- Title: Comedian Kathy Griffin says her career is over after gory Trump photo
- Date: 2nd June 2017
- Summary: WOODLAND HILLS, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (JUNE 2, 2017) (REUTERS) KATHY GRIFFIN ENTERING PRESS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) KATHY GRIFFIN, SAYING: "I'm not afraid of Donald Trump; he's a bully. I've dealt with older white guys trying to keep me down my whole life, my whole career. I'm a woman in a very male dominated field. I love what I do. I love making people laugh more than anything in the world. And I have learned over the years that sometimes when you do standup, and I've done it in a war zone and I've done it at Walter Reed Hospital and I've done it at Carnegie Hall, sometimes people want a joke that's out there and a little crazy. So regarding the image that I participated in, the apology absolutely stands. I feel horrible. I have performed in war zones. The idea that this made people think of this tragedy, that have been touched by this tragedy is horrifying and it's horrible. Trust me, if I could redo the whole thing I would have had a blow up doll and no ketchup. I make mistakes. I'm an out there comedian. I'm an in your face comedian, but I just wanted to say if you don't stand up you get run over. And what's happening to me has never happened ever in the history of this great country which is that a sitting president of the United States and his grown children and the first lady are personally, I feel, personally trying to ruin my life for forever. Forever. You guys know him, he's never going to stop." GRIFFIN SPEAKING AT PRESS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) KATHY GRIFFIN, SAYING: "I've had everybody turn on me and I just want to make people laugh. That's all I want to do. So I screwed up. But I want the gay guy who came to see me in Lake Charles, Louisiana a few weeks ago who said, 'I wanted to come here because I'm scared to come out, but I get to come here and laugh for two hours.' That's what I'm telling you. That's why I'm here. It's honestly, it's not for me it's for them. I think a few people might actually be watching me and I want them to see this old dame, I'm not laying down for this guy. I'm going to make fun of him and make jokes about him and the housewives and Kardashians. He does provide a lot of material. I mean you got to be honest, he really, it's a good time to be a comedian. It's scary to be a citizen, but it's a good time to be a comedian." GRIFFIN SPEAKING AT PRESS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) KATHY GRIFFIN, SAYING: "Like I said it is quite clear to me that they're trying to use me as a distraction and I'm not going to be collateral damage for this fool, I think he's a fool so I'm going to say that I think the president is a fool, you know, I can say that. (REPORTER OFF CAMERA ASKS: DO YOU FEAR FOR YOU CAREER AFTER THIS?) Absolutely, I don't think I'll have a career after this. I think he ... I'm going to be honest, he broke me, he broke me, he broke me. And then I was like no, this isn't right. It's just not right, and I apologized because that was the right thing to do, and I meant it. And then I saw the tide turning and I saw what they were doing and I went oh, they're trying to spin this and they're making it about Barron (Trump) and obviously that was never my intent and I would never want to hurt anyone less a child but I started to see what was really happening and then it was a mom-mentality pile-on and so many people have expressed to me personally across the country at my shows, they're scared, so yeah I don't know if I'm going to get arrested today, I don't know, but I have to stand up."
- Embargoed: 16th June 2017 22:24
- Keywords: CNN news conference severed head comedian Donald Trump Trump Kathy Griffin
- Location: WOODLAND HILLS AND LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES / INTERNET
- City: WOODLAND HILLS AND LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES / INTERNET
- Country: USA
- Topics: Celebrities,Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA0016JL7OEF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Comedian Kathy Griffin tearfully apologized in a Friday (June 02) press conference for posing with a fake bloodied and severed head depicting U.S. President Donald Trump, saying that she felt her career was now over and that Trump "broke" her.
Griffin has lost sponsorships and jobs, including her role as co-host of CNN's New Year's Eve coverage with journalist Anderson Cooper, since a photograph and video from the shoot appeared on social media on Tuesday.
President Trump said the image of Griffin with the gory mask resembling him was "sick" and that it had traumatized his family, especially his youngest son, 11-year-old Barron. Trump's oldest son, Donald Jr., called for employers to drop the comedian.
Griffin reiterated the apology she posted on social media late on Tuesday, but remained defiant, saying, "I'm not afraid of Donald Trump, he's a bully," adding that she intended to continue making jokes about the president, even though she says she's been receiving death threats. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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