This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/kathy-griffin-releases-photo-holding-a-severed-trump-head/2017/05/30/f10f633a-4588-11e7-8de1-cec59a9bf4b1_story.html
The article has changed 14 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Kathy Griffin: ‘I beg for your forgiveness’ for grisly photo showing Donald Trump’s severed head | Kathy Griffin: ‘I beg for your forgiveness’ for grisly photo showing Donald Trump’s severed head |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Kathy Griffin said she was “not afraid to do images that make noise.” But a gruesome picture showing the comedian and reality TV star holding a prop of President Trump’s severed head would lead to an apology after criticism over the shocking photo came from the president’s son, a Clinton, Griffin’s co-host for CNN’s New Year’s Eve coverage, and many more. | Kathy Griffin said she was “not afraid to do images that make noise.” But a gruesome picture showing the comedian and reality TV star holding a prop of President Trump’s severed head would lead to an apology after criticism over the shocking photo came from the president’s son, a Clinton, Griffin’s co-host for CNN’s New Year’s Eve coverage, and many more. |
| In a video posted on Twitter and Instagram, Griffin said that she crossed the line and that the image was too disturbing. | In a video posted on Twitter and Instagram, Griffin said that she crossed the line and that the image was too disturbing. |
| “I sincerely apologize I am just now seeing the reaction of these images,” she said of the picture. | “I sincerely apologize I am just now seeing the reaction of these images,” she said of the picture. |
| I am sorry. I went too far. I was wrong. pic.twitter.com/LBKvqf9xFB — Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin) May 30, 2017 | I am sorry. I went too far. I was wrong. pic.twitter.com/LBKvqf9xFB — Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin) May 30, 2017 |
| I am sorry. I went too far. I was wrong. pic.twitter.com/LBKvqf9xFB | I am sorry. I went too far. I was wrong. pic.twitter.com/LBKvqf9xFB |
| — Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin) May 30, 2017 | — Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin) May 30, 2017 |
| [An artist hated the ‘Fearless Girl’ statue — so he put this at her feet] | |
| Griffin, a veteran stand-up comedian and actress who has won two Emmys for her reality show “My Life on the D List”, had shared the image in a now-deleted tweet. | |
| “I caption this ‘there was blood coming out of his eyes, blood coming out of his … wherever,’” she wrote Tuesday. | |
| In a second tweet, she added: “OBVIOUSLY, I do not condone ANY violence by my fans or others to anyone, ever! I’m merely mocking the Mocker in Chief.” | In a second tweet, she added: “OBVIOUSLY, I do not condone ANY violence by my fans or others to anyone, ever! I’m merely mocking the Mocker in Chief.” |
| The photo was shot by Tyler Shields, whose own biography notes that he is “recognized as ‘Hollywood’s favorite photographer,’” having evolved from the “’bad boy of photography,’ with his controversial bloodstained photographic series featuring Lindsay Lohan.” | |
| Griffin said Tuesday night that she has asked Shields to take down the image. | Griffin said Tuesday night that she has asked Shields to take down the image. |
| [Trump targets ‘negative press covfefe’ in garbled midnight tweet that becomes worldwide joke] | |
| Criticism came from liberals and conservatives, including Donald Trump Jr., former GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney and Chelsea Clinton. | |
| Disgusting but not surprising. This is the left today. They consider this acceptable. Imagine a conservative did this to Obama as POTUS? https://t.co/QdghcbIjS7 — Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) May 30, 2017 | Disgusting but not surprising. This is the left today. They consider this acceptable. Imagine a conservative did this to Obama as POTUS? https://t.co/QdghcbIjS7 — Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) May 30, 2017 |
| Disgusting but not surprising. This is the left today. They consider this acceptable. Imagine a conservative did this to Obama as POTUS? https://t.co/QdghcbIjS7 | Disgusting but not surprising. This is the left today. They consider this acceptable. Imagine a conservative did this to Obama as POTUS? https://t.co/QdghcbIjS7 |
| — Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) May 30, 2017 | — Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) May 30, 2017 |
| Our politics have become too base, too low, & too vulgar, but Kathy Griffin's post descends into an even more repugnant & vile territory. — Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) May 30, 2017 | Our politics have become too base, too low, & too vulgar, but Kathy Griffin's post descends into an even more repugnant & vile territory. — Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) May 30, 2017 |
