CNN Fires Kathy Griffin From New Year’s Show After Trump Beheading Pic

Lawrence Yee reports: CNN has fired Kathy Griffin from their annual New Year’s Eve program, which she cohosted with anchor Anderson Cooper.

The network made the announcement via Twitter Wednesday morning.

“CNN has terminated our agreement with Kathy Griffin to appear on our New Year’s Eve program,” the CNN Public Relations account tweeted.

CNN has terminated our agreement with Kathy Griffin to appear on our New Year’s Eve program.

— CNN Communications (@CNNPR)

May 31, 2017

The termination comes one day after the comedienne posted a photo and video of her holding a fake severed head of President Donald Trump. She later apologized for the photo, saying it went too far, and removed it.

Trump tweeted about the photo early on Wednesday, writing that Griffin “should be ashamed of herself.”

“My children, especially my 11-year-old son Barron, are having a hard time with this. Sick!”

Career self-harm

CNN issued a statement on Tuesday night, condemning Griffin’s video and saying that they were evaluating New Year’s Eve plans.

While that date is far away, the network was under pressure to take action. Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., tweeted at Jake Tapper:

Thanks Jake, but you didn’t say if you thought @CNN should sever their ties to her and stop putting her on air. Let us know. Thx https://t.co/jaFmULmboZ

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) May 31, 2017

Anderson Cooper, who has co-hosted the New Year’s Eve telecasts with Griffin for the past decade, said that he was “appalled by the photo shoot Kathy Griffin took part in. It is clearly disgusting and completely inappropriate.” … (read more)

Source:  Variety