It seems we aren’t quite done talking about Kathy Griffin’s severed head stunt yet, although I’d like to be. And like me, I’m sure Anderson Cooper would also like to be done talking about it. However, given his relationship with Kathy and his reaction to her photo, he can’t escape that easily. Following the release of the photo, Anderson tweeted this:
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
Personally, I thought this was a good move. Although I am very much over the attention being given to her for this, I did find the actual photo an egregious error in judgement. I could see why anyone connected to her or the photo would want to officially state their position on it. Not everyone agreed, though. In the replies to Anderson’s tweet, some people were angry he didn’t support his friend, some were angry that he wasn’t hard enough on her, some were angry because he yelled at Jeffrey Lord during a broadcast, which was a completely unrelated, prior event. So, in light of Kathy getting fired, Anderson can’t escape this ridiculous outrage either. Of course, this time it was dished out by joint Anderson/Kathy friend and perennial sh-tdisturber, Andy Cohen, who asked Anderson to discuss both the photo and the aftermath.
During his appearance at the Comerica Theatre on Friday night, Anderson Cooper addressed an issue that was on a lot of people’s minds: The Kathy Griffin situation.
“She and I have been friends for a long time and I want nothing but good things for her,” he said about an hour into his show with Andy Cohen.
After the photo went public last week, Cooper posted on his Twitter account on May 30 that he found the picture “clearly disgusting and completely inappropriate.” Those words surprised some fans, who knew of the longtime friendship between the two.
“I don’t want anybody’s career to be destroyed because they do something unfortunate and inappropriate, but yeah, I thought what she did was inappropriate,” he said. “You know, I think I said that I thought it was completely inappropriate and I didn’t approve it in any way, and I think when you’re friends with somebody you can say that.”
Yes. If you are friends with somebody you absolutely can call them out when they do something inappropriate. And you can not want their livelihood destroyed over it, too. Of the people I truly consider my close friends, each one would call me on the carpet if I messed up. I count on them for that. I like Anderson’s response. He’s not backing down but he’s not throwing her under the bus either. I’m glad no one’s asking him about her getting fired from CNN, I think that might be trickier waters to navigate and he can’t really win with any answer he gives. Fox News claimed Kathy feels betrayed but Kathy has not made a statement about Anderson’s comments.
You know who isn’t being asked enough about this? The photographer, Tyler Shields. He and Kathy are equally complicit but whereas Kathy is fielding death threats and a hit (although likely temporary) to her career, Shields gets to thumb his nose at everyone and remain unscathed. This whole thing is slightly reminiscent of how the Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake fallout came down after the Superbowl scandal.
Photo credit: WENN Photos, Twitter and Getty Images
He threw her under the bus and then backtracked. Some friend!
I used to like Anderson but for a while now I just not feeling him.
I agree, he didn’t have to post his disapproval on Twitter.
Imagine how many people would be off the air for all the racist sh_t they said about B. Obama and M. Obama. The airwaves would be a lot better; but those people still have their JOBs..
I think what’s more appalling than his tweet is the fact that he refuses to speak to her. He said at one of his speaking gigs like a week after the photo that he hadn’t talked to her, and I really really doubt that’s because she didn’t want to hear from him personally. When she was asked if she’d heard from him at her press conference (before his admission that he hadn’t talked to her), she got choked up and couldn’t even talk about it. Sorry but that’s a shtty way to be a “supportive friend”. She didn’t actually hurt anyone, unlike the Cheeto and his thugs he has all over CNN (i.e. Lord, Lewandowski et al).
But, but, WHYYY would Kaaaaathy (oh yeah and that Tyler guy) do something like that???
Drug$.
The good ones.
A lot of them.
And if it’s not street drug$, it was pharmaceuticals and booze.
Cooper is saving his a$$ after eyeroll-gate and poop-on-the-desk-gate. He can’t be associated with Kathy now. He’s already on thin ice. I do think he cares about Kathy, but he is saving his a$$ publicly and privately I’m sure their friendship is just fine.
Kathy Griffin is famous for not even drinking.
Have a seat Anderson.
Ugh. Lily-livered, mealy-mouthed self protection on Anderson’s part.
Personally, I thought that pic with the severed head of the orange menace was worthy of nothing more than an eyeroll and a meh at Griffin’s lack of creativity.
