse and wife/spousal battering, she also discussed how, though never prosecuted, she believed Kenny was a child molester; and further, how many of his female companions over the years revealed this. She additionally states that when she was eight years old, he would climb into bed with her and cuddle, whispering "sweet nothings" to her (though he never actually molested her.) After being told of his inappropriate contact with minors, Griffin chose to end her relationship with her brother.
In the autobiography Griffin goes on to explain the impact this decision had on her life. Other members of Griffin's family refused to believe Kenny was a molester, which caused a rift in their family. Many years later Griffin's father, while speaking on the telephone to Kenny (who was imprisoned,) confronted him about the issue. Rather than deny or confirm, Kenny simply stated "I do what I do." This essentially confirmed his guilt, and ended the family argument on the issue. Griffin stated that many years later she actually passed Kenny on a road, and saw him with a cardboard sign begging for money. She notes how it struck her that his sign stated simply "Need food" rather than the commonly seen "Will Work For Food", and that it influenced her well-known work ethic for the rest of her life. He ultimately returned home to his parents after living on the street, and died in his mother's arms while waiting for an ambulance.
Stand-up comedy, TV, and film
Griffin began performing in the early 1980s Los Angeles improv comedy troupe,
The GroundlingsThe Groundlings is an improvisational comedy troupe based in Los Angeles, California, USA. The troupe was formed by Gary Austin in 1974 and uses an improv format influenced by Viola Spolin to produce sketches and improvised scenes...
. In an
E! True Hollywood StoryE! True Hollywood Story is a TV documentary series on the E! Entertainment Television cable and DBS channel that deals with famous Hollywood celebrities, movies, TV shows and well-known public figures...
segment, she stated that she often went to see the Groundlings perform before she joined. She said that at one show, she went backstage and talked with Groundling member
Phil HartmanPhil Hartman was a Canadian-born American actor, comedian, screenwriter and graphic artist. Born in Brantford, Ontario, Hartman and his family immigrated to the United States when he was ten. After graduating from California State University, Northridge with a degree in graphic arts, he designed...
and asked him what The Groundlings were all about. Struggling to make it in the Los Angeles acting scene, she joined the troupe after a failed audition for the lead role in the film version of
Harriet the SpyHarriet the Spy is a 1996 comedy-drama and mystery film adaptation of the 1964 novel of the same name, drawn and written by Louise Fitzhugh, and starring Michelle Trachtenberg as the title character....
. This led to her taking classes there and eventually being asked into the Main Company.
She went on to perform stand-up comedy and became part of the burgeoning
alternative comedyAlternative comedy is a style of comedy that originated in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s and 1980s which would eventually go on to become mainstream in the 1990s and up to the present day...
scene in Los Angeles, appearing at
Un-CabaretUn-Cabaret is a Los Angeles-based alternative comedy organization that produces live, TV and multi-media projects, workshops and events.-History:...
and her own show "Hot Cup of Talk", later the title of Griffin's 1998 solo HBO special.
Kathy made a cameo appearance in
Quentin TarantinoQuentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990s he was an independent filmmaker whose films used nonlinear storylines and aestheticization of violence...
's 1994 film
Pulp FictionPulp Fiction is a 1994 crime film directed by Quentin Tarantino, who cowrote its screenplay with Roger Avary. The film is known for its rich, eclectic dialogue, ironic mix of humor and violence, nonlinear storyline, and host of cinematic allusions and pop culture references...
. Her small role was a pedestrian coming to the aid of Marcellas Wallace (
Ving RhamesIrving Rameses "Ving" Rhames is a Golden Globe-winning American actor best known for his work in Pulp Fiction, Don King: Only in America, and the Mission: Impossible film series .-Early life:...
) after he is hit by
Bruce WillisWalter Bruce Willis , better known as Bruce Willis, is an American actor and producer. His career began in television in the 1980s and has continued both in television and film since, including comedic, dramatic, and action roles. He is well known for the role of John McClane in the Die Hard...
' character's car.
She broke into film with the supporting role of Connie in the
horror filmHorror films are movies that strive to elicit the emotions of fear, horror and terror from viewers. Their plots frequently involve themes of death, the supernatural or mental illness...
The UnbornThe Unborn is the second album by Finnish melodic death metal band Mors Principium Est. A limited edition digipack version was also released, with two bonus tracks.-Track listing:# "Pure" – 6:08# "The Harmony Remains" – 4:51...
, starring Brooke Adams.
Griffin gradually amassed such TV and
filmFilm encompasses individual motion pictures, the field of film as an art form, and the motion picture industry. Films are produced by recording images from the world with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects....
credits as a role in comedian
Julie BrownJulie Ann Brown is an American actress, comedienne, novelty singer-songwriter and screenwriter. Brown is perhaps best known for her work in the 1980s, where she often played a quintessential valley girl character....
's
Medusa: Dare to Be TruthfulMedusa: Dare to Be Truthful is an American 1992 mockumentary film starring comedienne Julie Brown as the title character, with Kathy Griffin and Donal Logue in supporting roles...
, a
ShowtimeShowtime is a subscription television brand used by a number of channels and platforms around the world, but primarily refers to a group of channels in the United States...
parody of the 1991
MadonnaMadonna is an American recording artist, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, and raised in Rochester Hills, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977, for a career in modern dance...
film
Truth or Dare; two appearances as the character Susan Klein, a reporter, on
NBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices in Burbank,California...
's
The Fresh Prince of Bel-AirThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from September 10, 1990 to May 20, 1996. The show starred Will Smith as a street-smart teenager from West Philadelphia who is sent to live with his wealthy relatives in a Bel Air mansion. His lifestyle often...
, her TV sitcom debut; fellow comic Bob Goldthwait's film
Shakes the ClownShakes the Clown is a 1992 American movie directed and written by Bobcat Goldthwait, who performs the title role. It also features Julie Brown, Blake Clark, Paul Dooley, Kathy Griffin, Florence Henderson, Tom Kenny, Adam Sandler, Scott Herriott, LaWanda Page, and a cameo by Robin Williams as Mime...
; as the enthusiastic leader of a fanatical car club on the
EllenEllen is a U.S. television sitcom that ran on the ABC network from March 29, 1994 to July 22, 1998, producing 109 episodes.The theme song, "So-Called Friend" is by Scottish band Texas...
episode "Oh, Sweet Rapture", airing in January 1996; starring in a dual-role in a 7th season episode of
The X-FilesThe X-Files is an American cult science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. It first aired in September 1993 and ended in May 2002...
, and an episode of
ABCThe American Broadcasting Company is an American television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. It first broadcast on television in 1948...
's
divorceDivorce or dissolution of marriage is the final termination of a marriage, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between two persons...
-attorney series
Civil WarsCivil Wars is an American legal drama that aired on ABC from November 1991 to March 1993. The series was produced by Steven Bochco, known for his work on NYPD Blue, L.A. Law, and Hill Street Blues.-Synopsis:...
, Griffin's dramatic-series debut. In addition, she most recently appeared on the show
Ugly BettyUgly Betty is an American comedy-drama television series created by Silvio Horta, which premiered on The American Broadcasting Company on September 28, 2006. The series revolves around Betty Suarez, an unglamorous and good-natured girl, and her incongruous job at the ultra-chic New York City...
as a fashion channel reporter.
After starring in an
HBO Half Hour Comedy Special, Griffin's first consistent public exposure came in 1996, when she was cast as the acerbic colleague of
Brooke ShieldsBrooke Christa Camille Shields is an American actress, author and model. Some of her better-known movies include Pretty Baby and The Blue Lagoon as well as TV shows such as Suddenly Susan, That 70's Show, and Lipstick Jungle.-Early life:Shields was born in New York City into a well-known American...
