Comedian Kathy Griffin has never been shy about speaking her
mind. In fact, it’s been her irreverent sense of humor and
love of celebrity gossip that’s kept her in the public eye,
even if only in the peripheral. But with the red carpet at her
feet, a new stand-up act set to tape this weekend, and her own
reality show currently in production, is this self-proclaimed
D-list diva at serious risk of abandoning the bottom and rising up
through the ranks? In a recent interview, dB Magazine sought to
find out.
dB Magazine: You’re taping your new stand-up special for
Bravo in Los Angeles this weekend. What’s up with the title
““ “Kathy Griffin … is not Nicole Kidman”?
Kathy Griffin: It really says it all. My life isn’t even
anything like Nicole Kidman’s. And I want it to be.
There’s part of her life that I’d like. I just, I
personally like to eat; secondly, I’m not 8 feet tall.
dB: So you’ve already taken down everyone from Gwyneth
Paltrow to Barbara Walters in past stand-up acts; what new can we
expect from you this time?
KG: I have a surplus of material, that’s my problem. I
just cannot stop talking shit about famous people, there’s
too much to go around.
dB: Do you enjoy your self-proclaimed “D-List”
celebrity status?
KG: The whole D-list thing is that I definitely have a window
into celebrity. I’m invited to the parties. So I’m
trying to be your voice at the celebrity parties that I’m
about to get kicked out of.
dB: Speaking of celebrity parties, you and Star Jones-Reynold
recently replaced Joan and Melissa Rivers on the red carpet. What
makes you different from other red carpet hosts?
KG: I’m really bored with everyone asking the same
questions: “What are you wearing? What’s your next
project?” Because I don’t care what they are wearing,
and they can talk about their next project on Access Hollywood.
dB: Jones-Reynolds does a lot of that type of questioning when
she’s doing her red carpet interviews. Are you a fan of
hers?
KG: No, of course not. She’s insufferable. I can’t
figure out who her fans are, I’m completely mystified by it.
I thought the gays liked her, but I’ve been asking and they
don’t like her. I thought the African Americans like her, but
I’ve been basically stopping African Americans on the street
and they don’t like her. It’s a mystery to me.
dB: So, who likes her then? KG: There’s about four people
at the E! Channel who like her, and they’re about the only
four people in the world.
dB: Can we look forward to you taking on the red carpet alone
next year?
KG: Let’s just say we’re in heavy negotiations.
Meaning me wanting more money ““ because they don’t
appreciate me! Feel free to call them and e-mail them. I feel like
everyone has been really complimentary, and they are always like,
“I don’t know, Kathy, you’re a loose
cannon.”
dB: Do you agree?
KG: I love asking Clive Owen if he has any weed. Versus me
saying, “Clive Owen, I understand that you’re a drug
addict.” And that’s the thing that’s a shame
about the E! Channel being so nervous about me asking questions
like that. I hate that they are so trigger happy with the
censors.
dB: So you’re not really as mean-spirited as people might
think?
KG: If you look at my red carpet questions, they are never,
“You’re a jerk.” They are always like,
“Kanye West, what do you order at the Olive Garden?” Or
“Quentin Tarantino, who do you think is most likely to snort
blow off the Grammy?” I just like to ask silly questions.
dB: You mentioned in your past stand-up that you really would
love the chance to interview Angelina Jolie. Is there someone you
still want the chance to say something to?
KG: Well, if I really interviewed Angelina Jolie, I
wouldn’t say, “What’s with your crazy mouth that
looks like an anus?” That’s something I like to say
behind her back. I honestly have no desire to make anyone upset, I
don’t want anyone leaving in tears, I don’t want to
make anyone feel uncomfortable. I do like to get people off their
guard a little bit.
dB: Do you ever worry about making someone upset?
KG: Luckily, most people know I’m kidding, and I should be
able to say that. That’s what the First Amendment is for, and
that’s what comedy is for, and I am very nervous about the
whole politically correct movement. I don’t like when people
get hyper-sensitive. You look at the administration today and they
lie about everything, and nobody should be able to come after me
because I make a joke about a celebrity. I’m really just a
fan of the people I make fun of, too. Like I make fun of Celine
Dion, and I went to go see her opening night.
dB: So you haven’t gotten sued yet. Do you think this
might change after your show on Saturday?
KG: There might be a few. I might end up on Court TV yet. But
only if I kill someone, which I want to every day. Network
executives, those types.
dB: Are you still surprised by how many people there are out
there who can’t take a joke?
KG: It’s amazing to me; I’m so frustrated by people
with no sense of humor. How could you believe that 10-year-old
Dakota Fanning went to rehab for drugs and alcohol, and that I
would make a joke about it? If it was real, obviously I
wouldn’t make a joke about it.