My Comedy Hero: Diane Spencer on Kathy Griffin
'To watch Kathy continue to perform and write as she does is highly motivating'
Determination, perseverance and the ability to make people laugh through it all: Kathy Griffin is my comedy hero. Every day during the Edinburgh Fringe 2010 (my first solo show at the most overwhelming festival in the world), I watched a section of Kathy’s reality programme called My Life on the D-List. Her ceaseless energy, professionalism and an ability to work tirelessly through the day and then perform hilarious routines to standing ovations at night, were truly inspiring.
Kathy makes mistakes like I do: she said ‘motherfucking’ during an afternoon promotional appearance at a chilli cook-off; I got confused on Radio 5 Live and said Ashley Cole had thumped Cheryl. Apparently, now I am used as a training exercise in non-compliance. Kathy’s comedy style is completely her own: conversational, energetic and inclusive, she often discusses behind-the-scenes incidents that the glossy parade of A-listers would rather you not know. Due to her revelations, she is sometimes immensely unpopular and popular in equal measure, often facing a backlash from those famous people we are all supposed to admire.
Even though I write from the perspective of what I think is funny, sometimes people disagree, and even stranger, get offended. To watch Kathy continue to perform and write as she does, keeping the positive feedback and rejecting the negative in order to be herself, is highly motivating. For all these reasons she is my comedy hero.
Vespbar, Glasgow, Sat 30 Mar.