Bill Donohue: Kathy Griffin Causes STDs

"Perhaps the biggest story related to Kathy Griffin’s salacious stunt on CNN’s New Year’s Eve broadcast with Anderson Cooper was the almost deadening silence it engendered from any quarter. Does it matter what Griffin did? To put it more generally, does what we see and hear have any effect on our behavior, particularly the behavior of young people? Does it matter? According to the Centers for Disease Control, even though the risk of transmitting HIV through oral sex is much lower than from other forms of sexual behavior, 'numerous studies have demonstrated that oral sex can result in the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).' In other words, people can get chlamydia, gonorrhea, genital herpes, genital human papillomavirus, syphilis, and other STDs by having oral sex. This is important because numerous studies have shown that many young people still think they cannot get an STD this way." - Catholic League blowhard Bill Donohue, on Griffin's fleeting pretend blowjob.  Donahue closes by saying that Griffin isn't really causing STDs, despite his previous fifteen paragraphs claiming that she is.  He and Griffin have been trading jabs for several years.

Cher & Kathy Griffin On Mitt Romney

"This is CHER, bitches! Do what she says!"

Swag Tuesday

Courtesy of the Karpel Group, today's Swag Tuesday prize is Red, White + Raw, the new concert DVD compilation from Kathy Griffin. Red, White + Raw goes on sale nationwide on October 30th.

Over 5 Hours of Uncensored Kathy! Self-proclaimed D-Lister and two-time Emmy Award winning comedian Kathy Griffin has been repeatedly breaking ground over the past few years as she continues to put on four televised original stand-up specials a year. Now, for the first time on DVD, you can experience a collection of her acclaimed shows:uncensored and complete with unaired bonus footage. Queen of Hollywood gossip and purveyor of uproarious tales involving herself, her mother Maggie and a dirty laundry list of famed celebrities, Kathy delivers with unparalleled hilarity and gusto on every stage. Features the acclaimed and uncensored comedy specials: Balls Of Steel, Does The Bible Belt, Whores On Crutches, 50 & Not Pregnant, Gurrl Down, Pants Off, Tired Hooker.

We have three copies of Red, White + Raw to give away. Enter to win by commenting on this post and please remember to leave a contact email address. Entries close at midnight on Thursday, west coast time. Publicists: If you'd like to take part in Swag Tuesday on JMG, please email me.

Kathy Griffin: I'm Worried For Anderson

Kathy Griffin says she's happy that her buddy Anderson Cooper finally came out, but that she's also worried for him. She writes for the Daily Beast:

Look, I’m a comedian. Anderson reports on the world’s toughest stories. He speaks truth to power. I, on the other hand, make fun of the spectacularly silly world of reality television and Hollywood’s fame whores (and those who love them). I don’t pretend to understand the complexities of the worlds Anderson moves in. But I do know that I don’t want my friend to face that part of the world, where he might die a very different kind of death than someone who isn’t quite so honest. Here’s the thing: I love my friend Anderson and remain immensely proud of him. And I’m honored, truly, that he considers me a friend. But I just want him to be careful. Of course he wouldn’t be doing his job if he really were being careful. And he wouldn’t be who he is.

It's really an astonishingly thoughtful essay, one in which Griffin name-checks Uganda, Lawrence v Texas, Stonewall, and America's gayborhoods. Recommended.

Kathy Griffin On Her Gays

Kathy Griffin Vs. Ladybird

Kathy Griffin Fires Back At Sarah Palin

Sarah Palin: Kathy Griffin Is A 50 Year Old Bully And Has-Been Comedian

Tweet Of The Day II - Kathy Griffin

Celebrities Speak Out On Bullying

Last night CNN's Larry King hosted Nate Berkus, Tim Gunn, Wanda Sykes, Kathy Griffin and Lance Bass for an extended discussion on bullying and gay teen suicide. Bass revealed that he used to bully gay kids himself in order to provide cover to his own sexuality.

