New Year’s Eve I wrote about my shock in watching the crude and often unhinged conduct of Kathy Griffin on CNN with Anderson Cooper. We switched over to the networks due to her bizarre behavior, but it appears it got worse as the night went on. Griffin followed her juvenile antics with a simulation of giving Anderson Cooper oral sex on national television. CNN’s response to this controversy is rather muted. While a “wardrobe malfunction” in the Superbowl merited weeks of discussion, simulated oral sex on a host appears to merit a return for Griffin to CNN the next day to joke around with Cooper about their wild time in Time Square.
Griffin has had a long and checkered history on New Year’s (though like many I was not familiar with her reputation or juvenile antics until two days ago). In 2008, Griffin repeatedly dropped the F bomb. Then she screamed that an onlooker should “knock the dicks out of your mouth” on national television. Then there is her taking her clothes off last year on television. Yet, CNN has repeatedly showed that it is only interested in ratings and invites her back despite the fact that New Year’s Eve is the only late night with a large number of children watching these programs, including my own. Networks (and advertisers) expect the highest number of children to watch on New Year’s Eve — recognizing that this is a common right of passage for kids to make it to midnight and watch the ball drop. Even my seven year old daughter made it to midnight and, before we cut her off, was exposed to Griffin.
We cut off the show after watching Griffin try to throw money into the crowd and actually wrestle with Cooper who went to a commercial. As Cooper clearly understood, such a moronic act would have likely triggered a stampede below and legitimate lawsuits against CNN. What is astonishing is that it is not (like much of her work) funny in the slightest. It came off as a rich entertainer throwing baubles to the masses. As she struggled with Cooper, she added the appearance of an unstable rich entertainer. She proceeded to substitute outrageous comments for humor such as insisting that the “fiscal cliff” should be called the “fisting cliff” as if that is remarkably clever. I find it astonishing that CNN would want to put one of its key anchors in this type of juvenile display.
By the time Griffin turned to the burlesque, we were gone. However, she told Anderson Cooper “I’m going to tickle your sack” and actually kissed his crotch. Cooper joked on twitter that people were playing a drinking game whenever he giggles nervously. I respect Cooper greatly but nervous giggles did not suffice in response to this performance. I fail to understand why producers or Cooper would subject people to this entertainer who appears a female version of Andrew Dice Clay. Even when Leslie and I saw the clip of faux oral sex, we found it unfunny and the type of thing high school kids do at parties. I realize that our entertainment is getting increasing raunchy and that this type of low-grade humor appeals to some. I just do not know why CNN wants to move so aggressively to that lowest common denominator.
When Janet Jackson had a “wardrobe malfunction” in the Superbowl, there was considerable debate over whether it was intentional and sanctionable. Griffin has repeatedly shocked the national audience to profanity and other crude antics, but CNN continues to invite her back. After the latest controversy, she reappeared with Cooper. She made rather stale jokes about the fiscal cliff and then said her mother gave her a thumbs down for her performance before saying that Suzanne Somers told her to be more crude (and that she would follow her advice). CNN then ran a series of images designed to show how funny they were together even though even the edited clip was notably not funny. Indeed, I am not very familiar with Griffin but she seems remarkably unfunny, even humor impaired. Like Clay, she appears to substitute outrageous acts or statements for actual humor.
My main interest however is how CNN had allowed this person to appear again on New Year’s Eve in a blind pursuit for ratings. Yet the only thing keeping viewers watching was the sense of a recurring car crash. The difference with Jackson is that the networks did not keep inviting Jackson to have repeat wardrobe malfunctions. This is a host malfunction and it appears a malfunction by design.
Hubert I am a liberal progressive, but do not consider myself a wingnut. I do not think Griffin is funny and do not like the vulgarity but heck you love being judgemental, even though if I recall you align yourself with Godly beliefs but not the precept of judge not.
I know all the liberal wingnuts love this kind of trash on TV. This is really awful television… new lows are being met daily.
Pete 9999….
That is FUNNY ……
nick spinelli
1, January 2, 2013 at 5:06 pm
Sarah Silverman is one of the best out there. I suggest her book, The Bedwetter for anyone who likes her. She had a great relationship w/ her father and that comes through in her comedy. And of course, it’s funny along w/ being poignant.
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I thinks she is SO FUNNY…. I LOVE that she is REALLY vulgar…
she goes where few women will go for humor….
http://youtu.be/A9Tn2BhCo_w
I am disconnected with your TV, but CNN has good articles at times on-line.
Re: what I remember was Bette Midler, and what’s her name: “Is that a banana in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me?”
I’ll yutub Sarah Silverman.
Maybe they were punishing Anderson for his hitting constantly on the straight guys at work. ?????
Otherwise, what MikeS said. yeah, at it again. suffer. don’t write so well!!!!
Sarah Silverman is one of the best out there. I suggest her book, The Bedwetter for anyone who likes her. She had a great relationship w/ her father and that comes through in her comedy. And of course, it’s funny along w/ being poignant.
Educated people just don’t find vulgar funny. For that and all the other reasons you set forth, I never watch Kathy Griffin; And I’m glad I missed the show on CNN for just those reasons.
Maggie Ringland
1, January 2, 2013 at 4:58 pm
Educated people just don’t find vulgar funny. For that and all the other reasons you set forth, I never watch Kathy Griffin; And I’m glad I missed the show on CNN for just those reasons.
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That is a bunch of poppycock…..
I have known some very educated people in my life time
and I can assure you, they find just as many vulgar things to be funny as the next guy or gal…..
this is what I find so funny about Americans….
If they would have shown a movie trailer for Friday the 13th
and Freddy Krugger….. NOBODY would have thought diddley squat
about it…..
on a side note…
Some of the most educated men I have know were the most vulgar people I have known….. and not in the fun way either….
as far as Kathy’s little act in NYE…. I found it funny….. NOT the funniest thing I have seen her do… BUT it was still kind of funny….
and then when Anderson Cooper started blocking her by bending down…. Then it became VERY funny…..
in NO WAY did I find it shocking…. I just found it amusing….
and especially since it was on network TV…. that made me like it even MORE….
I think that in GENERAL… many Americans just take themselves a bit too seriously…. this is not a problem I have….
I don’t shock easy… and I try to find humor is everything….. I will even laugh at the pedestrian fart joke…. if it is good of course…. 🙂
Then there is my husband….
a few weeks ago we watched that movie Ted….
WE laughed so hard….
My husband is a CEO of large company in Scandinavia…
He speaks 5 languages…. there is nothing he does not know about WW2 and WW1 along with European History and American History….
he smokes a pipe and says “rather” said like … Rau… thah….
He laughed at the movie Ted like I have NEVER seen him laugh….
it is a movie full of vulgar, juvenile, stupid, immature humor…..
It’s a movie about a pot smoking… foul talking Teddy Bear that comes to life….
http://youtu.be/ZJGKPh0cFUM
what’s truly horrifying is that he may have been wearing his expensive jeans that can only be washed like twice a year !
THAT’s gross ! 🙂
http://now.msn.com/anderson-coopers-jeans-are-a-biohazard-according-to-stacy-london