by Steve Desroches
Kathy Griffin has wigs…a lot of them. She wishes she had discovered them for herself sooner. Each means something to her, and they are perhaps a bit of armor. She has a few toppers, little pieces she thinks resemble toupees, for when she needs just a bit of extra volume. Then she has “Little Kathys,” which come in handy in a pinch or for a more low-key gig. And then she has the “Big Kathys,” which are vital for when she’s performing in humid locales like Provincetown. But she also has the “Big Kathy That Sold Out Carnegie Hall Five Times” and the “Big Kathy That Sold Out Lincoln Center” and the “Big Kathy” that she’ll wear when she plays Boston Symphony Hall. Ooooppps. She wasn’t supposed to say that as the date hasn’t been announced yet. She lets out a snort and then a “aww, who cares, go ahead and print that.”
In a mixture of gratitude and grit Griffin is reveling in her comeback as she travels the country with her My Life on the PTSD-List tour, a nod to her hit reality show My Life on the D-List as well as a difficult past six years in which she beat cancer and addiction, got divorced, lost her beloved mother, struggled with major affects to her voice after having half of a lung removed, and of course, being blacklisted after her 2017 meme in which she holds a prop bloodied head of Donald Trump, which also put her on the no fly list and resulted in a lengthy investigation that lasted for months. It’s been a lot. But she’s on the other side of all that, regaining her original vocal prowess after having an implant installed in her vocal chords and ready to take on Provincetown as she comes to Town Hall closing out Carnival Week, pulling out one of the “Big Kathys” for the occasion.
“Believe it or not I don’t ever mention Trump in my show,” says Griffin, who occasionally shushes her four dogs in her Los Angeles home.
The backlash Griffin faced in the midst of personal challenges did beg the question as to whether or not her career could survive. And there were times when even she thought that this might be it. She could not get booked anywhere and when she did start to get offers, the dates were often canceled because of the threats or promised protests by MAGA members. As time passed the hypocrisy was staggering as very real political violence became a joke. When Paul Pelosi was attacked, in a violent assault that was meant for Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, Trump and Republican Arizona senatorial candidate Kari Lake made fun of the disturbing event, eliciting laughs from the audience in attendance. Republican Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene made quips about the January 6 insurrection, where six people died. And last month when there was an assassination attempt on Trump, social media was aflame with jokes just hours later. There seemed to be no repercussions, but Griffin was still paying a heavy price for a joke in which no one was actually hurt.
The energy of the nation is shifting, and now Griffin is feeling a groundswell of support as she tours the country—and not just visits to friendly liberal enclaves, but the whole of America, playing dates in conservative spots in states like Kentucky, Texas, and Oklahoma. There’s still the occasional threat. There were two dates with a protestor outside, and she notes the singular noun, as indeed it was only one person. She felt so bad for one of the lone Trumpers with a sign on Long Island that she went to Subway and bought him a sandwich, which he accepted explaining he was told there were going to more people there. As she crisscrosses the nation she is observing and confirming a consistent phenomenon.
“It’s Kamala frenzy,” says Griffin. “I’m not just saying that because I’m a communist libtard that’s a member of ISIS. You can feel it. Dare I say, it feels like 2008.”
Griffin is of course referring to the Obama magic felt over 15 years ago, but it could be said that it’s also about her as she fights back from adversity and the MAGA mobs. And she wants everyone to know that not only does she not mention Trump, but she’s got a long list of celebrity gossips and quibs to share. For instance, she’s ready to tell the tale of a vacation with pop star Sia in which everything went wrong. There’s a hilarious story about the time she went to Sharon Stone’s house to cry on her shoulder about her divorce. And then there’s when she went to a party at Paris Hilton’s house and wackiness ensued. She also is ready to make fun of the very real PTSD she’s been diagnosed with as she looks forward to one of her favorite dates on her tour that takes her to her beloved Provincetown.
“Is the banner up?” asks Griffin. “I’m telling you, those banners over the street are amazing. You can sell a show out with just one in Provincetown. They’re amazing. That does not happen anywhere else. I’d pay to have a banner up all year in Provincetown. God, I love that town.”
Pilgrim House presents Kathy Griffin at Provincetown Town Hall, 260 Commercial St., on Saturday, August 24 at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets ($75-$175) are available at the Pilgrim House box office at 336 Commercial St., online at pilgrimhouseptown.com, or at the door day of if not sold out. For more information call 508.487.6424.
