Kathleen Griffins, popularly known as Kathy Griffin, is a renowned comedian, actress, and television host. She is known for her controversial humor and fearless style of comedy. Griffin has been entertaining audiences for decades, but when did Kathleen Griffin’s career begin? In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at the early beginnings of Kathy Griffin’s career, the challenges she faced, and how she became one of the most recognizable faces in comedy today.
Early Life
Kathleen Griffin was born on November 4, 1960, in Oak Park, Illinois. She was the youngest of five children, and her parents, John, and Maggie Griffin, were both Irish immigrants. Her father worked as a grocery store manager, while her mother was a hospital administrator. Griffin grew up in the nearby Chicago suburb of Forest Park.
From an early age, Griffin was drawn to the world of entertainment. She idolized Lucille Ball and would often mimic her comedic style. Despite her parents’ wishes for her to become a nurse or a teacher, Griffin pursued her passion for comedy and theater.
Early Career
Griffin’s early career was filled with many ups and downs. She moved to Los Angeles in the late 1970s to pursue her dream of becoming a comedian. She started performing in local comedy clubs and quickly gained a following. However, her big break came in 1986 when she was cast as a series regular on the NBC sitcom “Suddenly Susan.”
The show was a critical and commercial success, and Griffin’s performance as Vicki Groener, a tabloid reporter, earned her two Emmy nominations. However, her success was short-lived, and the show was canceled after four seasons. Griffin found herself struggling to find work and was forced to take on odd jobs to make ends meet.
Griffin continued to perform stand-up comedy and appeared in various television shows and films throughout the 1990s. She also released several comedy albums and hosted her own talk show, “Kathy Griffin: Hot Cup of Talk,” in 1998. However, her career didn’t gain traction until the early 2000s.
Breakthrough
In 2005, Griffin starred in her own reality show, “Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List.” The show followed Griffin as she navigated her personal and professional life and gave audiences an inside look at the world of comedy. The show was a hit, and Griffin won two Emmy awards for her work on the show.
Griffin’s success on “My Life on the D-List” opened the doors for her in Hollywood. She became a regular on the talk show circuit and was invited to host several high-profile events, including the Emmy Awards and New Year’s Eve celebrations with Anderson Cooper.
Griffin’s edgy humor and willingness to push the envelope made her a polarizing figure in Hollywood. She has faced backlash for her jokes about celebrities, politicians, and other public figures. However, she has never shied away from controversy and continues to use her platform to speak out on important issues.
Recent Years
In recent years, Kathleen Griffins career has faced several setbacks. In 2017, she faced backlash for a photo shoot in which she held a fake severed head resembling President Donald Trump. The photo sparked outrage, and Griffin was fired
from her role as a co-host of CNN’s New Year’s Eve coverage. She also faced widespread criticism and lost several endorsement deals.
In addition to the controversy surrounding the photo, Griffin also faced personal setbacks in recent years. In 2018, she revealed that she had been diagnosed with lung cancer and underwent surgery to have half of her left lung removed. She also faced financial difficulties, including a tax dispute with the IRS and a loss of income due to canceled tour dates.
Despite these challenges, Kathleen Griffins has continued to work in the entertainment industry. She released a comedy album in 2020 and has continued to perform stand-up comedy shows. She has also been vocal about her political views and has criticized the Trump administration and its supporters.
