Kathy Griffin’s D-List Delight

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Kathy Griffin’s D-List Delight
No holding back for this controversial comedian - LIVE REVIEW 12/9/08!

By Gabriel Ramirez, Bakotopia.com contributor

You’ve seen her on such shows as “Suddenly Susan” and “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and more recently on her Emmy Award winning reality show, “My Life on the D-List” on Bravo. On Dec. 9, I had the opportunity to see the ever funny and controversial redhead, Kathy Griffin, in the flesh, at Hollywood’s Kodak Theatre.

Griffin’s over-the-top and risqué humor have often gotten her blacklisted from such shows as ABC’s “The View” and “The Red Carpet on E!.” Still, the  night I saw Griffin, she did what she does best - hold back no punches not only for a laugh, but to wake up her audience to the disgraces that pop culture, Proposition 8 and some vice presidential candidates have been to our country.

On her reality show, cameras follow Griffin around as she whores herself out to the media in an attempt to get herself off of the so-called “D-List” where bottom of the barrel celebrities reside.

She has gone as far as calling the paparazzi in advance to follow her when she is out on the town; given money to people in East LA as a way to become the new Oprah; and even recorded her comedy show on CD in an effort to win a Grammy, which she is currently nominated for!

When it comes to performing live, Griffin offers the same kind of antics on a smaller stage.

She reminded us how unprepared Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was to become our next vice president - or at least until she learns that Africa is a continent.

Griffin also unabashedly mentioned her Emmy and Grammy nominations and how she wasn’t one of those celebrities who lies through her teeth and says “It is an honor to simply be nominated,” but instead, she is vocal about wanting to take both trophies home.

“Breaking news, breaking news,” she yelled out when she mentioned Nancy Grace’s mock news show, which often kills due to the lack of actual breaking news. Whoever knew Grace could make such a big fuss about moldy pizza left in a car trunk? Well, Griffin certainly did and so do we now!

And no appearance by Griffin is complete without some mention of her borderline alcoholic mom. “Tip-it,” Griffin said, in reference to her mom’s need to squeeze out all the wine from her infamous box of wine.

I have to say that my first live Griffin comedy show proved to be an intoxicating and laughter-filled night. My cheeks were hurting from so much laughing, and never before have I enjoyed a live performance as much as I did this night.

Not even that one Paquita la del Barrio concert at the Convention Center could compare, LOL!

So if you ever get a chance, go watch Kathy Griffin live on stage. Gay, straight, male or female, Griffin has enough material to touch everyone’s funny bone!

On the Web: www.kathygriffin.net

Also printed in Bakotopia magazine, issue 45, 1-08-09