| Our politics have become too base, too low, & too vulgar, but Kathy Griffin's post descends into an even more repugnant & vile territory. | Our politics have become too base, too low, & too vulgar, but Kathy Griffin's post descends into an even more repugnant & vile territory. |
| — Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) May 30, 2017 | — Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) May 30, 2017 |
| But even people who do not usually defend Trump expressed repulsion at the image. | But even people who do not usually defend Trump expressed repulsion at the image. |
| Chelsea Clinton called the photo “vile and wrong.” | Chelsea Clinton called the photo “vile and wrong.” |
| This is vile and wrong. It is never funny to joke about killing a president. https://t.co/zIiuKoMyFw — Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) May 30, 2017 | This is vile and wrong. It is never funny to joke about killing a president. https://t.co/zIiuKoMyFw — Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) May 30, 2017 |
| This is vile and wrong. It is never funny to joke about killing a president. https://t.co/zIiuKoMyFw | This is vile and wrong. It is never funny to joke about killing a president. https://t.co/zIiuKoMyFw |
| — Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) May 30, 2017 | — Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) May 30, 2017 |
| Responding to a comment that “it’s also ‘art’, it doesn’t hurt anyone,” Clinton said of Griffin and her gory photo: “I can both respect her right to freedom of speech, which I do, and think it’s not funny and not ok.” | Responding to a comment that “it’s also ‘art’, it doesn’t hurt anyone,” Clinton said of Griffin and her gory photo: “I can both respect her right to freedom of speech, which I do, and think it’s not funny and not ok.” |
| CNN, where Griffin is a co-host for the network’s New Year’s Eve program, called the picture “disgusting and offensive,” adding in a statement that it is “evaluating our New Year’s coverage.” | CNN, where Griffin is a co-host for the network’s New Year’s Eve program, called the picture “disgusting and offensive,” adding in a statement that it is “evaluating our New Year’s coverage.” |
| Her New Year’s Eve co-host, Anderson Cooper, tweeted that he was “appalled by the photo shoot.” | Her New Year’s Eve co-host, Anderson Cooper, tweeted that he was “appalled by the photo shoot.” |
| For the record, I am appalled by the photo shoot Kathy Griffin took part in. It is clearly disgusting and completely inappropriate. — Anderson Cooper (@andersoncooper) May 31, 2017 | For the record, I am appalled by the photo shoot Kathy Griffin took part in. It is clearly disgusting and completely inappropriate. — Anderson Cooper (@andersoncooper) May 31, 2017 |
| For the record, I am appalled by the photo shoot Kathy Griffin took part in. It is clearly disgusting and completely inappropriate. | For the record, I am appalled by the photo shoot Kathy Griffin took part in. It is clearly disgusting and completely inappropriate. |
| — Anderson Cooper (@andersoncooper) May 31, 2017 | — Anderson Cooper (@andersoncooper) May 31, 2017 |
| At least one company is distancing itself from Griffin: The Utah-based producer of Squatty Potty toilet stools and Unicorn Gold bathroom products, said it was suspending a new ad campaign starring the comedian. | At least one company is distancing itself from Griffin: The Utah-based producer of Squatty Potty toilet stools and Unicorn Gold bathroom products, said it was suspending a new ad campaign starring the comedian. |
| “We were shocked and disappointed to learn about the image Ms. Griffin shared today,” Squatty Potty CEO Bobby Edwards said in a statement. “It was deeply inappropriate and runs contrary to the core values our company stands for. In response, Squatty Potty has suspended its ad campaign featuring Ms. Griffin. We have acted swiftly and decisively to demonstrate our commitment to a culture of decency, civility, and tolerance.” | “We were shocked and disappointed to learn about the image Ms. Griffin shared today,” Squatty Potty CEO Bobby Edwards said in a statement. “It was deeply inappropriate and runs contrary to the core values our company stands for. In response, Squatty Potty has suspended its ad campaign featuring Ms. Griffin. We have acted swiftly and decisively to demonstrate our commitment to a culture of decency, civility, and tolerance.” |
| [These protesters wanted to humiliate ‘Emperor’ Trump. So they took off his clothes.] | |
| Griffin has been critical of Trump in the past. | Griffin has been critical of Trump in the past. |
| Speaking with MSNBC’s Chris Matthews about Trump’s first address to a joint session of Congress, she said “he just says one hateful thing after the other; he’s so embarrassing.” | Speaking with MSNBC’s Chris Matthews about Trump’s first address to a joint session of Congress, she said “he just says one hateful thing after the other; he’s so embarrassing.” |