If my friends do something stupid, I don’t broadcast it on Facebook or Twitter. I discuss it with then privately. That’s the mature and kind thing to do. What an idiot.
Word. None of this is about his opinion. I don’t agree with my friends on everything but I don’t post that crap on Facebook. He was protecting his own butt. Maybe now one of his more boring “friends” can join him for NYE.
He threw her under the bus which is his right, what she did was really over the line. But this is weak sauce pandering. He has been getting a lot of negativity for not saying “but I still consider her a friend” even Wendy Williams (don’t judge me, I hate watch!) everyday has been calling him out as good weather friend. Kathy said he hasn’t contacted her at all.
He waited until the backlash against Kathy died, saw that although people denounced Bill Maher for his behavior, his friends like Dr. Dyson didn’t throw HIM under the bus. I’m kind of disappointed that he is playing this game.
He is not in charge of CNN so I think everyone understands that CNN is just protecting their brand which is just business.
Ok yes, it was tasteless but considering the things that were said, posted, etc and the blatant racism (let’s not forget the impression/kill Hillary retoric) about obama by all the special snowflakes up until now, I’m not sure why it’s considered so inflammatory. It would have been more appropriate for Anderson cooper to come out and say “It maybe offensive to some but is no worse than what has been said and let’s turn the conversation back to the blatant hypocrisy of the current administration and the abhorrent policies”.
That would have been a much more measured and, since she was his friend, generous approach, and put the focus firmly back where it should be, on the vile aberration that is the trump administration.
Yes, absolutely. Much better response. And also add that comedians do get a pass that a regular Joe doesn’t. Comedians are agitators after all. Just my opinion.
That would have been a perfect response but I’m still willing to give him the benefit of the doubt in this crazy new media/political climate. I’m guessing had he thought his response through more thoroughly he would’ve taken more of this approach. I said I didn’t disagree with his initial response because despite the abhorrent crap that the deplorables and Trump’s circus have pulled, two wrongs still don’t make a right and if he wants to retain his credibility as a journalist he needed to distance himself from this immediately.
Kathy may be upset with how he’s handling this but I think he’s doing he best he can in an extremely tricky situation.
There are ways of distancing yourself from something you don’t necessarily agree with (privately or publicly) while still acknowledging and supporting the essence of where, in this instance, the ‘idiot gesture’ came from and the daily trump evil that generated it.
The lily-livered Anderson has shown himself, by his own words and actions, to be far more concerned with how HE looks, at the really sad expense of both his friend and his integrity.
So no, no benefit of the doubt for him from me.
+1. At this point, I’m more annoyed by the outrage over it- the people trying to say it’s just as bad as the Obamas being treated that way for SKIN COLOR ALONE, the people who voted for Trump despite his calling for Hillary to be killed but are somehow complaining about Kathy’s little stunt, the people outraged at anyone who wasn’t as outraged as them about it, and the people unwilling to admit that Trump and his supporters brought a stunt like this on themselves.
It wouldn’t surprise me at all if people decided to use this as part of their Halloween costumes this year though. I could see people deciding to either go as ‘Fake Trump heads’ or as Wonder Woman and other amazons with things to symbolize fake Trump heads.
He said what he felt and I don’t see it as betrayal. What reaction did she expect. Standing in the wings is the gay community’s best friend Kelly Ripa. That isn’t meant as disparagement or snark, simply a fact. Maybe we will see her next to Mr. Cooper on New Year’s Eve. She can throw some shade, ala Michael Strahan, but she won’t pull any Kathy Griffin’s on him. Pretty predictable, so she would be a safe sidekick. Oh snap Kathy, trying to be relevant sometimes just backfires on you. Bless your heart
Oh geez, I’d be asleep by 10:30!!! I’m not watching CNN NYE coverage anymore. It would be a snooze without Kathy.
I used to think she was funny, back when she was goofing on all the people I goofed on, Sarah Palin, Kate Gosselin, Paltrow, etc. I can’t imagine anyone spending NYE watching CNN, unless it’s Kathy’s mom drinking a box of wine!…..I did find her funny when she used her mother in her bits.
A true friend will tell you when you are wrong. However, It doesn’t seem he reached out to her in private. So yeah, I do think he is saving his @s$…
He’s spineless and (I suspect) a misogynist.
Chris Hayes for me.