' title character on the NBC sitcom
Suddenly SusanSuddenly Susan is an American sitcom that was broadcast on NBC from 1996 to 2000. Its headlining star was Brooke Shields, who got the show after a guest appearance on Friends in the episode "The One After the Superbowl"....
. In 1998, Griffin starred in her first one-hour special, HBO's
Kathy Griffin: A Hot Cup of Talk. She honed a comedy and television career that poked fun at her relatively modest place in the Hollywood hierarchy in a self-deprecating manner. She frequently appears in such self-consciously tacky projects as the
reality showReality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors...
competition
Celebrity MoleCelebrity Mole may refer to*The Mole - commonly known as Celebrity Mole Hawaii, the third overall season of The Mole*The Mole - commonly known as Celebrity Mole Yucatan, the fourth overall season of The Mole...
Hawaii—in which she won the 2003 edition after undergoing such experiences as walking over hot
lavaLava is molten rock expelled by a volcano during eruption. This molten rock is formed in the interior of some planets, including Earth, and some of their satellites. When first erupted from a volcanic vent, lava is a liquid at temperatures from 700 °C to 1,200 °C...
with her bare feet. She identifies her victory as the moment she became a "D-list" celebrity.
Griffin also has a secondary career in
voiceoverVoiceOver is a screen reader built into Apple Inc.'s Mac OS X operating system since version 10.4. By using VoiceOver, the user can access his or her Macintosh by using speech and the keyboard. The feature is designed to increase accessibility blind and low-vision users and users with dyslexia...
work, and has been featured on a variety of projects such as the animated series
DilbertDilbert was an animated television series spin-off of the comic strip of the same name, produced by Columbia TriStar Television. The first episode was broadcast on January 25, 1999 and was UPN's highest rated comedy series premiere to that point of the network's history; it lasted two seasons on...
and
Spider-Man: The New Animated SeriesFor the original animated series, see Spider-Man: The Animated SeriesSpider-Man: The New Animated Series was an animated series featuring the Marvel comic book superhero Spider-Man, which ran for one season, 13 episodes, starting on July 11, 2003...
.
Griffin's TV production company is called Inappropriate Laughter, a reference to her sometimes shocking form of humor.
On June 12, 2008 Griffin hosted the first ever Bravo A-List Awards. Included in the show was a scene where Griffin mimicked a "
wardrobe malfunctionA wardrobe malfunction is an accidental instance of indecent exposure of intimate parts. It is different from flashing as the latter implies a deliberate exposure...
" (referring to the infamous Janet Jackson
Super Bowl halftime show controversySuper Bowl XXXVIII, which was broadcast live on February 1, 2004 from Houston, Texas on the CBS television network in the United States, was noted for a controversial halftime show in which Janet Jackson's breast, adorned with a nipple shield, was exposed by Justin Timberlake for about half a...
in 2004). She also hosted the 2009 Bravo A-List Awards, which aired on April 15, 2009 and her Bravo special
Kathy Griffin: She'll Cut a Bitch, taped on March 4, 2009 in Portland, Oregon, aired beforehand.
On September 8, 2009, Ballantine Books published Griffin's memoir titled
Official Book Club Selection: A Memoir According to Kathy Griffin. The book reached #1 on the New York Times Bestseller List in its first week of release. A week prior, she released her second comedy album
Suckin' It for the HolidaysSuckin' It for the Holidays is a comedy album recorded live in New Jersey by American stand-up comedian Kathy Griffin. It was released solely online shortly before the Grammy nominations cut-off, in her second attempt to win the award...
. It is the comedian's second bid to win a
Grammy AwardThe Grammy Awards —or Grammys—are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States for outstanding achievements in the music industry...
.
Kathy also appeared in Eminem's" The Real Slim Shady" music video as a nurse.
Guest co-host of The View
Kathy Griffin served as the unofficial guest co-host of
The ViewThe View is an American talk show broadcast on American Broadcasting Company as part of ABC Daytime. Created by Barbara Walters and Bill Geddie, who both also serve as the show's executive producers, the program features a panel of women as co-hosts...
from May 2007 to September 2007. Griffin was considered to join the panel of
The View in fall 2007 as a replacement for departing panelist
Rosie O'DonnellRoseann "Rosie" O'Donnell is an American stand-up comedian, actress, singer, author and media personality. She has also been a magazine editor and continues to be a celebrity blogger, LGBT rights activist, television producer and collaborative partner in the LGBT family vacation company R Family...
. Despite running jokes in her act about Executive Producer
Barbara WaltersBarbara Jill Walters is an American journalist, writer, and media personality who has hosted morning television shows , the evening news magazine , and co-anchor of ABC Evening News and correspondent on World News .Walters was first known as a popular TV morning news anchor for over 10 years on...
not liking her, Griffin co-hosted the show many times after O'Donnell left in May 2007.
Whoopi GoldbergWhoopi Goldberg is an American actress, comedienne, singer-songwriter, activist, and media personality....
was ultimately selected as a permanent replacement. On September 10, 2007,
Sherri ShepherdSherri Evonne Shepherd is an American comedienne, actress, and co-host on the ABC daytime talkshow, The View. As an actress she is perhaps best known for her role on the sitcom Less Than Perfect as Ramona Platt.-Early life:...
took over the remaining co-host spot, vacant since
Star JonesStar Jones is an American lawyer and television personality, best known for her role as a co-host of the ABC weekday morning talk show The View.-Early life, education, and legal career:...
' departure. Bill Zwecker of the
Chicago Sun-TimesThe Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is owned by the Sun-Times Media Group, which filed for bankruptcy protection on March 31, 2009.-History:...
reports that a source tells him that
The View was having second thoughts about hiring Shepherd over Griffin, although both
The View and Walters' spokespersons deny this. Walters has stated that she was worried about hiring another loose cannon after the troubles with O'Donnell.
Griffin recently divulged in her stand-up that she is now banned from
The View after talking about the gig on her televised comedy special,
Kathy Griffin: Straight to Hell. While declining to discuss the ban on
Access HollywoodAccess Hollywood is a weekday television entertainment news program covering events and celebrities in the entertainment industry. It was created by former Entertainment Tonight executive producer Jim Van Messel, and is currently directed by Robert Silverstein...
, during the filming of an episode for
My Life on the D-List with former
View co-host/moderator
Rosie O'DonnellRoseann "Rosie" O'Donnell is an American stand-up comedian, actress, singer, author and media personality. She has also been a magazine editor and continues to be a celebrity blogger, LGBT rights activist, television producer and collaborative partner in the LGBT family vacation company R Family...
, Griffin did talk about the ban, specifically targeting
View executive producer
Bill GeddieBill Geddie is an American television producer. He is currently the Executive Producer of ABC Daytime's The View, on the ABC television network...
. Griffin has also been mentioned as a possible replacement for Walters in the event she departs the show. As of August 2009, Griffin has been un-banned from The View, and was a guest on September 18, 2009.
Emmy Awards controversy
The second season, which premiered on June 6, 2006, brought Griffin the 2007
Primetime Emmy AwardThe Primetime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming...
for
Outstanding Reality ProgramOutstanding Reality Program is a Primetime Emmy Award handed out annually at the Primetime Emmy telecast.-Award winners and nominees:...
