When you put someone like Kathy Griffin, known for her racy, edgy, rather blunt humor, on a live broadcast from a Times Square filled with drunken hecklers, well, you know you're going to get at least one controversial moment. There were actually several moments like that on CNN last night, but only one that got the attention of the CNN censors.During the live New Year's Eve coverage featuring Anderson Cooper/Griffin (they're not Martin and Lewis, but they're entertaining in their own way), Griffin was being heckled off-camera by someone in the crowd. As Cooper went to commercial, Griffin grabbed one of the classic stand-up comic lines out of her Rolodex of jokes and fired back at him. You can see exactly what she said in the video after the jump. Not sure if Griffin thought she was still on the air or if she knew she was still on the air and decided to say it anyway since it was late night cable.
For the rerun early this morning, CNN edited that portion of the show.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
1-01-2009 @ 4:04PM
Tim said...
I watched waiting for Kathy to be inappropriate and was still pleasantly surprised when it happened. If I wanted something that was overly politically correct, I would have watched Ryan Borecrest. Andy Cooper was pretty good too.
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1-01-2009 @ 4:01PM
Edward said...
I felt really bad watching Dick Clark last night...was this Kathy Griffin's first time working with AC? At some points he was looking at her as if "what is she saying?!" CNN had life and energy, unlike Carson Daly and Seacrest, both of which had it's sound mellowed.
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1-01-2009 @ 9:56PM
Andrew said...
Last year was the first for the Griffin/Anderson connection.
1-05-2009 @ 11:44AM
Lisa said...
I really believe Kathy Griffin thought she was off-air. If someone was heckling me from the sidelines I would have blasted them after a while of taking it! Why didn't CNN's camerman or anyone else do something about him? Kudos to Kathy Griffin for not taking it. She and Anderson Cooper did a great job! Ryan Seacrest and other coverage was boring as the dickens...at least these 2 livened it up!
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1-01-2009 @ 4:42PM
joebrooks said...
You mean other stations were broadcasting the balldrop too? I thought Megyn Kelly of FoxNews was sent down from the heavens to be the sole broadcaster of the event.
Megyn - if you are reading this - thanks for bringing in the New Year with me!
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1-01-2009 @ 4:46PM
StillBash said...
It's so funny that this is news in the US.
Somebody said a bad word on TV. Congrats on living in the stone age.
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1-01-2009 @ 5:58PM
iamjoecollector said...
First, that joke was awesome. Second, I get why they edited it. Third, I don't think they should edit it. Fourth, the FCC needs to chill the hell out. Fifth, everyone should watch the Family Guy FCC musical number.
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1-01-2009 @ 6:48PM
Rocketboy said...
No matter what Howard Stern likes to say, most of the time it's NOT THE FCC that has a hissy fit. It's the corp lawyers. CNN is cable, so they don't have to abide by the FCC regulations.
1-01-2009 @ 6:23PM
ac said...
CNN had the strangest New Years coverage I'd ever seen with Griffins annoying banter, a transvestite, and a correspondant throwing beads into a drunken New Orleans crowd (couldn't wait for after his segment to get a peek at boobs?).
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1-02-2009 @ 3:10PM
Kyle said...
Umm, I dont think AC really cares about seeing boobs!
1-03-2009 @ 12:19AM
ac said...
I was talking about the actual correspondant in New Orleans who was throwing the beads. Although I had no idea AC was gay in the 1st place.
1-01-2009 @ 6:40PM
Magical_Salamander11 said...
She's just saying the slogan for Grandma Betsy's Biscuit Powder.
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1-01-2009 @ 7:18PM
Key Rick said...
Her reputation for being provocative's why CNN/Cooper invited her back this year. Kathy Griffin's becoming another national treasure, and she'd get my Grammy vote for best comedy album were I eligible.
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1-03-2009 @ 2:13AM
Jimmy said...
I don't want to be a part of the nation where Kathy Griffin is considered a "treasure."
1-03-2009 @ 10:16AM
kelleyphx said...
I agree Kathy is so cool. Some of those high and mighty christians are not so christian. Put your kids to bed and have fun watching Kathy.
1-01-2009 @ 7:53PM
iamjoecollector said...
I wasn't trying to imply that the FCC had authority over this situation. My point was that the FCC needs to chill out generally. This wouldn't be an issue if people and the FCC didn't live in the stone age as the commenter above me pointed out.
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1-01-2009 @ 8:34PM
Paul said...
Kathy Griffin annoys the hell out of me. I truly can't stand her.
Having said that... 'twas a pretty funny dig at a heckler!
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1-02-2009 @ 4:57AM
Will said...
I saw some of CNN's coverage, but I missed that part. I really can't stand Kathy Griffin either, I don't think she's funny at all. I watched coverage on all 3 networks & CNN, too, and I thought they all were pretty bad this year. I usually enjoy the music acts, but there wasn't a single one that did much for me. Maybe I'm getting too old.
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1-02-2009 @ 3:40PM
Raffaele Zuccaro said...
Thats what Over-Exposed ,Degenerate , Entertainers do for attention!!!! They become Vulgar and Decadent,--Just like Howard Stern, Jon Stewart, Billy Cristal,Robin Williams, and many others do just that!!!!! Thats all they are good for , is c Crudeness , and Foul Mouth tactics!!!
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1-02-2009 @ 6:01PM
Jane Brown said...
She was a disgusting pig; shame on them for ever hiring such a foul mouthed tramp. And, what a mismatch; Anderson Cooper and this pig?? She has not an ounce of dignity or self-respect, let alone respect to anyone else. Shame on the pig.
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