Kathy Griffin has never shied away from expressing an offensive jab in service of her confrontational brand of comedy. Last year, the comedienne released an image she had worked on with photographer Tyler Shields, depicting a beheading of the current Commander in Chief Donald Trump. The photograph circulated throughout the Internet, and was charged with being tasteless and offensive. The resulting controversy effectively culminated in CNN dropping Griffin from co-hosting a New Years Eve special with Anderson Cooper, a gig she has held for the past couple of years.
The widespread condemnation led the My Life on the D-List star to apologize; however, she is now rescinding that sentiment in a public and expletive-laden manner. Appearing on ABC's The View, Griffin told the show's co-hosts "I take the apology back. F*** him, and Don Jr. and Eric, or as I call them Eddie Munster and Date Rape."
She continues to note how "I'm not holding back on this family; this president is different and I have been through the mill and so now I'm back on the road," admitting that she sold out a show at New York City's illustrious Carnegie Hall in a mere hours.
Griffin reveals how the thought of Daniel Pearl, who was horrifically beheaded by a Pakistani terrorist in 2002, was an impetus for her apology. Additionally, her family's safety was put in jeopardy after the image went viral, which proved to be another salient factor informing her initial concession. "I had to spend two hours convincing my mom I hadn't been recruited by Al-Qaeda. My mom got death threats in her retirement village, and my sister got death threats in her hospital bed, and I lost her to cancer - that's why I shaved my head. That's how vicious it can be."