, non-competition, on September 8, 2007. She received it during the Creative Arts Emmy, which was hosted by
Carlos MenciaNed Arnel Mencía , better known by his stage name Carlos Mencia, is a comedian, writer, and actor in the United States. His style of comedy is often political and involves issues of race, culture, and social class, juxtaposing existing social issues with ethical convention...
and aired on
E!E!: Entertainment Television is an American cable television and direct broadcast satellite network. From November 2006 onwards, it became wholly owned by Comcast.- History :...
on September 15. Griffin stirred up controversy with her acceptance speech, saying,
"Now, a lot of people come up here and thank JesusJesus of Nazareth —also known as Jesus Christ or occasionally Jesus the Christ—is the central figure of Christianity. Within most Christian denominations...
for this award. I want you to know that no one had less to do with this award than Jesus. He didn't help me a bit. If it was up to him, Cesar MillanCesar Millan is a professional dog trainer widely known for his television series The Dog Whisperer, now in its sixth season and broadcast in the US, the UK and Australia, as well as his best-selling book,
Cesar's Way.Prior to The Dog Whisperer series, Millan had...
would be up here with that damn dog. So all I can say is suck it, Jesus, this award is my god now!"
Griffin later explained that she meant this remark not as a slight on Jesus, but rather as a satire of celebrities who thank Jesus profusely and nonsensically for their awards, especially artists who themselves are controversial.
Her remarks were quickly condemned by the
Catholic LeagueThe Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, often shortened to The Catholic League, is an American Catholic anti-defamation and civil rights organization...
which urged the academy to "denounce Griffin's obscene and blasphemous comment." The Academy said that her "offensive remarks will not be part of the E! telecast on Saturday night". Griffin later responded, "Am I the only Catholic left with a sense of humor?" The editing was condemned in two consecutive episodes of
Freethought RadioFreethought Radio is a weekly radio show produced by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. It is broadcast live every Saturday on The Mic 92.1 in Madison, Wis. and on Air America, streamed online, and available as a podcast. It is also available through syndication and XM Radio on Air America...
, an anti-religion radio outlet, the latter containing the deleted material.
Annie Laurie GaylorAnnie Laurie Gaylor is co-founder of the Freedom From Religion Foundation and, with her husband Dan Barker, is the current co-president. She is also editor of the organization's newspaper, Freethought Today, which is published ten times per year...
in particular objected to the comment being described as "hate speech." Fox News commentator
Bill O'ReillyWilliam James "Bill" O'Reilly, Jr. is an American television host, author, syndicated columnist and political commentator...
called Griffin a "pinhead" (a label he frequently uses) for her remark, which Griffin considered a "badge of honor."
Style of humor
While Griffin established her career with candid observations about everyday life and her dating experiences, later focusing on mainly mocking celebrities, her act currently consists of recounting embellished stories involving celebrities. Though her humor may be wicked, Kathy hopes people understand that no malice is intended by it. "I'm genuinely a fan of most of the people I trash in the act," said Griffin in an interview. "I really, really try and focus on making fun of people for their behavior. I'm not so into making fun of someone for the way they look, or something that's out of their control." Her favorite celebrity topics are
plastic surgeryPlastic surgery is a medical specialty concerned with the correction or restoration of form and function. While famous for aesthetic surgery, plastic surgery also includes two main fields: body modification and reconstructive surgery...
,
ScientologyScientology is a body of beliefs and related practices created by L. Ron Hubbard , starting in 1952, as a successor to his earlier self-help system, Dianetics. Hubbard characterized Scientology as a religion, and in 1953 incorporated the Church of Scientology in New Jersey.Scientology teaches that...
, drunkenness,
substance abuseAlthough the term substance can refer to any physical matter, substance abuse has come to refer to the overindulgence in and dependence of a drug or other chemical leading to effects that are detrimental to the individual's physical and mental health, or the welfare of others.]The disorder is...
, snooty attitudes,
eating disorderAn eating disorder is a condition which affects an individuals eating habits, either as a result of their own doing , or as a bodily reaction to the consumption of food. Eating disorders can range from mild mental anguish to life-threatening conditions, and can affect every aspect of an...
s, and stars whose
sexual orientationSexual orientation is a pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions to men, women, both genders, neither gender, or another gender...
is disputed. Among Griffin's staples are
Paris HiltonParis Whitney Hilton is an American socialite, heiress, media personality, model, singer, author, fashion designer and actress....
,
Clay AikenClay Aiken is an American pop singer who began his rise to fame on the second season of the television program American Idol in 2003. RCA Records offered him a recording contract, and his multi-platinum debut album Measure of a Man was released in October 2003...
,
Barbara WaltersBarbara Jill Walters is an American journalist, writer, and media personality who has hosted morning television shows , the evening news magazine , and co-anchor of ABC Evening News and correspondent on World News .Walters was first known as a popular TV morning news anchor for over 10 years on...
,
Whitney HoustonWhitney Elizabeth Houston is an American recording artist, actress, and former fashion model. A relative to several prominent soul singers, including her mother Cissy Houston, cousins Dee Dee and Dionne Warwick, and godmother Aretha Franklin, Houston began singing at her New Jersey church as a...
,
Larry DavidLawrence Gene "Larry" David is an American actor, writer, comedian, producer, and film director. David is the co-creator and producer of two successful television comedies, Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm .In 1989, he teamed up with Jerry Seinfeld to co-create the television series Seinfeld,...
,
Celine DionCéline Marie Claudette Dion , CC, OQ is a Canadian singer, occasional songwriter, actress, and entrepreneur. Born to a large, impoverished family in Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to...
,
Gwyneth PaltrowGwyneth Kate Paltrow is an American actress.The daughter of Bruce Paltrow and Blythe Danner, Paltrow dropped out of her university to follow an acting career. She began her career in theatre in 1990, and made her film debut the following year...
,
Jerry SeinfeldJerome Allen "Jerry" Seinfeld is an American comedian, actor and writer, whose style is often described as observational comedy...
,
Star JonesStar Jones is an American lawyer and television personality, best known for her role as a co-host of the ABC weekday morning talk show The View.-Early life, education, and legal career:...
,
Paula AbdulPaula Julie Abdul is an American pop singer, record producer, dancer, choreographer, actress and television personality....
,
Oprah WinfreyOprah Gail Winfrey is an American media personality, actress, television producer, literary critic and magazine publisher, best known for her self-titled, multi-award winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history...
,
Britney SpearsBritney Jean Spears is an American singer and entertainer. Born in Mississippi and raised in Louisiana, Spears first appeared on national television in 1992 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The New Mickey Mouse Club from 1993 to...
,
Ryan SeacrestRyan John Seacrest is an American media personality, television producer and entrepreneur. He is the host of the Fox reality show American Idol, and of two other television programs: E! News on E!, and the annual Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve broadcast on ABC.-Biography:Ryan Seacrest was...
,
Lindsay LohanLindsay Dee Lohan is an American actress, model, and pop singer. Lohan started in show business as a child fashion model for magazine advertisements and television commercials...
,
MileyMiley Ray Cyrus is an American pop-rock singer and television and film actress. Cyrus is best known for starring as the title character in the Disney Channel series Hannah Montana. Following the success of Hannah Montana, in October 2006, a soundtrack CD was released in which she sang eight songs...
and
Billy Ray CyrusBilly Ray Cyrus is a Grammy Award-nominated American country music singer, songwriter and actor, best known for his #1 single "Achy Breaky Heart." Cyrus, a multi-platinum selling recording artist, has scored a total of eight top-ten singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart...
, Bravo's
Real HousewivesThe Real Housewives of... is a reality series which airs in the United States on the cable network Bravo, and various other broadcasters internationally...
