While Kathy Griffin has been raked over every conceivable coal since starring in a video that featured her pretending to behead Donald Trump, the man behind this controversial video has gone relatively unscathed.
His name is Tyler Shields.
He’s a photographer known for shooting controversial subjects and/or topics, but he’s never stepped into a fire quite like this before.
As you’ve likely read about and probably complained about already, Griffin sky-rocketed to viral infamy on Tuesday night when she shared footage on Twitter of herself holding the bloody, decapitated head of the Commander-in-Chief.
“There was blood coming out of his eyes, blood coming out of his…wherever,” wrote the comedian as a caption to the video.
But no one was laughing.
Democrats lashed out at Griffin for going too far and giving Republicans understandable ammunition with which they could attack Donald Trump critics.
Republicans lashed out because… well… Griffin is holding bloody, decapitated head of the Commander-in-Chief.
What the heck was she thinking?!?
In response to the overwhelming backlash, Griffin issued an apology just a few hours after the (VERY) questionable video went viral.
And the mea culpa at least did not make any excuses or beat around any bushes.
She came right out, took responsibility and continually said she messed up.
“I beg for your forgiveness. I went too far,” Griffin says below, adding:
“I moved the line, and then I crossed it. I went way too far. The image is too disturbing. I understand how it offends people.”
Griffin has still been fired by CNN and dropped from an ad campaign, but at least she has realized her mistake.
Shields? Not so much.
Shortly after the firestorm got started, he Tweeted, “Can you go to jail for making an artistic statement? Asking for a friend…”
The answer to that short-sighted statement is no, of course.
But you can go to jail for threatening the life of a sitting President, and this stupid photo shoot comes pretty darn close to doing that.
As a result, Griffin is under investigation by the Secret Service, according to various sources.
Is Shields concerned about authorities coming after him? Does he have any regrets over the pictorial?
It sure doesn’t sound that way.
Speaking to Splash News last night, after a shopping trip at a supermarket in Los Angeles, Shields was asked for his response to the Trump video and everyone’s take on it.
“The thing is, man, honestly, I’ve got no problem… if you make art, you’ve gotta stand by it,” he said, adding:
“Can’t censor myself, man.”
Shields wasn’t clear on whether he’s spoken to Griffin since the controversy arose, but he was very clear on his immediate plans:
“I’m just gonna just go home and eat my ice dream and hide out,” he said the end this interview.
Shields is clearly pretty chill about this entire thing.
Which is more than can be said about the President himself.
“Kathy Griffin should be ashamed of herself,” Trump Tweeted in response to the video.
“My children, especially my 11 year old son, Barron, are having a hard time with this. Sick!”
For the first time in recorded history, we can’t disagree with Donald Trump. He’s right.