Kathy Griffin talks quarantine hair-cuts, Stevie Nicks friendship
Kathy Griffin talks to USA TODAY’s Hannah Yasharoff about her quarantine and why she values her friendship with Stevie Nicks more than ever.
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Kathy Griffin backs the Boss.
Griffin, who’s comeback tour comes Feb. 27 to the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, applauds Springsteen’s public anti-ICE stance, which began Jan. 17 at a Basie Center show.
Springsteen said American values and ideals “have never been as endangered as they are right now” from the Basie stage.
“I was so glad Springsteen said that, what do we have to do — call Bono?” said Griffin in an interview with the Asbury Park Press. “We need people talking about this and people who have larger microphones than I do, I’m just a D-lister having to play Red Bank events. I’m not going to make a whole political show but it is a crazy time to be doing stand-up. I don’t know what will happen with ICE by the time I come see you guys. I got to be up to news to the minute I come on stage.”
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Minneapolis were involved in two fatal shootings of U.S. citizens in January. Springsteen released the protest anthem, “Streets of Minneapolis,” a week and half after he criticized ICE at the Basie.
Griffin drew the ire of conservatives — and the Justice Department — when she shared a photo of herself holding a Halloween mask of President Trump covered in ketchup in 2017.
“Honey, no-fly lists, Interpol list, ISIS terror watch list, I mean I was in the middle of a 50-city tour and I had the remaining 25 cities cancel within 72 hours when that happened,” Griffin said. “I was out of work for seven years, so don’t talk to me about being afraid about going up against the federal government when they’re doing something that’s an impropriety at the least, because I did it and I’m just me and nobody stood up for me. I was on my own. Hollywood ditched me, my friends ditched me and yet I prevailed against Donald Trump and the entire Department of Justice. I have an actual email from the DOJ saying you are exonerated because they tried to charge with a felony for conspiracy to assassinate the president of the United States — me!”
Griffin says it’s not all politics on her New Face, New Me tour, which also includes stops Feb. 26 at the Paramount in Huntingdon, New York and Feb. 28 at the Tarrytown Music Hal in Tarrytown, New York.
“So I’m going to be a little bit political but I promise to bring the laughs,” said Griffin, a native of the Chicago suburbs who recently underwent a facelift. “I think people need a break from this news. It came be absolutely oppressive, so I’m there to lighten you up. It’s a safe place. If there’s a protest outside, (blank) them, c’mon inside. I don’t care if you’re alone — you’ll meet somebody on line for the bathroom. It’s a feeling of community on this particular tour and it’s all new material.”
Go: Kathie Griffin New Face, New Tour, 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27, Count Basie Center for the Arts, 99 Monmouth St., Red Bank. $47 and up. thebasie.org.
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Chris Jordan, a Jersey Shore native, covers entertainment and features for the USA Today Network New Jersey. Contact him at [email protected]