,and
Kirstie AlleyKirsten Louise "Kirstie" Alley is an American actress known for her role in the TV show Cheers, in which she played Rebecca Howe from 1987–1993, winning an Emmy as the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for 1991....
.
Griffin is sometimes the object of her own humor, particularly with regard to her D-list status. While Griffin paints herself as a Hollywood outsider, she has a group of close celebrity friends such as
Rosie O'DonnellRoseann "Rosie" O'Donnell is an American stand-up comedian, actress, singer, author and media personality. She has also been a magazine editor and continues to be a celebrity blogger, LGBT rights activist, television producer and collaborative partner in the LGBT family vacation company R Family...
,
Joan RiversJoan Rivers is an American comedian, actress, talk show host and businesswoman. She is known for her brash manner and loud, raspy voice with a heavy metropolitan New York accent, and numerous cosmetic surgeries...
,
Jerry SeinfeldJerome Allen "Jerry" Seinfeld is an American comedian, actor and writer, whose style is often described as observational comedy...
,
Brooke ShieldsBrooke Christa Camille Shields is an American actress, author and model. Some of her better-known movies include Pretty Baby and The Blue Lagoon as well as TV shows such as Suddenly Susan, That 70's Show, and Lipstick Jungle.-Early life:Shields was born in New York City into a well-known American...
,
Gloria EstefanGloria Estefan is a Grammy Award-winning Cuban-American singer and songwriter. She is in the top 100 best selling music artists with over 90 million albums sold worldwide, 26.5 million of those in the United States alone...
,
Whoopi GoldbergWhoopi Goldberg is an American actress, comedienne, singer-songwriter, activist, and media personality....
,
Jennifer CoolidgeJennifer Coolidge is an American actress best known for playing "Stifler's mom," the consummate "MILF," in the film American Pie , Hilary Duff's stepmother in A Cinderella Story , Paulette, the manicurist in Legally Blonde and its sequel, the voice of Aunt Fanny in the animated feature Robots ,...
,
Larry DavidLawrence Gene "Larry" David is an American actor, writer, comedian, producer, and film director. David is the co-creator and producer of two successful television comedies, Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm .In 1989, he teamed up with Jerry Seinfeld to co-create the television series Seinfeld,...
,
Ricky GervaisRicky Dene Gervais is an English comedian and actor. Gervais achieved mainstream fame with his television series The Office and the subsequent series Extras, both of which he co-wrote and co-directed with friend and frequent collaborator Stephen Merchant...
, and
Lance BassJames Lance Bass is an American pop singer, actor, film and television producer, and author. He grew up in Mississippi and rose to fame as the bass singer for the American pop boy band 'N Sync. 'N Sync's success led Bass to work in film and television. He starred in the 2001 film On The Line,...
. Griffin's longtime friendship with Bass was the catalyst for a feud between her and gossip
blogA blog is a type of website, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order...
ger
Perez HiltonMario Armando Lavandeira , better known as Perez Hilton, is an American blogger and television personality. His blog, Perezhilton.com , is known for posts covering gossip items about musicians, actors and celebrities...
, in which Griffin expressed anger over Hilton's "outing" of Bass on his website, calling Hilton's attacks on Bass "mean" and "unfunny". Hilton responded by saying that Griffin's anger was hypocritical, considering all of the gay jokes she makes about Clay Aiken in her stand-up routines. In 2007, Griffin commented on her aversion to making fun of celebrity friends by saying, "There's nothing I won't do, but on the other hand I'm full of shit because that changes. For example, you know Lance Bass from
'N SyncN Sync was an American popgroup. The group's launch to fame was financed by the boy band mogul Lou Pearlman. Since 1997, 'N Sync has sold over 56 million records worldwide....
and how he's gay now? All those years that I knew he was gay, he and I were friends, I would never say, 'Hey, by the way, did you know that Lance Bass is gay?'" Griffin and Hilton ended their feud after the death of Griffin's father, and Hilton appeared on an episode of her show in 2007. Yet in July 2008, he asserted that Griffin's assistant Jessica Zajicek had quit because she could not take Griffin's now hectic career. Griffin dismissed these statements as false as Zajicek is still working for Griffin. However it was later proved on the season premier of The D-List that Zajicek was no longer working for Griffin. Griffin stating Zajicek "has decided too move on".
Her style has led to a number of controversies. Griffin has claimed to be banned from appearing on
The Tonight Show with Jay LenoThe Tonight Show with Jay Leno is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno, on NBC. It made its debut on May 25, 1992, following Johnny Carson's retirement as host of The Tonight Show. The nightly broadcast at 11:35 p.m. originated from NBC's studios, in Burbank, California and ran...
,
Late Night with Conan O'BrienLate Night with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien that aired 2,725 episodes on NBC from 1993 to 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and musical and stand-up comedy performances. Late Night aired weeknights at 12:37 a.m....
,
Live with Regis and KellyLive with Regis and Kelly is a syndicated American television morning talk show, hosted by Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa. Before 2000, the show was known as Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, with Kathie Lee Gifford co-hosting with Philbin...
,
Late Show with David LettermanLate Show with David Letterman is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and bandleader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra,...
, and
The Ellen DeGeneres ShowThe Ellen DeGeneres Show is a syndicated television talk show hosted by comedienne Ellen DeGeneres and distributed by Warner Bros. Television. The show features interviews with celebrities, games with members of the public, comedic monologues by the host and music performances. It premiered on...
. She recently got rebanned from
The ViewThe View is an American talk show broadcast on American Broadcasting Company as part of ABC Daytime. Created by Barbara Walters and Bill Geddie, who both also serve as the show's executive producers, the program features a panel of women as co-hosts...
because of a joke she made about Barbara Walters. She says
Ellens producers told her they cannot have her "trashing celebrities". However, Griffin appeared as a guest on
The Ellen DeGeneres Show on September 11, 2007. One of the most notable controversies occurred when she made a joke during a 2005 E! televised event that the child actress
Dakota FanningHannah Dakota Fanning , better known simply as Dakota Fanning, is an American actress. Fanning's breakthrough performance was in I Am Sam in 2001. As a child actress, she appeared in high-profile films such as Man on Fire, War of the Worlds, and Charlotte's Web...
had entered rehab. This incident got Griffin fired from hosting duties on E!'s red-carpet award show coverage. Nevertheless, E! purchased rights to air
My Life on the D-List for its British channel, a fact she noted in an episode of season 3.
In a July 2009 episode of
My Life on the D-List, after using profanity in an Octomom joke during her routine at New York's legendary Apollo Theatre, Griffin claimed that she received a letter banning her from the venue.
Griffin has claimed to have been fired from an appearance on the show
Hannah MontanaHannah Montana is an Emmy Award-nominated American television series, which debuted on March 24, 2006 on Disney Channel. The series focuses on a girl who lives a double life as an average teenage school girl named Miley Stewart by day and a famous pop singer named Hannah Montana by night,...
, on account of her Emmy acceptance speech. According to Griffin "the instructions literally came down, 'We don't want her anywhere near the building.'" Griffin hit back in her comedy act joking that
Miley CyrusMiley Ray Cyrus is an American pop-rock singer and television and film actress. Cyrus is best known for starring as the title character in the Disney Channel series Hannah Montana. Following the success of Hannah Montana, in October 2006, a soundtrack CD was released in which she sang eight songs...
"...has been flashing her green bra and posing topless."
