Kathy Griffin Reflects on Controversial Trump Photo
Comedian Kathy Griffin is looking back at the backlash she faced over her infamous 2017 photo that depicted a mock decapitated head of Donald Trump. The image, which stirred national outrage, has certainly changed her perspective. Interesting, right? She even mentioned that some of her friends now include Trump supporters.
“I think I’ve spent a lot of my life pondering whether someone could change or if I could somehow shift someone’s view—whether it was in relationships or work,” she shared at Out Magazine’s Out100 party.
“Believe it or not, I actually have quite a few Trumper friends,” she stated.
Griffin acknowledged that she lost a significant portion of her fanbase due to that controversial photo.
Remember that moment? Griffin originally posted a picture holding a Halloween mask smeared with ketchup that resembled Trump’s severed head. The image was met with condemnation from lawmakers across the political spectrum and was criticized for potentially inciting violence against political figures. The Secret Service even investigated whether it posed a threat to the president.
Since then, she has been outspoken about the fallout, including being fired from her co-host role on CNN’s New Year’s Eve show and struggling to secure performances afterward.
Despite the divide, she expressed to People that she now believes it’s essential to engage with people holding different viewpoints and has learned to coexist with them.
Griffin shared her ongoing struggle with her association to the Trump image: “Some Trumpers actually find that headshot very attractive, so I have mixed feelings about that photo. I see it from both perspectives,” she added.
Recently honored as Out Magazine’s “Advocate of the Year,” Griffin reiterated her commitment to addressing political issues, despite the backlash she has received.
“This administration really supports the LGBT community,” she noted. She emphasized the importance of political involvement for everyone, regardless of their interest in politics, underscoring that “gay rights are civil rights.”
