Kathy Griffin appears to have reignited her on-again, off-again feud with The View, launching a blistering rant just days after appearing as a guest on the daytime talk show. The comedian has a complicated history with the program, which dates back years — most notably after she sparked backlash in 2017 over a photo showing her holding a mask covered in fake blood resembling Donald Trump.
History of Tensions
At the time, the show’s hosts did not hold back in their criticism, with Sunny Hostin saying she was 'offended' by the image and calling it 'so vile and foul,' while Whoopi Goldberg similarly agreed Griffin had gone too far. Despite the fallout, Griffin has since returned to the ABC panel on multiple occasions, most recently sitting down with current hosts Hostin, Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sara Haines, Ana Navarro and Alyssa Farah Griffin.
But while Griffin said her latest appearance went smoothly during her YouTube series on Tuesday, she also took aim at former co-hosts Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Meghan McCain in a foul-mouthed attack.
Targeting Hasselbeck and McCain
'When they had Hasselbeck, I had to put up with her stupidity… or, indignant stupidity, which is kind of the most amusing,' Griffin said on Tuesday. Hasselbeck was a co-host on The View from 2003 to 2013, during which tensions with Griffin occasionally spilled into the spotlight — including a 2010 episode where the pair clashed over the comedian’s previous jokes about the panel.
In Tuesday's YouTube clip, Griffin went on to question whether she had ever appeared on the show while McCain was hosting, before referring to her as an 'annoying c***.' 'I just love to go for her, because she takes the bait every time,' Griffin said of McCain, who had a high-profile and often contentious run on the talk show from 2017 to 2021. 'And now she’s gonna post about how I’m not a feminist. That’s how this works, Meghan. One of these days you’ll pick it up.'
Feeling Vindicated After Trump Photo Controversy
The rant also comes as Griffin has recently suggested she feels vindicated — even 'uncanceled' — nearly nine years after the Trump photo controversy that upended her career. In a recent interview with WUSF, she reflected on her standing nearly a decade after the scandal, which cost her major work opportunities and even triggered a federal investigation. 'I think I'm uncanceled, which is a miracle to me because I didn't think I would ever be uncanceled,' the comic said.
She went on to describe the lasting impact of the fallout and the gradual process of rebuilding her career in the years since. 'I didn't work for seven years,' Griffin said, adding that she understands the image will likely follow her forever, noting, 'People still define me by it.'
Shifting Political Optics
Griffin also argued that shifting political optics have, in her view, reframed the controversy, suggesting she now feels justified in what she once saw as a bold artistic statement early in Trump’s presidency. 'Now, I really own it, and I absolutely lean into it, because I was right, and I was ahead of my time. And so, when I look at that picture now, I'm very proud of it, because I know Donald.'
She reflected on her long history with Trump, claiming their paths crossed years before his political rise and insisting the fallout felt deeply personal. 'I've known him since the '90s. I've worked with him, and the fact that he came for me specifically was so bizarre.'
Support from Jim Carrey
Griffin also credited fellow comedian Jim Carrey with helping her cope in the aftermath of the 2017 backlash, saying his advice helped reshape her perspective during a difficult period. 'Even when horrible things were happening to me, I kept thinking of what Jim Carrey told me when he called me the day the [Trump] picture blew up, and he said most comedians would give their right arm for this to happen to them,' Griffin said.
The My Life on the D-List personality added that she eventually returned to touring after years away from the stage, where she was surprised by the reception. 'And then when I finally went back on the road after seven years, it was fantastic. And I can't believe how wonderful the audiences have been, every single audience. It's like they're embracing me.'
Amid the backlash when the photo was published, Griffin lost a New Year's Eve gig with CNN opposite Anderson Cooper. Trump at the time tweeted, 'Kathy Griffin should be ashamed of herself. My children, especially my 11 year old son, Barron, are having a hard time with this. Sick!' Griffin subsequently apologized for the photo in a video, saying, 'I sincerely apologize. I am just now seeing the reaction of these images. I crossed the line. I went way too far. The image is too disturbing. I understand how it offends people — I get it.'