In May 2006, Griffin visited the troops in Kuwait who were on their way to service in Iraq. She had dinner at the chow hall with many troops including
SeabeeThe Seabees are the Construction Battalions of the United States Navy. The Seabees have a history of building bases, bulldozing and paving thousands of miles of roadway and airstrips, and accomplishing myriad other construction projects in a wide variety of military theatres dating back to World...
s from
Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 25There are 9 active duty Naval Mobile Construction Battalions in the United States Navy split between the east and west coasts. The remaining battalions are Naval Reserve battalions:-West Coast :*NMCB-3...
.
LGBT rights advocacy
Griffin is an outspoken supporter for
LGBTLGBT is an initialism referring collectively to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. In use since the 1990s, the term “LGBT” is an adaptation of the initialism “LGB” which itself started replacing the phrase “gay community” which many within LGBT communities felt did not represent...
rights, including
same-sex marriageSame-sex marriage is a term used to describe a legally or socially recognized marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Other terms used to describe this type of recognition include gay marriage or gender-neutral marriage.Same-sex marriage is a civil rights,...
. She has protested with fellow proponents in
West Hollywood, CaliforniaWest Hollywood, a city in Los Angeles County, California, was incorporated on November 29, 1984. The latest residential population estimate was 34,675. The city is well-known for its nightlife, celebrity culture, and diverse atmosphere. The city has large gay, Jewish and eastern European populations...
, and showcased the footage of protesting on her reality show
Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List. Her mother Maggie Griffin is also a supporter of LGBT rights, and is seen in
Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List protesting alongside her daughter. Prior to the controversial
Proposition 8Proposition 8 was a California ballot proposition passed in the November 2008, general election. The measure added a new section to Article I of the California Constitution...
ballot results, Griffin volunteered for the
Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian CenterThe Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center provides a broad array of services for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Its clinic and on-site pharmacy offers free and low-cost health, mental health, HIV/AIDS medical care and HIV/STD testing and prevention.The Center also offers legal,...
’s "Vote for Equality" campaign, going door-to-door asking Los Angeles residents on their opinion of LGBT marriage rights.
Personal life
Griffin describes herself as a "militant atheist". While in high school, she fell away from the
Roman Catholic ChurchThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church. With more than a billion members, over half of all Christians and more than one-sixth of the world's population, the Catholic Church is a communion of the Western, or Latin Rite Church, and...
and wanted to become a
UnitarianUnitarianism as a theology is the belief in the single personality of God, in contrast to the doctrine of the Trinity ....
. Said Griffin: "I'm not really sure what that is, but it sounds better."
She is an outspoken opponent of
LASIKLASIK or Lasik is a type of refractive surgery for correcting myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. LASIK is performed by ophthalmologists using a laser...
eye surgery, having endured a series of operations for her own eyesight that left her partially
blindBlindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors.Various scales have been developed to describe the extent of vision loss and define blindness...
in one eye with a visible
eyeEyes are organs that detect light, and send electrical impulses along the optic nerve to the visual and other areas of the brain. Complex optical systems with resolving power have come in ten fundamentally different forms, and 96% of animal species possess a complex optical system...
ball deformity. She is open about her multiple
plastic surgeriesPlastic surgery is a medical specialty concerned with the correction or restoration of form and function. While famous for aesthetic surgery, plastic surgery also includes two main fields: body modification and reconstructive surgery...
, and claims that fat "grew back" after her
liposuctionLiposuction, also known as lipoplasty , liposculpture suction lipectomy or simply lipo is a cosmetic surgery operation that removes fat from many different sites on the human body...
procedure.
Her father, John Patrick Griffin, died of heart failure on February 17, 2007, during the shooting of the third season of her reality show; he was 90 years old. The episode related to his death aired on June 19, 2007.
She placed 17th on Oxygen's 2007 list of "The 50 Funniest Women Alive".
Marriage and relationships
Griffin married
Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790...
native Matt Moline on February 18, 2001 atop the 360 Degree Restaurant in Hollywood. ABC News reported that she walked down the aisle to the strains of the 1980s power ballad "
Sister Christian"Sister Christian" is a power ballad by the hard rock band Night Ranger, which was second released on their album Midnight Madness. The song is their best-known hit, and the album it came from was very successful. It was ranked number 32 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 1980s.-Origin and...
" by
Night RangerNight Ranger is an American hard rock band from San Francisco, California that gained significant popularity during the 1980s with a series of successful albums and singles. The band's first five albums sold over 10 million copies worldwide, and gave the band international recognition...
. Her maid of honor was
Brooke ShieldsBrooke Christa Camille Shields is an American actress, author and model. Some of her better-known movies include Pretty Baby and The Blue Lagoon as well as TV shows such as Suddenly Susan, That 70's Show, and Lipstick Jungle.-Early life:Shields was born in New York City into a well-known American...
, and the wedding was attended by, among others, Rebekah Kelley,
Camryn ManheimCamryn Manheim is an American actress known primarily for her roles as attorney Ellenor Frutt on ABC's The Practice and Delia Banks on CBS's Ghost Whisperer.-Early life:...
,
Bill MaherWilliam "Bill" Maher, Jr. is an American stand-up comedian, television host, social and political commentator, and author...
,
James WilliamsJames Williams can refer to:In American politics:*James Williams , U.S. Congressman from Delaware*James D. Williams , US Representative from Indiana and governor of Indiana...
, and
Jane KrakowskiJane Krakowski is an American actress and singer. She is known in television for her roles as Elaine Vassal on Ally McBeal and Jenna Maroney on 30 Rock, and in the theatre for her role in Nine.-Early life:...
.
Although they appeared to have a loving and supportive relationship on her reality show, there were problems beneath the surface. After briefly separating and reconciling in 2005, they divorced in May 2006. Griffin had her
tattooA tattoo is a marking made by inserting ink into the layers of skin to change the pigment for decorative or other reasons. Tattoos on humans are a type of decorative body modification, while tattoos on animals are most commonly used for identification or branding.Tattooing has been practiced...
ed wedding ring laser-removed after her divorce. On
Larry King LiveLarry King Live is an American talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN. The show debuted in 1985, and is CNN's most watched program, with over one million viewers nightly.The show broadcasts from CNN's Los Angeles studios...
, Griffin accused her husband of stealing $72,000 from her. In a written statement, he declined to respond to the allegations publicly.
Since July 2007, rumors had circulated that Griffin had been dating Apple co-founder
Steve WozniakStephen Gary "Woz" Wozniak is an American computer engineer who founded Apple Computer, Inc. with Steve Jobs. His inventions and machines are credited with contributing significantly to the personal computer revolution of the 1970s. Wozniak created the Apple I and Apple II computers in...
. They attended the
2007 Emmy AwardsThe 59th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards were held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California on September 16, 2007 and were televised live on Fox at 8:00 p.m. EDT for the first time in high definition...
together and speculations rose when the two were interviewed together on the red carpet. On September 18, 2007,
Us WeeklyUs Weekly is a celebrity gossip magazine, founded in 1977 by The New York Times Company, who sold it in 1980. It was acquired by Wenner Media in 1986. The publication covers topics ranging from celebrity relationships to the latest trends in fashion, beauty, and entertainment...
reported that Griffin and Wozniak were engaged, however, neither Griffin nor Wozniak confirmed the rumor. During a January 2008 interview on
Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Griffin confirmed that Wozniak will be a regular guest on the fourth season of her reality show. On
Tom Green's House Tonight on February 6, Griffin confirmed her relationship with Wozniak. When asked if she actually targeted Wozniak to make her ex-husband jealous, Griffin stated "What better way to get back at my ex, who was a tech, than to marry the biggest techno-nerd in the Universe?" Wozniak and Griffin served as King and Queen of the Humane Society of Silicon Valley Fur Ball on April 5, 2008 in Santa Clara, California, and scenes for the fourth season of
My Life on the D-List were taped. However, as of June 2008, it was confirmed that Griffin and Wozniak are no longer dating and have decided to remain friends. As noted in a postscript on the August 7, 2008 episode of
My Life On The D-List, Wozniak quickly became engaged and subsequently married another woman, later revealed to be Apple executive Janet Hill. According to Griffin, "He met someone very quickly and then they [got] engaged. I have had dinner with them, and she's a thousand times more appropriate! I hate to say it, but in the Bruce, Demi, Ashton [scheme of things], I’m the Bruce!"
