Self-proclaimed “D-list” celebrity Kathy Griffin launched a racially charged attack on actor and stand-up comedy megastar Kevin Hart over his refusal to bash President Donald Trump from the stage at his sellout shows.
“I do feel like this is such an anxiety-ridden time for everyone that there is a thirst for all kinds of comedy,” Griffin said in an interview with USA Today published on Wednesday “And look, if you want to not hear about Trump at all, go see Kevin Hart. He doesn’t even mention Trump. I personally think that’s a (expletive) move because he’s a black man. But I guess he’s selling more tickets than I ever will.”
USA Today edited out Griffin’s explicative but confirmed to the Free Beacon that she used the word “pussy” to describe Hart.
Hart films, including 2016’s The Secret Life of Pets and 2017’s Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, have grossed over $1.5 billion domestically.
Indeed the 38-year-old superstar, who reportedly commands $10 million per film, is one of the few Hollywood stars who avoids preaching politics.
“When you jump into that political realm you’re alienating some of your audience,” Hart told Variety. “The world today, it’s really not a laughing matter. It’s serious. I don’t want to draw attention to things I don’t have nice things to say about.”
Kathy Griffin, meanwhile, is set to open her “Laugh Your Head Off” comedy tour this Thursday in San Francisco, California, after spending the last year struggling to salvage her fledging comedy career after the fallout from a picture that saw her posing during a photo shoot while holding up a mock-up of President Trump’s severed, bloody head.
The image, from photographer Tyler Shields, ignited a firestorm of controversy when it was first published online by TMZ in May, 2017. (Tyler Shields/TMZ)
The stunt got the 57-year-old fired from CNN, boycotted out of a comedy tour, and investigated by the Secret Service.
Griffin, still unapologetic about the photo, doesn’t plan to shy away from the infamous photo fiasco on her politically charged tour.
“One of the things that’s great about being a comedian is you really do get to be a whistle-blower. I like to do it through comedy,” Griffin says. “People love to hear these stories, so I’m not going to walk away from it. I have a hell of a story to tell.”
Follow Jerome Hudson on Twitter: @jeromeehudson
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