Kathy Griffin is taking back her apology for her controversial photoshoot in May that featured a decapitated Donald Trump.
While discussing the images with Australia’s Sunrise, the comedian didn’t hold back as she slammed the backlash surrounding the provocative image. “I’m no longer sorry,” she said in the Tuesday, August 29, interview. “The whole outrage was BS. The whole thing got so blown out of proportion.”
Griffin went on to name specific people who called her out for the shoot while also mentioning how her business suffered in the aftermath. As previously reported, Griffin’s tour was subsequently canceled due to death threats and she was fired from her cohosting gig on CNN’s New Years Eve special. “I lost everybody,” she said. “I had Chelsea Clinton tweeting against me. I had friends, Debra Messing from Will & Grace, tweeting against me. I lost everybody.”
“I have been through the mill and I didn’t just lose one night on CNN,” she continued. “These Trump fans, they’re hardcore.”
Anchor Samantha Armytage quickly interjected to point out that Clinton, 37, and Messing, 49, are not Trump supporters before moving on to question Griffin’s perception of the incident. “Even Democrats said it was out of line,” she said. “I get that comedy is about pushing the boundaries and being politically incorrect and that’s fine. But do you not agree that that picture, holding up a severed head, I know it’s a mask covered in tomato sauce, but do you not accept that that was a little bit over the line?”
Griffin retorted: “No, you’re full of crap.”
The comedian continued to explain that she feels the photo has gotten too much attention instead of more pressing issues: “Stop acting like my little picture is more important than talking about the actual atrocities that the president of the united states is committing.”
Griffin had previously apologized for the photo just hours after it posted. Amid the immediate backlash, Griffin shared a video on Instagram expressing regret. “I sincerely apologize,” she said in the clip at the time. “I am just now seeing the reaction [to] these images. I’m a comic. I cross the line. I move the line, then I cross it. I went way too far. The image is too disturbing. I understand how it offends people. It wasn’t funny. I get it.”