In August 2009, Griffin announced on her official Twitter that she was in a relationship with another currently unknown individual. On August 9 she attended the
Teen Choice AwardsThe Teen Choice Awards is an awards show presented annually by FOX. The program honors the year's biggest achievements in music, movies, sports, television, fashion and more, as voted on by teens aged 13–19. The program usually features a high number of celebrities and musical performers...
with
Levi JohnstonLevi Keith Johnston is an American teenager who was the subject of extensive media scrutiny during and after the 2008 United States presidential election. He fathered a child with and was then the fiancé of Bristol Palin, whose mother is former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, who was the Republican...
and subsequently interviewed him in her role as guest host on Larry King Live. In the interview, Griffin and Johnston mocked the idea that they were in a serious relationship. She later Twittered on August 10 that "Oh, and I think I'm pregnant".
Filmography
| Film |
| Year |
Film |
Role |
Notes |
| 1991 |
The Unborn |
Connie |
|
| 1992 |
Shakes the Clown Shakes the Clown is a 1992 American movie directed and written by Bobcat Goldthwait, who performs the title role. It also features Julie Brown, Blake Clark, Paul Dooley, Kathy Griffin, Florence Henderson, Tom Kenny, Adam Sandler, Scott Herriott, LaWanda Page, and a cameo by Robin Williams as Mime...
|
Lucy |
|
| Medusa: Dare to Be Truthful Medusa: Dare to Be Truthful is an American 1992 mockumentary film starring comedienne Julie Brown as the title character, with Kathy Griffin and Donal Logue in supporting roles...
|
Taffy |
|
| 1994 |
Pulp Fiction Pulp Fiction is a 1994 crime film directed by Quentin Tarantino, who cowrote its screenplay with Roger Avary. The film is known for its rich, eclectic dialogue, ironic mix of humor and violence, nonlinear storyline, and host of cinematic allusions and pop culture references...
|
herself |
Cameo |
| It's Pat It's Pat, also known as It's Pat: The Movie, is a 1994 American comedy film directed by Adam Bernstein that stars Julia Sweeney, Dave Foley, Charles Rocket, and Kathy Griffin...
|
herself |
|
| 1995 |
Big News |
|
TV film |
| Four Rooms Four Rooms is a 1995 anthology film telling four stories set in a Los Angeles hotel on New Year's Eve. Tim Roth stars as the principal character of the frame tale; he also takes part to a greater or lesser degree in the four stories, which feature Quentin Tarantino, Antonio Banderas and Madonna,...
|
Betty |
|
| The Barefoot Executive The Barefoot Executive is a live-action film released by the Walt Disney Company in 1971 starring Kurt Russell, Joe Flynn, Wally Cox, Heather North and John Ritter , about a pet chimpanzee, named Raffles, who can predict the popularity of television programs...
|
Mary |
TV film |
| 1996 |
The Cable GuyThe Cable Guy is a 1996 black comedy film featuring, and directed by Ben Stiller and starring Jim Carrey and Matthew Broderick. The film also features Leslie Mann, Jack Black, Owen Wilson and Kyle Gass...
|
Mother |
|
| 1997 |
Who's the Caboose? |
Katty |
|
| Trojan War Trojan War is a 1997 romantic comedy directed by George Huang. It stars Will Friedle, Jennifer Love Hewitt, and Marley Shelton.-Plot:High school student Brad has had an unrequited crush on a classmate named Brooke for years. After she asks him to come over one night to tutor her, she ends up...
|
cashier |
|
| Courting Courtney |
Ona Miller |
|
| 1999 |
Can't Stop Dancing Can't Stop Dancing is a 1999 feature length film written and directed by Steven Falick and Ben Zook and starring Janeane Garofalo and Margaret Cho....
|
modeling agent |
|
| Dill Scallion Dill Scallion is a 1999 feature film mockumentary that follows the rise and fall of a country-western singer, Dill Scallion . It was written and directed by Jordan Brady...
|
Tina |
|
| Muppets from Space Muppets from Space is the sixth feature film to star The Muppets, and the first since the death of Muppets creator Jim Henson to have an original Muppet-focused plot...
|
Female armed guard |
|
| Jackie's Back Jackie's Back is a 1999 television movie directed by Robert Townsend. It premiered on the Lifetime Television Network on June 14, 1999.-Plot:...
|
herself |
TV film |
| 2000 |
Lion of Oz |
Caroline |
Voice role |
| The Intern The Intern is a 2000 comedy satire film directed by Michael Lange about the shallow world of fashion magazines. It stars Dominique Swain, Joan Rivers, Peggy Lipton and Kathy Griffin...
|
Cornelia Crisp |
|
| Enemies of Laughter |
Cindy |
|
| A Diva's Christmas Carol |
Ghost of Christmas Past The Ghost of Christmas Past is a character in the well-known work of the English novelist Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol.The Ghost of Christmas Past was the first of the three spirits that haunted the miser Ebenezer Scrooge in order to prompt him to repent...
|
TV film |
| E |
Nurse |
"The Real Slim Shady "The Real Slim Shady" is a hip hop song written by Eminem for his second album The Marshall Mathers LP . It was released as the lead single a week before the album's release...
", music video collection |
| 2001 |
On Edge |
Karen Katz |
|
| 2002 |
Run Ronnie RunRun Ronnie Run is a movie spin-off from the HBO sketch comedy show Mr. Show. The recurring character Ronnie Dobbs is the focal point of the movie...
|
herself |
|
| 2003 |
Beethoven's 5th Beethoven's 5th is the fifth installment in the Beethoven film series, all sequels to the 1992 film Beethoven. It was released in 2003. Daveigh Chase takes over the role of Sara which was originally played by Michaela Gallo in the previous two films...
|
Evie Kling |
|
| 2005 |
Dirty Love Dirty Love is a 2005 comedy film, written by and starring Jenny McCarthy and directed by John Mallory Asher. At the time of filming the couple were married but have since filed for divorce. The film heavily plays off McCarthy's reputation for scatological comedy...
|
Madame Pelly |
|
| 2005 |
Dinotopia: Quest for the Ruby Sunstone Dinotopia: Quest for the Ruby Sunstone is a 2005 animated film directed by Davis Doi. Based on the Dinotopia series, this is the first related animated version.-Plot:...
|
Rhoga |
Voice role |
| Her Minor Thing Her Minor Thing is a 2005 motion picture. The romantic comedy is directed by Charlie Matthau, written by Jim Meyers and Debra Meyers, and stars Estella Warren, Christian Kane, and Michael Weatherly.The script's working title was "Men Are Jerks"....
|
Maggie |
|
| Love Wrecked |
Belinda |
|
| 2006 |
Bachelor Party Vegas Bachelor Party Vegas is an adventure/comedy film that was released in 2006 starring Kal Penn, Jonathan Bennett, Charlie Spiller, and Donald Faison. In Australia it was released under the title 'Vegas Baby'...
