Comedian Kathy Griffin apologises after Trump severed head stunt backfires

Broede Carmody
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Kathy Griffin's latest stunt has backfired spectacularly, drawing ire from progressives and conservatives alike.

The American comedian was forced to apologise on Wednesday after a video of her holding a severed head went viral. The bloodied head had an uncanny likeness to president Donald Trump.

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Kathy Griffin fired for 'beheading' Trump

'I went way too far', admits Kathy Griffin after images of her holding a bloody head resembling US President Donald Trump were published online. In response, CNN terminated the comedian's contract.

"I caption this, 'There was blood coming out of his eyes, blood coming out of his... whatever," Griffin wrote on Twitter, mocking Trump's campaign trail jibe at former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly.

The gag drew condemnation not just from Trump supporters, but the likes of progressives. Among them was Chelsea Clinton, who described the joke as "vile and wrong".

"It is never funny to joke about killing a president," she said.

Griffin has since deleted the video and published an apology in which she says she understands how it upset people.

"I sincerely apologise," she said. "I've just seen now the reaction of these images. I'm a comic, I crossed the line. I move the line, and then I cross it [but] I went way too far. The image is too disturbing."

I am sorry. I went too far. I was wrong. pic.twitter.com/LBKvqf9xFB
— Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin) May 30, 2017

Griffin said she has made a lot of mistakes in her career and will take this feedback in her stride.

"I made a mistake and I was wrong," she said.

This is vile and wrong. It is never funny to joke about killing a president. https://t.co/zIiuKoMyFw
— Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) May 30, 2017

Disgusting but not surprising. This is the left today. They consider this acceptable. Imagine a conservative did this to Obama as POTUS? https://t.co/QdghcbIjS7
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) May 30, 2017

Our politics have become too base, too low, & too vulgar, but Kathy Griffin's post descends into an even more repugnant & vile territory.
— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) May 30, 2017

It wasn't right when peoplel hung lynched Obama effigies, just as what Kathy Griffin did isn't right now.
— Debra Messing (@DebraMessing) May 30, 2017

Comedian Kathy Griffin apologises after Trump severed head stunt backfires

Broede Carmody