Kathy Griffin

Kathy Griffin (born 4.11.1960)

Kathy Griffin is an American stand-up comedian, actress and TV personality. She first became known for her appearances in the popular sitcom Seinfeld.

Kathy Griffin: Childhood

Kathy Griffin was born in Oak Park, Illinois, to first-generation Irish-Americans. She attended St. Bernadine's Elementary School where she developed her dislike of organized religion. She then studied at Oak Park River High School, where she became interested in musical theatre and performed in Fiddler on the Roof, amongst other productions.

Kathy Griffin: Career

Kathy Griffin started performing in the 1980s, when she joined an improvisational comedy troupe, The Groundlings after she failed to get noticed in more mainstream theatrical circles.

Griffin then went on to perform stand-up comedy in the alternative comedy scene in Los Angeles and went on to develop her own show on HBO in 1998, called 'Hot Cup of Talk'.

In 1994, Kathy Griffin appeared in the classic Pulp Fiction when she plays the role of a pedestrian who tries to help Ving Rhames' character (Marcellus Wallace) after Bruce Willis (Butch Coolidge) runs him over with his car. She then went on to play the role of Connie in The Unborn, alongside Brooke Adams. Griffin's appearances on TV then began to increase in regularity, with two appearances in Fresh Prince of Bel Air, a Showtime parody of Madonna's Truth or Dare, entitled Medusa: Dare to be Truthful and a role in Bob Goldthwait's Shakes the Clown. She also appeared as the leader of a car club in an episode of Ellen in 1996, as well as a dual role in X-Files, alongside David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson. Griffin also featured as a fashion channel reporter in Ugly Betty.

It was in 1996 that Kathy Griffin started gaining serious airtime, when she was cast as Brooke Shields' colleague in Suddenly Susan. She also landed a one-hour special on HBO, entitled Kathy Griffin: A Hot Cup of Talk. Between 1996 and 1998, she played the role of Sally Weaver in Seinfeld, which also earned her a degree of recognition.

In 2009, Kathy Griffin topped the New York Times Bestseller List with her memoir, Official Book Club Selection: A Memoir According to Kathy Griffin. She also released a Grammy-nominated album, Sucking it for the Holidays.

Kathy has hosted CNN's New Year's Eve Broadcast for three years running, between 2009 - 11. In 2009 she landed herself in trouble for swearing on air and in 2011 she caused controversy for stripping to her underwear during the show.

In March 2011, Kathy Griffin guest starred in an episode of Glee, playing the role of a Regionals competition judge.

Griffin's stand-up shows often court attention for their no-nonsense style and for her love of mocking celebrities and people in the public eye. In the past, her 'victims' have included Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian and Lindsay Lohan. She has been compared to other controversial stars such as Howard Stern and she has claimed to have been banned from several mainstream TV shows, such as The View (which she temporarily co-hosted in 2007) and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. In 2005, she was banned from taking part in E!'s red carpet TV coverage when she made a joke that the child actress Dakota Fanning (aged 11 at the time) had entered rehab.

Kathy Griffin: Personal Life

Griffin is an advocate for LGBT right, as well as being a vocal supporter for same sex marriage.

In 2001, Kathy Griffin married Matt Moline, on top of the 360 Degree Restaurant in Hollywood. Brooke Shields was her maid of honour. The pair divorced, after a number of separations and she had her tattooed wedding ring removed by laser treatment. She later accused Moline of stealing $72,000 from her.

In 2007, Kathy Griffin attended the Emmy Awards with Steve Wozniak, one of the founders of Apple. They stopped dating the following year.

In March 2011, Kathy Griffin announced, on the Howard Stern radio show, that she was romantically involved with Isaiah Mustafa. Mustafa went on to say that he was, in fact, single.