Kathy Griffin on Gay Teen Suicide

Kathy Griffin On Prop 8 Stay

Quote Of The Day - Rep. Barney Frank

“I think it’s possible to have fun, and even to poke fun at people in my businesses, without this kind of completely unfair attack. And while I don’t usually feel compelled to comment on what various entertainers do, since you did include me in that show I wanted to make it very clear that I thought what you did was wholly unfair and inappropriate. It’s the kind of thing that makes it less likely that I or others can cooperate with you in the future.” - Rep. Barney Frank, writing to Kathy Griffin over last week's episode of her show in which she referred to Sen. Scott Brown's daughters as "prostitutes."

A Woman Scorned

Somebody's seen a few drag shows....

Griffin Vs. Hasselbeck

During Kathy Griffin's appearance on the View yesterday, co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck basically ignored Griffin during her entire 15-minute bit, except to occasionally roll her eyes or make other disdainful expressions. Finally at the end of the second clip below, they get into it.

The HRC Wants You To Know Their Side

Concerned about the "Lt. Dan Choi Kanye'd the HRC" story being reported on some blogs (including this one), the HRC has posted the following elaboration of their earlier comment.

Singer Tom Goss kicked off the event followed by the first American wounded in the Iraq war, retired Marine Staff Sgt. Eric Alva. Also speaking were Ben Mishkin of Servicemembers Legal Defense Network and Alex Nicholson of Servicemembers United. Finally, Kathy Griffin took to the stage, talking about her experiences this week in Washington, welcoming Lt. Dan Choi to the stage to make a few remarks and then calling for a moment of silence to honor our troops who serve in silence.

There’s been some confusion about Lt. Dan Choi’s role in the rally. As Joe Solmonese was walking to the stage, Lt. Choi asked Joe if he could have a speaking role. Joe explained that it wasn’t his sole decision to make on the spot given that there was already an established program that included Kathy Griffin, other organization and veterans. After Choi then spoke with Kathy Griffin, she agreed to bring him up on stage and speak to the crowd during her remarks.

So basically, it appears that it was Kathy Griffin who made the call to override Joe Solmonese and bring Choi to the podium. Good for her. I have to wonder why a DADT protest in the nation's capital wouldn't have included the nation's most famous and well-spoken gay veteran in the first place. (Not to disparage Sgt. Eric Alva in the least, whom I think is fantastic.)

UPDATE: John Aravosis at AmericaBlog says the HRC statement is "utterly untrue."

That is simply untrue. I was there, standing next to Dan, about 10 feet from Kathy Griffin and Solmonese. They were behind a rope line, to keep them from the rally attendees. They looked over at Dan when he asked them, for the second time, to come with him to the White House (mind you, they had no idea that he was planning to handcuff himself), and they just stared back at him. They were not helping engage the rally about how to build pressure - the rally was over, they were already off the stage, behind it actually, getting ready to leave behind a secure rope line to separate them from the crowd. I'm sorry, but this statement is flat out untrue. They were getting their photos taken. Unbelievable.

UPDATE II: It looks like Choi and Capt. Jim Pietrangelo will be spending the night in jail.

Dan Choi Kanye's Kathy Griffin & The HRC

According to some reports, Lt. Dan Choi was not scheduled to speak at the HRC press conference with Kathy Griffin at DC City Hall today. We're hearing that he asked to appear at the podium, but was told "this is Kathy's show." (Or something to that effect.)

Apparently, Choi took the podium anyway. Via Kerry Eleveld at the Advocate:

"You've been told that the White House has a plan," Choi told rally protesters. "But we learned this week that the president is still not fully committed. ... Following this rally, I will be leading [the protest] to the White House to say 'enough talk.' ... I am still standing, I am still fighting, I am still speaking out, and I am still gay." Kathy Griffin, who was in Washington at the behest of HRC to meet with members of Congress about DADT repeal, was also at the rally. When asked by Choi if she would march with him to the White House, Griffin responded, "Of course!" Neither Griffin nor Solmonese was seen at the White House protest, however.

