Gossip Queen: Q&A with Kathy Griffin

Kathy Griffin: Live on Concert - The Kravis Center for the Performing ArtsHollywood’s dirty laundry will be hung out to dry at the Kravis Center on April 24 when Kathy Griffin dishes on her latest celebrity run-ins, rumors and opinions. The filter-free comedienne rose to fame through her tell-all acts and her Bravo reality show, Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List, which aired from 2005 to 2010, and her biting sense of humor has earned her a Grammy. The former D-lister spills to NI some of her own secrets as a famous funny woman.

  • Kathy Griffin: Live in Concert comes to Sarasota’s VanWezel Performing Arts Hall on April 26 at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $52. For more information, call 800-826-9303, or visit vanwezel.org.

 

NI: What will you talk about in your show?

KG: Like I know? Trust me, I honestly don’t know what I’m going to say on stage until the standing ovation ends. Yeah, that’s right, I expect a standing ovation the moment I walk out there. There is so much changing in the world of pop culture, news, and God only knows what celebrity run-ins I have had. Let me just warn you, this show will not be for the faint of heart. Come with an open mind. 

 

Tell us a funny (and tame) celebrity story or encounter you experienced recently.

I ran into Channing Tatum recently. You know he used to be a stripper? I asked him what he was up to, and he said, “Mike 2.” Since I’m not in the movie industry, I didn’t initially understand he was referring to the sequel to Magic Mike. I just told Tatum to lay off the carbs, as they can be a real career ruiner for him.

 

You’ve stated that you are a fan of most of the people you talk about in your act. Whom in Hollywood is someone you particularly admire and why?

I admire the legends, the ones who have been through the fire and survived to have a good laugh about it: Cher, Bette Midler, Gloria Vanderbilt, even Gloria Steinem. Frankly I’m pretty bored with anybody under 90 years old. 

 

What does it take to be a woman in comedy?

Well, you better love it because you’re going to bomb more than you kill. Those boys are gonna be coming at you nonstop, saying, “Chicks aren’t funny” as if it’s 1952 all over again. The demise of sexism in stand-up comedy hasn’t made progress nearly as quickly as I would like.

 

What would you do if you were invisible for a day?

I would follow around my 94-year old, boxed wine-loving mom—Maggie—all day and see what really goes on in that retirement village. I have a feeling that’s where all the real action is. High-stakes poker. Crossword puzzles. I put nothing past these senior citizens. 

 

What’s the most unusual item you own?

My brain.

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