|
She-Elvis Elvis Aaron Presley was an American singer and actor. A cultural icon, he is commonly known simply as Elvis and is also sometimes referred to as The King of Rock 'n' Roll or The King....
|
Uncredited cameo |
| 2007 |
Judy Toll: The Funniest Woman You've Never Heard of |
herself |
Documentary |
| In Search of Puppy Love |
herself |
Documentary |
| Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project is a documentary about stand up comedian Don Rickles.-Structure:The film consists of performance clips from throughout Rickles' career interspersed with recent interviews with him. A show at the Stardust Casino in Las Vegas from 2006 is featured most prominently...
|
herself |
Documentary |
| Heckler |
herself |
Documentary |
| 2009 |
Around the World in 50 Years 3D |
|
post production, voice role |
| Television |
| Year |
Title |
Role |
Notes |
| 1990 |
On the Television On the Television is the cable network Nick at Nite’s first attempt at original late-night programming. The sketch comedy show, can be described as a satirical television critic show in the style of Siskel and Ebert. The one line pitch was "a fake Siskel and Ebert reviewing fake TV shows." It...
|
various |
"Beauty and the Beet" |
The Fresh Prince of Bel-AirThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from September 10, 1990 to May 20, 1996. The show starred Will Smith as a street-smart teenager from West Philadelphia who is sent to live with his wealthy relatives in a Bel Air mansion. His lifestyle often...
|
Susan Klein |
"Not with My Pig, You Don't" |
| 1993 |
Civil Wars Civil Wars is an American legal drama that aired on ABC from November 1991 to March 1993. The series was produced by Steven Bochco, known for his work on NYPD Blue, L.A. Law, and Hill Street Blues.-Synopsis:...
|
Yvonne |
"Watt, Me Worry?" |
Dream OnDream On is an American adult situation comedy about Martin Tupper, a dreamer whose life is full of colorful characters. It ran for six seasons between 1990 and 1996.- Description :...
|
Dawn |
"The French Conception" |
| 1995 |
ER (TV series)ER is an American medical drama series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 1994 to April 2009. It is set primarily in the emergency room of fictional County General Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment in...
|
Dolores Minky |
"MotherhoodThe first season of the American fictional drama television series ER aired from 1994-1995 with 25 episodes.The 2-hour pilot episode aired on September 19, 1994 and was followed by 24 other episodes, including the season finale that aired on May 18, 1995.-Plot:In ER's first season, the core cast...
" |
| Dweebs |
Sheila |
"The Birthday Party Show" |
| 1995 |
Mad About YouMad About You is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from September 23, 1992, to May 24, 1999. The show starred Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt as a newly married couple in New York City. Reiser played Paul Buchman, a documentary film maker. Hunt played Jamie Stemple Buchman, a public relations...
|
Brenda |
"New Year's Eve" |
| 1996 |
Ellen Ellen is a U.S. television sitcom that ran on the ABC network from March 29, 1994 to July 22, 1998, producing 109 episodes.The theme song, "So-Called Friend" is by Scottish band Texas...
|
Peggy |
"Oh, Sweet Rapture" |
| Partners Partners is an American sitcom that aired on FOX from 1995 to 1996.-Synopsis:The series centered a pair of young architects, Bob and Owen , and Owen's fiancée Alicia . Much of the show's humor derived from Bob's lack of success with women and his competition with Alicia for Owen's attention...
|
Michelle |
"Can We Keep Her, Dad?" |
Caroline in the CityCaroline in the City is an American situation comedy that ran from September 21, 1995 to April 26, 1999 on the NBC television network. It starred Lea Thompson as cartoonist Caroline Duffy. The series premiered in the two-hour Thursday night block led by Friends.-Premise:Caroline Duffy is a...
|
DMV clerk |
"Caroline and the Movie" |
| Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist is an animated series that originally ran on Comedy Central from May 28, 1995 to December 24, 1999, starring Jonathan Katz, Jon Benjamin, and Laura Silverman...
|
herself |
Two episodes, voice role |
| 1995-1996 |
Ned & Stacey Ned & Stacey is a US television sitcom that aired on the FOX network from 1995 to 1997. It starred Thomas Haden Church and Debra Messing. The major thread of the series was that the two were brought together in a marriage of convenience—Ned Dorsey needed to be married to get a promotion at...
|
Jeanne |
Two episodes |
| 1997 |
Oddville, MTV Oddville, MTV is an American variety television series starring Rich Brown. The series premiered June 16, 1997, on MTV.-History:Oddville, MTV is based on the New York City public access series Beyond Vaudeville that Rich Brown hosted from 1987 to 1996.-Cast:*Rich Brown as host Frank Hope*David...
|
|
August 13 |
| 1996-1998 |
SeinfeldSeinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. The eponymous series was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, with the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
|
Sally Weaver |
Two episodes |
| 1997-1998 |
Premium Blend Premium Blend is a television show that aired on the American cable television channel Comedy Central from 1997 to 2005.The program features a well-known stand up comedian as an emcee who introduces four or five lesser known comedians looking for a big break on television...
|
herself |
Hostess |
| 2000 |
The X-FilesThe X-Files is an American cult science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. It first aired in September 1993 and ended in May 2002...
|
Betty Templeton/Lulu Pfeiffer |
"Fight ClubThe seventh season of The X-Files commenced airing in the United States on November 7, 1999, concluded on May 21, 2000, and consists of twenty-two episodes. The X-Files is an American serial science fiction-horror-thriller television series. Season seven took place after the destruction of the...
" |
| 1999-2000 |
Dilbert Dilbert was an animated television series spin-off of the comic strip of the same name, produced by Columbia TriStar Television. The first episode was broadcast on January 25, 1999 and was UPN's highest rated comedy series premiere to that point of the network's history; it lasted two seasons on...
|
Alice |
thirty episodes, voice role |
| 1996-2000 |
Suddenly SusanSuddenly Susan is an American sitcom that was broadcast on NBC from 1996 to 2000. Its headlining star was Brooke Shields, who got the show after a guest appearance on Friends in the episode "The One After the Superbowl"....
|
Vicki Groener |
Ninety-two episodes, main character |
| 2001 |
The SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated television sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its eponymous family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie...
|
Francine |
"Bye Bye Nerdie"Bye Bye Nerdie" is the sixteenth episode of the twelfth season of The Simpsons. It aired on March 11, 2001.-Plot:On an ordinary day in school, Lisa attempts to make friends with a new girl, Francine, but Francine beats up Lisa severely. Even attempting to share an interest in Malibu Stacy does not...
" |
| Strong Medicine Strong Medicine is a medical drama with a focus on feminist politics, health issues and class conflict. The television series aired on the Lifetime network from 2000 to 2006. It is distributed by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The series was created and produced in part by comedienne and...
|
Matchmaker |
"Silent Epidemic" |
| Weakest Link The American version of the game show The Weakest Link aired on NBC from April 16, 2001 to July 14, 2002. Ten episodes were left unaired until appearing on PAX in 2002, with the remainder eventually airing on GSN. An accompanying daily syndicated series premiered on January 7, 2002 and ran until...
|
herself |
"Comedians Special" |
| Kathy's So Called Reality Kathy's So-Called Reality is a clip show that aired in 2001, hosted by comedian and former Suddenly Susan star Kathy Griffin. It served as a weekly debriefing to help viewers sift through all the reality shows on television....
|
herself |
Hostess |
| 2002 |
The Drew Carey ShowThe Drew Carey Show is an American sitcom that aired on ABC from 1995 to 2004 and was known for its "everyman" characters and themes...
|
Kathy |
"The Eagle Has Landed" |
| 2003 |
What's New, Scooby-Doo? What's New, Scooby-Doo? was the ninth incarnation of the Hanna-Barbera Saturday morning cartoon Scooby-Doo, and a revival of the original show Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!. It was the first time the franchise was revived in over a decade. The animated series' was developed by Warner Bros...
