Comedian Kathy Griffin shared today that she has lung cancer and will undergo surgery to remove half of her left lung. She caught it at stage 1, so her prognosis for recovery is good. Being the hottest of topics today, the ladies at The View spent a good portion of the show discussing it.
Panelist Meghan McCain was blunt. Although she sends condolences, and hopes for Kathy’s “speedy recovery” she made it clear that she dislikes the embattled comedian. And it’s not just because Kathy posed for a photo holding up a replica of Donald Trump’s severed head. Another reason she gave was how Kathy constantly joked about Clay’s sexuality before he came out as gay in 2008.
“My issue with Kathy Griffin is, I’m going to name drop Clay Aiken as one of my closest friends in the entire world, he’s [like] my brother. She made very, very, very cruel and homophobic jokes about him before he was out of the closet,” Meghan said. “We have to go back to like 2002, 2003, when that was still acceptable. (Well…Clay didn’t appear on Idol until season 2 which aired in 2003).
Meghan demands an apology from Kathy on Clay’s behalf
She went on to demand an apology from Kathy on Clay’s behalf, saying that he could’ve become an opioid addict, with the “degree of bullying that happened to him.”
“You can just go on YouTube and see a lot of the jokes that she made about him — and other comedians, but she really led it — so I would love to hear an apology, if she’s doing this kind of soul searching, for what could’ve happened with my good friend. I don’t like her, I’m never gonna like her for all the jokes she made about Clay.”
Later on in the show, Meghan skipped a segment with Donald Trump’s niece, Mary Trump, discussing her new book. She called out Meghan for not showing up “It’s a shame that your colleague didn’t have the courage to come on and have this conversation with me,” Mary Trump said. And cut to host Whoopi Goldberg and a super awkward silence before a cut to commercial.
Meghan is moving on with The View to join her husband and child in Washington DC. Her last day on the show is Friday (August 6).
UPDATE: While Meghan insists that Kathy apologize to Clay, he doesn’t seem mad about it. At All. So maybe let Clay speak for himself? It appears that Kathy made amends with Clay years ago, considering that the singer ran for Congress in 2014. “Love and prayers for a speedy recovery to my dear friend @kathygriffin!” Clay writes on Twitter. “Selfless and gracious, she even hosted a fundraiser for my congressional campaign years ago. Get well soon Kathy. I miss your jokes!”
Love and prayers for a speedy recovery to my dear friend @kathygriffin!
Selfless and gracious, she even hosted a fundraiser for my congressional campaign years ago.
Get well soon Kathy. I miss your jokes! ?? pic.twitter.com/dR7NY4FzJD— Clay Aiken (@clayaiken) August 2, 2021