| On “The View,” she called Trump “insufferable.” | On “The View,” she called Trump “insufferable.” |
| Griffin has also shown support for one of Trump’s biggest critics in Congress. | Griffin has also shown support for one of Trump’s biggest critics in Congress. |
| Firing up #TheResistance with @KathyGriffin at my Town Hall tonight! Full capacity crowd, no Russian agents. #ImwithTed pic.twitter.com/DlsIb86zEY — Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) April 21, 2017 | Firing up #TheResistance with @KathyGriffin at my Town Hall tonight! Full capacity crowd, no Russian agents. #ImwithTed pic.twitter.com/DlsIb86zEY — Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) April 21, 2017 |
| Firing up #TheResistance with @KathyGriffin at my Town Hall tonight! Full capacity crowd, no Russian agents. #ImwithTed pic.twitter.com/DlsIb86zEY | Firing up #TheResistance with @KathyGriffin at my Town Hall tonight! Full capacity crowd, no Russian agents. #ImwithTed pic.twitter.com/DlsIb86zEY |
| — Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) April 21, 2017 | — Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) April 21, 2017 |
| In an interview with Entertainment Weekly before Griffin’s apology, Shields, the photographer, said that he and the comedian had discussed doing something. She told him: “I’m not afraid to get political if you want or make a statement if you want.” | |
| Shields added: “Fortunately, we have freedom of speech and all art is generally protected by these things, but again, this was her first thought, ‘Will you bail me out of jail?’ You know, again, it wasn’t, ‘I don’t want to do this because I might go to jail.’ It was like, ‘Well, I’m gonna do it and whatever happens, happens.’” | |
| Regarding potential backlash, he said: “It’s this thing of, ‘Well, I want everyone to like me. I want everyone to like the work that I make, especially young artists.’ You want people to love you, but part of that is that if you make things that are polarizing, people are gonna hate it. I think there will be a lot of people who will absolutely hate this, but again, that’s the beauty of it. That’s the fun of making things. | Regarding potential backlash, he said: “It’s this thing of, ‘Well, I want everyone to like me. I want everyone to like the work that I make, especially young artists.’ You want people to love you, but part of that is that if you make things that are polarizing, people are gonna hate it. I think there will be a lot of people who will absolutely hate this, but again, that’s the beauty of it. That’s the fun of making things. |
| “Am I saying that anyone should actually be killed? No, it’s like a movie. How many movies are there where the president gets killed or this happens? Tons upon tons. But again, when it’s an image, especially an image like this, people don’t see it like that. They see it as reality and that’s why it’s so shocking to some people.” | “Am I saying that anyone should actually be killed? No, it’s like a movie. How many movies are there where the president gets killed or this happens? Tons upon tons. But again, when it’s an image, especially an image like this, people don’t see it like that. They see it as reality and that’s why it’s so shocking to some people.” |
| Can you go to jail for making an artistic statement??? Asking for a friend… @kathygriffin — Tyler Shields (@tylershields) May 27, 2017 | Can you go to jail for making an artistic statement??? Asking for a friend… @kathygriffin — Tyler Shields (@tylershields) May 27, 2017 |
| Can you go to jail for making an artistic statement??? Asking for a friend… @kathygriffin | Can you go to jail for making an artistic statement??? Asking for a friend… @kathygriffin |
| — Tyler Shields (@tylershields) May 27, 2017 | — Tyler Shields (@tylershields) May 27, 2017 |
| The photographer told the New York Daily News that “when you make art, you can do anything you want.” | The photographer told the New York Daily News that “when you make art, you can do anything you want.” |
| But Griffin said that ultimately, she and Shields went too far. | But Griffin said that ultimately, she and Shields went too far. |
| “I understand how it offends people; it wasn’t funny — I get it,” she said in her Tuesday night apology. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my career. I will continue. I ask your forgiveness. Taking down the image. Going to ask the photographer to take down the image. And I beg for your forgiveness. I went too far. I made a mistake and I was wrong.” | |
| More reading: | |
| A complete guide to every reference in Melissa McCarthy’s epic Sean Spicer sketch on ‘SNL’ | |
| Thousands of furious Trump fans can’t stop visiting a website that pretends Clinton won | |
| Master of horror fiction Stephen King says ‘Trump presidency scares me to death’ |