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Luis Agent Autumn Summerfield |
"The Unnatural", voice role |
| Spider-Man: The New Animated Series For the original animated series, see Spider-Man: The Animated SeriesSpider-Man: The New Animated Series was an animated series featuring the Marvel comic book superhero Spider-Man, which ran for one season, 13 episodes, starting on July 11, 2003...
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Roxanne Gaines |
"Mind Game: Part 1" and "Part 2" |
| Crank Yankers Crank Yankers was a United States TV show produced by Adam Carolla, Jimmy Kimmel and Daniel Kellison that featured actual prank calls made by show regulars and celebrity guests which are re-enacted onscreen by puppets...
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Maria |
One episode, voice role |
| The Mole The Mole is an American reality game show that airs on ABC. It is based on The Mole franchise of programs that have aired in numerous countries. The Mole was produced by Stone Stanley Entertainment for its first four seasons. It was cancelled but was later picked up again after a four year hiatus....
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herself |
Six episodes, season three Celebrity Mole: Hawaii was the third overall season of the American version of The Mole and aired from January 8 to February 12, 2003. It was filmed on the Big Island of Hawaii in October 2002...
winner |
| 2002-2003 |
Whose Line Is It Anyway?Whose Line Is It Anyway? is a short-form improvisational comedy TV show. Originally a British radio programme, it moved to television in 1988 as a series made for the UK's Channel 4...
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herself |
Four episodes |
| 2004 |
Striperella |
The Bridesmaid |
"The Bridesmaid", voice role |
Half & HalfHalf & Half is an American sitcom that aired on UPN from September 23 2002, to May 15 2006. The show focuses on the lives of two paternal half-sisters in their twenties who were estranged throughout their childhood, and are finally developing a close relationship...
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Dr. Morgan |
"The Big Labor of Love Episode" |
| Celebrity Poker Showdown Celebrity Poker Showdown is a celebrity game show on the cable network Bravo. It was a limited-run series of five celebrities playing poker. The series ran eight tournaments in five seasons....
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herself |
Two episodes, third tournament |
| 2001-2004 |
Hollywood SquaresThe Hollywood Squares is an American television comedy and game show in which two contestants play tic-tac-toe to win money and prizes. The "board" for the game is a 3 × 3 vertical stack of open-faced cubes, each occupied by an entertainer seated at a desk and facing the contestants...
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herself |
Eighty-six episodes |
| 2005 |
Cheap Shots |
Rae |
"1995 SuperDogs! Superjocks!" |
Days of our LivesDays of our Lives is an American soap opera which has aired nearly every weekday since November 8, 1965 on the NBC network in the United States, and has since been syndicated to many countries around the world. It also broadcasts on SOAPnet weeknights at 11PM ET/PT...
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Limo driver |
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| 2006 |
Gameshow Marathon |
herself |
"Match Game Match Game is an American television game show featuring contestants attempting to match celebrities' answers to fill-in-the-blank questions...
" |
| 2007 |
Ugly BettyUgly Betty is an American comedy-drama television series created by Silvio Horta, which premiered on The American Broadcasting Company on September 28, 2006. The series revolves around Betty Suarez, an unglamorous and good-natured girl, and her incongruous job at the ultra-chic New York City...
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Fashion TV anchor |
"In or OutIn or Out is an episode from the dramedy series Ugly Betty, the thirteenth in the series overall, which aired on January 18, 2007. It was written by Myra Jo Martino and directed by Michael Spiller...
" |
Loose WomenLoose Women is a British lunchtime television programme, which was first broadcast in 1999 on ITV. It consists of a panel of four women who interview celebrities and discuss topical issues, ranging from daily politics and current affairs, to celebrity gossip and sexism...
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herself |
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| 2008 |
Rosie Live Rosie Live was a variety show starring Rosie O'Donnell that aired November 26, 2008 live from New York's Little Shubert Theatre on NBC. The family friendly program contained singing, dancing, comedy routines and specialty acts...
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herself |
Pilot |
| 2009 |
Privileged Privileged is an American television drama that premiered on The CW Television Network in the USA and Citytv in Canada on September 9, 2008...
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Olivia |
"All About a Brand New You" |
Paris Hilton's My New BFFParis Hilton's My New BFF, also known simply as My New BFF and other alternate titles, is a reality television show in which Paris Hilton searches for her new BFF...
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herself |
Special guest |
| 2008-2009 |
Larry King Live Larry King Live is an American talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN. The show debuted in 1985, and is CNN's most watched program, with over one million viewers nightly.The show broadcasts from CNN's Los Angeles studios...
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herself |
Five episodes |
| 2009 |
The Roast Of Joan Rivers |
herself |
Roast Master |
| The Celebrity Apprentice 2 |
herself |
Special guest |
| 2005-present |
Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-ListKathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List is a reality show starring Kathy Griffin and airing on Bravo. The show made its debut in August 2005. The show follows the struggle of self-proclaimed "D-list" celebrity Kathy Griffin to climb the Hollywood ladder. This often includes scheming for publicity with...
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herself |
Forty episodes
Gracie Allen Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series |
Stand-Up Specials
- Kathy Griffin: Allegedly (2004)
- Kathy Griffin: The D-List (2004)
- Kathy Griffin Is... Not Nicole Kidman (2005)
- Kathy Griffin: Strong Black Woman (2006)
- Kathy Griffin: Everybody Can Suck It (2007)
- Kathy Griffin: Straight To Hell (2007)
- Kathy Griffin: She'll Cut A Bitch (2009)
- Kathy Griffin: Balls Of Steel (2009)
Discography
On June 10, 2008, Griffin released a comedy
CDA Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store sound recordings exclusively, but later it also allowed the preservation of other types of data. Audio CDs have been commercially available since October 1982...
titled
For Your Consideration. It is Griffin's first audio-only release of her stand-up material. The disc was recorded at the ETK Theatre at the Grand Theatre Center For The Arts in
TracyTracy is a city in San Joaquin County, California, United States, and is a suburb of Stockton.-Geography and environment:Located in the Central Valley, Tracy sits atop fertile agricultural lands, which have come under increasing development pressure as the San Francisco Bay Area's vigorous...
,
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
on February 17, 2008. Included on the disc are her takes on various celebrities and her personal life. Griffin stated that she decided to release this CD to try to win a
Grammy awardThe Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album was awarded from yearly 1959 to 1993 and then from 2004 to present day. There have been several minor changes to the name of the award over this time:*From 1959 to 1967 it was Best Comedy Performance...
. On December 3, 2008, Griffin was nominated for a Grammy for Best Comedy Album. However. she lost to George Carlin's
It's Bad for Ya. On August 25, 2009, Griffin released a second comedy album,
Suckin' It for the HolidaysSuckin' It for the Holidays is a comedy album recorded live in New Jersey by American stand-up comedian Kathy Griffin. It was released solely online shortly before the Grammy nominations cut-off, in her second attempt to win the award...
, in another bid for a Grammy. The album was initially released as a digital download and will retail release on November 3, 2009. Despite the album's holiday title, it contains little holiday-related content, and it just barely made the nominations cut-off. It remains to be seen whether it will be nominated.
External links