Kathy Griffin, the comedian and Hollywood actress who shocked the world when she staged a photo holding the decapitated head of President Trump, revealed to USA Today on Tuesday that in the aftermath of the notorious public relations fiasco, she resorted to literally “begging” people for acting roles.
“I straight up was just begging for five lines on something that would be seen by people that had nothing to do with Trump — nothing that was controversial,” Griffin told the news agency, revealing that she finally got a break from Greg Berlanti, executive producer of the show “You” on Netflix, who gave her a 90-second cameo.
Griffin also acknowledges that after the photo, she tried messaging producers on social media websites to land jobs. “I’m certainly learning how to do more things, as they say ‘in house,’ and (it’s) one of the things that I became proactive about after the Trump scandal because it’s kind of like Hollywood feels like I have something that they’re going to catch … People don’t want to get Kathy Griffin-ed,” the comedian told the news agency.
Hollywood wasn’t the only place trying to distance itself from Griffin during the photo backlash.
In May 2017, Business Insider reported that Squatty Potty, the children’s toilet training company, had to clarify that Griffin was not, in fact, their spokesperson.
“Kathy Griffin is not, nor ever has been Squatty Potty’s spokesperson,” announced the company in a statement, according to the news organization. “She was hired to make one commercial. Squatty Potty has pulled said commercial as well as other promotional and marketing content featuring Kathy Griffin.”
Griffin also lost her gig on CNN co-hosting New Year’s Eve with Anderson Cooper, the news organization said in a statement at the time. Cooper has continued to host New Years without Griffin, and the result has been weird to say the least — in the past two broadcasts, Cooper has directly and indirectly referenced his late-mother’s sex life.
After the photo was released, both President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump issued statements condemning the stunt.
“Kathy Griffin should be ashamed of herself. My children, especially my 11 year old son, Barron, are having a hard time with this. Sick,” the president said in a tweet.
Kathy Griffin should be ashamed of herself. My children, especially my 11 year old son, Barron, are having a hard time with this. Sick!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2017
“As a mother, a wife, and a human being, that photo is very disturbing,” said the first lady in a statement at the time, reported USA Today. “When you consider some of the atrocities happening in the world today, a photo opportunity like this is simply wrong and makes you wonder about the mental health of the person who did it.”
After the backlash, Griffin apologized for the photo, saying that in retrospect, it was “disturbing.”
“I sincerely apologize,” said Griffin in a video statement amid the backlash. “I’m just now seeing the reaction of these images. I’m a comic, I crossed the line. I move the line then I cross it. I went way too far…the image is too disturbing, I understand how it offends people. It wasn’t funny. I get it.”