Kathy Griffin penned a special message about Jim Carrey, who gave her hope after being ostracized by peers for a jaw-dropping 2017 photo shoot. The comedian, dressed in a blue blouse, infamously held up a bloodied and battered replica of Donald Trump’s head by the hair.
The shocking image triggered a backlash so fierce it wiped out comedy bookings, dried up sponsorships, and sent high-dollar opportunities vanishing almost overnight. Fans later speculated that the intense stress even took a physical toll on Griffin’s appearance over the years.
Her grisly caption read, “I caption this ‘there was blood coming out of his eyes, blood coming out of his … wherever.” The shock was intended as a comedic commentary on a volatile exchange between Trump and Megyn Kelly.
The “My Life on the D-List” star reflected on the rough time in a recent social media post featuring a snippet of Carrey’s 2018 Britannia Awards acceptance speech.
Carrey previously called out “contempt for the truth, greed, and abuse of power,” pointedly condemning the reality star-turned-political caricature known as Trump.
In the new post, Griffin wrote on Dec. 8 that Carrey reached out the day she uploaded the decapitated head photo, encouraging her that she was in an enviable position regardless of the backlash. “He told me any comedian would give their right arm to have this happen to them.”
She said the “Liar Liar” actor purportedly suggested, “I should put it through my ‘Kathy Griffin comedy prism,’ and something funny will come out. Weeks later I was touring around the world in markets I’d never been able to play before.”
A fan of Carey and the “My Life on the D-List” star commented on IG Threads, “I love him and you!!!! And..that picture was priceless and you shall remain my hero for doing it!!”
“Kathy, if you’d only made that picture a CD cover, book cover or concert poster, it would have flown spectacularly,” said a second supporter, anothe reminding Griffin, “Any pic with Trump’s head severed is a work of art to me!”
Kathy Griffin with Donald Trump’s severed head. pic.twitter.com/mp1nAk5FGd
— EM (@EXECUTIVEXMEDIA) November 9, 2024
Some reactions expressed disdain for both actors, with some calling out Carrey’s blistering speech as performative. A trump fan quipped, “Wow, a lot of these actors and actresses definitely have TDS and mental illness.”
In the past, the showman has harped on non-supporters, accusing them of suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome. Lawmakers unsuccessfully pushed for the made-up ailment to be classified as a mental illness.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE, INCLUDING THE HATERS AND THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA! 2019 WILL BE A FANTASTIC YEAR FOR THOSE NOT SUFFERING FROM TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME. JUST CALM DOWN AND ENJOY THE RIDE, GREAT THINGS ARE HAPPENING FOR OUR COUNTRY!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2019
While some applauded Jim’s stance as spot-on, saying, “Jim is 100% correct!!!!” others fired back just as fiercely, rejecting both him and Griffin outright: “Screw you both.”
On Facebook, an individual kept their fury directed at the stand-up comic, “Kathy got what she deserved.”
Fallout from the gruesome image led to her firing at CNN, where she helped Anderson Cooper host the annual New Year’s Eve program, made her a pariah within the entertainment industry, and a target of threats.
“A sitting president of the United States and his grown children and the first lady are personally, I feel, trying to ruin my life forever,” she said during an emotional press conference. Attorney Lisa Bloom explained the photo shoot was a parody and that “Kathy never imagined it could be misinterpreted as a threat of violence against Trump.”
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
The Republican president lashed out at Griffin in a fiery tweet. He wrote, “Kathy Griffin should be ashamed of herself. My children, especially my 11 year old son, Barron, are having a hard time with this. Sick!” His wife, Melania Trump, called the image “disturbing,” and questioned the comedian’s mental well-being.
Griffin apologized for the offense but later retracted it, calling the outrage fake and blown out of proportion.