Lez Gets Real reports that some tried to talk Choi out of the White House protest.

According to this source, who is close to Lt. Choi, a number of people tried to talk him out of his plan. With the repeal underway and the study going full throttle, it is a delicate time in the repeal of DADT. This means that anything that could be seen as being problematic or aggrandizing or taking this issue less than seriously could bolster the position of those in opposition to the MREA and make passage that much more difficult.

UPDATE: The HRC has issued a statement essentially confirming the above.

"Today more than 1000 people showed up at a rally - 500 of which signed up to become more involved in the fight to repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.' Joe Solmonese along with Eric Alva and others felt it was important to stay and engage those at the rally in ways they can continue building the pressure needed for repeal. This does nothing to diminish the actions taken by Lt. Choi and others. This is the nature of social change and everyone has a role to play."

(Photo via Durban Bud)

DADT Controversy: Kathy Griffin Criticized For Calling Congressman A "Big Queen"

Gay heroine Kathy Griffin is in DC to participate in the HRC's lobby day for the repeal of DADT. But today she's under fire by some for her remarks to Capitol Hill's Roll Call.

Kathy Griffin might be a D-list diva, but she says House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) is royalty — of a sort. “I’m meeting with this big queen named Jim Clyburn,” Griffin, who is in Washington this week to lobby for an end to the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, told HOH. “I’m going to be the first person to ever walk into his office and go, ‘Hey, girl!’” Griffin is also slated to meet with the chamber’s two openly gay Congressmen, Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) (“Leave it to the gays to have two first names,” she joked) and Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) (“Jared’s a good gay name”).

Mediaite's Michael Triplett calls Griffin's remark "perfectly calculated" to get her the kind of attention she loves and notes the harsh criticism from some LGBT bloggers.

But in a town where even her gays don’t necessarily find Griffin’s shtick funny when it comes to politics, there’s been some blowback by the oh-so-serious LGBT power bloggers. Joe Subday at AmericaBlog said “I get that she’s a comedian (I’m a fan), but lobbying is actually serious business, especially on LGBT issues. Yes, it’s funny to you and me when Kathy Griffin insults members of Congress by calling them “big queens.” It’s a dumb way to lobby on DADT.”

John Aravosis, also at AmericaBlog, chimed in on the comment page of his blog, calling it ” idiotic to choose someone like her for a high profile job on a serious issue like this. Invite her to your dinner, sure. Don’t invite her to Congress to represent us. It smacks of either HRC self-promoting or desperately trying to show the community they’re doing something. Either way, not good.”

Griffin is being trailed in Washington by a film crew from her hit Bravo show My Life On The D-List. For the record, Clyburn is married and isn't thought to be gay.

Kathy Griffin Banned From CNN?

Following her live New Year's Eve F-bomb, a CNN "insider" says they will not be inviting Kathy Griffin back, according to gossip columnist Rob Shuter.

"She was a total embarrassment to the network that calls themselves 'The Most Trusted Name in News.' Even Anderson (Cooper, her co-host) thinks it's time to say goodbye to Kathy," a CNN insider tells me. Not only did the potty-mouthed redhead drop the F bomb on live TV, she also made not-so-funny jokes about needing a "bump" of cocaine and asked Cooper if he pleasured himself while looking in the mirror. As sexy as the Silver Fox is ... that's just too much, Kathy. Even worse than the comedienne's desperate need to shock was the fact that the show was a ratings bomb, as it fell far behind the family-friendly 'Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve' on ABC.

CNN publicists are claiming that no decision regarding next year's show has been made. On New Year's Day the network issued an apology for Griffin's performance.

Kathy Griffin's Live NYE F-Bomb

To promote last night's New Year's Eve show on CNN with Anderson Cooper, Kathy Griffin made the rounds of talk shows, where she reported that a stipulation in this year's contract required her to return her paycheck if she swore on the air, as she did last year. You be the judge of what was said at 0:57.