Why was Kathy Griffin fired? Comedian takes aim at Andy Cohen after he replaced her as CNN host
MALIBU, CALIFRONIA: Kathy Griffin slammed CNN and Andy Cohen for the network's New Year's Eve broadcast on Saturday. The comedian wrote, "I can't wait to watch Miley and Dolly tonight." Griffin, who was fired from co-hosting the show, wrote on Instagram. The comments appeared to be a dig at NBC's rival New Year's Eve broadcast featuring Miley Cyrus and Dolly Parton.
She also posted a 2017 clip of a strange interview Cohen gave to a TMZ reporter about replacing Griffin for the New Year's show during which the 'Watch What Happens' host repeatedly insisted that he didn't know who she was.
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Griffin sarcastically wrote, "Ugh. Every year someone sends me this clip around New Year's Eve," Griffin wrote on Instagram. "This guy was my boss for years. Decided whether or not I worked at Bravo. Can you imagine seeing your ex boss on TMZ like…this? Ouch!"
She added, "Anyway, I can't wait to watch Miley and Dolly tonight," referring to the competing program Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest and guests Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus.
At last, she wrote, "Kathy then finished off the post with the hashtags: '# NewYear'sEve #NYE #KathyGriffin #misogynist.'"
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Why was Kathy Griffin fired?
CNN fired Griffin after she stirred up controversy with a video clip she uploaded showing her carrying a fake decapitated head designed to impersonate former President Donald Trump. The news network revealed the decision in a tweet from its communications division.The Tweet mentioned, "CNN has terminated our agreement with Kathy Griffin to appear on our New Year's Eve program."
CNN has terminated our agreement with Kathy Griffin to appear on our New Year's Eve program.
— CNN Communications (@CNNPR) May 31, 2017
Since 2007, Griffin has co-hosted CNN's New Year's Eve coverage alongside network anchor Anderson Cooper. In 2017 Griffin shared a brief video clip of herself lifting what seemed to be Trump's bloodied head on Twitter. In a subsequent tweet, she stated that she didn't support violence and was "merely mocking the Mocker in Chief." Since then, both of the Tweets were deleted. Griffin beard a severe backlash after her Tweet went viral, as per reports.
Trump even Tweeted in response to Griffin's Tweet, as he wrote, "Kathy Griffin should be ashamed of herself. My children, especially my 11-year-old son, Barron, are having a hard time with this. Sick!" Trump tweeted, as reported by Variety.
Melania Trump, the first lady, also referred to the image as "very disturbing." "As a mother, a wife, and a human being, that photo is very disturbing." She further added, "When you consider some of the atrocities happening in the world today, a photo opportunity like this is simply wrong and makes you wonder about the mental health of the person who did it," as reported by Townhall.
Later, Kathy apologized to the former president and accepted she was accountable for her mistake. In a video posted on social media, Kathy, who had co-hosted the show for ten years, expressed her regret for the images, stating, "I sincerely apologize," Griffin said in a half minute video
"Hey everybody, it's me, Kathy Griffin. I sincerely apologize. I'm just now seeing the reaction of these images. I'm a comic, I crossed 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. " She went on and added, "I've made a lot of mistakes in my career, I will continue. I ask for your forgiveness."
At last she said, "Taking down the image. I'm going to ask the photographer to take down the image. And I beg for your forgiveness. I went too far. I made a mistake, and I was wrong," as reported by Esquire.