The fallout has only just begun for Kathy Griffin.
On Tuesday night, the unfunny comedian had the very unfunny idea to share a video in which she pretends to behead the sitting President of the United States.
And it did not go as she apparently (somehow) believed it would.
Along with the following footage, which she posted on Twitter, Griffin hurled Donald Trump’s words back at him as a caption, writing yesterday:
“there was blood coming out of his eyes, blood coming out of his…wherever.”
This was a callback to what Trump said about Megyn Kelly followed a Republican Presidential debate in 2016, and Griffin likely thought she was being hilarious by using it in such a different context.
But all sane-minded individuals have disagreed with her.
With both Democrats and Republicans slamming the Z-Lister for being vile, inappropriate, disgusting and every other negative adjective in the book, Griffin issued an apology a few hours after this video went live.
It didn’t mince words and it appeared to be from the heart.
“I sincerely apologize,” she said as a mea culpa, adding:
“I am just now seeing the reaction of these images. … I went way too far. The image is too disturbing. I understand how it offends people. It wasn’t funny. I get it.”
Check out the apology video below:
Despite this attempt to walk back her actions, Griffin is reportedly under investigation by the Secret Service.
It is illegal, of course, to threaten the life of a sitting President.
Did Griffin really do this? Will she actually be charged with a crime? It seems very unlikely.
But that doesn’t mean the star won’t face some major consequences in her professional life.
For example, Squatty Potty – a company that produces a foot stool that elevates users as they sit on the toilet – announced this afternoon that it will be dropping the comedian from its upcoming ad campaign.
And while we can’t help but have a million questions over just why Griffin was hired for this role to begin with… that isn’t the point right now.
“We were shocked and disappointed to learn about the image Ms. Griffin shared today, it was deeply inappropriate and runs contrary to the core values our company stands for,” said Bobby Edwards, CEO of the small Utah-based business, in a statement.
He added:
“In response, Squatty Potty has suspended its ad campaign featuring Ms. Griffin. We have acted swiftly and decisively to demonstrate our commitment to a culture of decency, civility, and tolerance.”
Trump has also responded to Griffin’s grotesque beheading photo.
In a statement that did NOT involve any viral typos, he lashed out at the comedian as follows:
“Kathy Griffin should be ashamed of herself. My children, especially my 11 year old son, Barron, are having a hard time with this. Sick!”
And Donald Trump Jr. used Squatty Potty’s decision to slam CNN.
With the network yet to decide whether or will continue to use Griffin for its upcoming New Year’s Eve coverage, Trump Jr. went ahead and attacked his dad’s favorite target.
“So Squatty Potty pulls the plug on Kathy Griffin, but CNN still ‘evaluating’ and weighing their options,” he wrote. “Insane what’s going on there!!!”
He later added:
“Apologies for my last tweet I didn’t mean to group “Squatty Potty” w @CNN. Obviously one of them has moral/ethical standards.”
Ouch! Dissed… and dismissed!
(UPDATE: We wrote too soon. Within minutes of publishing this story, CNN announced it has, indeed, pulled Griffin from future New Year’s Eve telecasts.)
But it’s not only members of Trump’s family who are taking shots at Griffin.
Nor is the backlash reserved for Conservatives.
Democrats are maybe even more irritated by her actions, considering she’s given the Right ammunition at a time when that side has been on the constant defensive as a result of Trump’s never-ending string of scandals.
Tweeted Anderson Cooper, for example, Griffin’s usual CNN co-host for New Year’s Eve coverage:
For the record, I am appalled by the photo shoot Kathy Griffin took part in,” Cooper tweeted on Tuesday. “It is clearly disgusting and completely inappropriate.