34 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JUNE 6-12, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com FACE TO FACE Kathy Griffin was crying tears of joy alone in a restaurant when the verdict was read in the Donald J. Trump hush money trial on Thursday, May 30, the 63-year-old comedian told her followers on X. In a twist of fate almost too hard to believe, it was seven years to the day when the now-famous photo of Griffin holding a ketchup-laden mask of Trump, looking like a bloodied head—a reference to Trump’s comment about Megyn Kelly and “blood coming out of her whatever,” Griffin says—was released. The photo got her investigated by the Department of Justice for conspiracy to assassinate the president of the United States, despite being within her right to free speech. (She was cleared.) The impact of the experience left Griffin with intense PTSD symptoms. She’s also endured a pill addiction (she’s been sober for over three years), a suicide attempt and lung cancer (she never smoked) which resulted in half of one lung being removed and altering her voice. In December, she filed for divorce from her husband, whom she had been with for 12 years. Despite her troubles, Griffin is finding humor about even the worst of what she’s experienced. Her “My Life on the PTSD List” tour began in February and has been extended into December. She brings the show to Monterey on Saturday, June 8. Griffin spoke with the Weekly on the phone a week before the Trump verdict. She says she doesn’t mention Trump in her show, but it seems hard to believe now that Trump is a convicted felon that she won’t include him. Noting the seven-year anniversary of the photo, she says, “The fact that he’s sitting in a criminal court and I get to go on tour, the irony is not lost on me.” Weekly: Where are you right now, Kathy? Griffin: I’m at my beautiful home in Malibu, which I talk about in my show because I have a whole new group of celebrities I can torture out here. I have been known to just walk up to Martin Sheen’s house and knock on his door and make him be my friend. I also still think he’s President Bartlett from The West Wing, so that works out well for me. Have you been following the Trump Trial? Yes, I have. Oh. My God. I can’t believe it’s not the number-one story on the news every night because he did not disappoint, between the falling asleep and the farting—and who the hell insults the judge? And then he goes out into that weird pen and then he says crazy stuff and then he acts like Joe Biden is the one losing his mind. You’ve been through a lot in recent years. Do you find the fans on tour to be supportive? I’m lucky enough that these audiences, man, they’re showing up and it’s like a hug, like they’re hugging me. I’m just bragging because every show is a gift and the audiences have been great. I’ll be honest with you, I’m not selling out everywhere, I probably lost 30 percent of my audience because of the Trump thing and it makes me really sad. But I also gained some people… they’re showing up with a smile on their face and they’re almost saying, ‘Keep going, keep going,’ and they’re actually laughing at the material. This tour has been such a gift. What can audiences expect in the new show? I call it “My Life on the PTSD List,” because I was diagnosed with complex PTSD, which I make fun of because number one, I thought it was only for combat veterans. And I find it funny because I do feel like the last three years of my life have been like, “OK world, what else are you going to throw at me?” The only thing I know how to do is talk about what’s going on in my life, and hopefully not in a selfish way, or else it wouldn’t get laughs, it’s got to be relatable. I talk about PTSD, I talk about addiction, for which I am now three years and 10 months recovered from a prescription pill addiction. I make fun of recovery because you’ve got to laugh your way through recovery. I talk about my suicide attempt— not making fun of suicide in any way because I’ve been there. But I tell a story of how I did it because it’s so over the top that it’s actually funny. But I’ve got to tee it up for the audience… I say it’s OK to laugh, stay with me. It’s been wonderful, people are accepting. Kathy Griffin performs “My Life on the PTSD List” at 8pm Saturday, June 8. Golden State Theatre, 417 Alvarado St., Monterey. $39.50-$125. 649-1070, goldenstatetheatre.com. Last Laugh Kathy Griffin is still laughing despite many hardships. Her tour lets audiences laugh with her. By Pam Marino Kathy Griffin is making fun of her own woes, including her PTSD diagnosis. She named her new show “My Life on the PTSD List” as a play on her Emmy-winning reality show, My Life on the D-List. The show comes to Monterey on Saturday, June 8. JEN ROSENSTEIN Pick Your Favorite Farmers Market Sunday Marina 10am – 2pm Monday Pacific Grove 3 – 7pm Tuesday Alisal 11am – 4pm Wednesday Natividad 11am-3:30pm Thursday Seaside 3–7pm Friday SVH 12 – 5pm at est Gives! 2021 and programs le food: Fresh Rx Produce Prescriptions: healthcare essionals prescribe to families in need o buy produce rkets) hildren (WIC): WIC benefits r markets All markets accept CalFresh/EBT & double all EBT purchases up to $30 – www.everyonesharvest.org
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