Q&A: Despite success, Kathy Griffin says she’s still a D-lister, and proud of it

Despite success, Griffin says she’s a D-lister

NEW YORK — Kathy Griffin has won two Emmys for “Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List,” now in its fifth season on Bravo. Her standup shows often sell out. Her 2008 comedy album, “For Your Consideration,” was nominated for a Grammy (George Carlin won the award posthumously). And her memoir comes out in September.

But the 48-year-old actress-comedian insists she’s on the outside looking in.

Griffin talks about how she’s still a wannabe celebrity, Hollywood headlines and her upcoming book.

AP: It’s hard to believe you’re still on the D-list.

Griffin: I have proof although I’m flattered at the suggestion that I could even be a C-minus. Recently, I was on tour and they delivered me a sandwich and it said Taffy Griffin. Now, I’d like to think that’s maybe what they thought my stripper name was, but no. My name was on the marquee. Sold-out show. Taffy Griffin. I’m on the D-list where I belong.

AP: You’ve joked about many celebrities. Who are you most afraid of running into?

Griffin: Whitney Houston, because she’ll just cut you. … I’m afraid of many, many celebrities. Most of them really.

AP: What do you think of Angelina Jolie edging out Oprah Winfrey to top Forbes’ Celebrity 100 power list?

Griffin: It’s clearly something that Oprah just had Gayle (King, Winfrey’s longtime friend) write because she must be having security issues or something. There’s no one more powerful than Oprah male or female in any country. Or on any planet.

AP: What do you think of Jon and Kate Gosselin (of the TLC show “Jon & Kate Plus 8″)?

Griffin: You have to admit, Jon doesn’t seem to do much but whine. There’s a lot of eye rolling and whining. I think the two of them have taken fame very well.

AP: How about Speidi also known as Heidi Montag Pratt and Spencer Pratt?

Griffin: What is tough for me as a D-list celebrity is that kind of puts Speidi and me in the same category and that hurts. That’s a bitter pill for me to swallow.

AP: Do you think Kelly Killoren Bensimon got a bad rap on “The Real Housewives of New York City”?

Griffin: Here’s the thing. I’m on a reality show. You cannot pull that ‘I was edited to look bad’ thing with me. It’s on tape, Kelly. We saw it.

AP: Your friend Joan Rivers recently won “The Celebrity Apprentice” and you made a cameo in the finale.

Griffin: I just love her. She is fearless. To have a 75-year-old woman beat all those players. She says stuff that only a handful of people in the world can get away with.

AP: When is your memoir coming out?

Griffin: ‘Official Book Club Selection’ is the title of my book because I’m trying to fool you into thinking it’s part of the Oprah book club. It’s not. Anyway, it comes out Sept. 29. And I believe it’s going to be what you call a barn-burner. So we’ll see who’s talking to me after the book comes out. We’ll see if you’re even talking to me when the book comes out. Because some people, you know, they go down pretty hard. Including myself.

“Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List” airs on Bravo, which is owned by NBC Universal.

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