Transcription
I think this is about a nationwide authoritarian takeover. First thing I bought with my paid protester money is my two Emmys. This is on video. It's right there in our face in a way that we can't ignore. Believe your own eyes and ears.
Hi everybody, it's me Kathy Griffin and welcome to another episode of Kathy Griffin Talk Your Head Off. Guess what we're going to talk about today? Yep, the resistance. No, don't don't get give me a chance. Give me a chance. This is a story that affects all of us. And let me tell you something at this point. I'm going to make this pitch. If you're not paying attention to what ICE, which I believe is an illegitimate arm of the Department of Justice, I said it. It was invented in 2003 by George W. Bush. So, we can thank him for it, but it was never this big and this well-funded. And um I can't stand that [ __ ] Christy Gnome. She's the secretary of uh what is she? Secretary of Sorry, I don't even remember the titles anymore because these characters are just they're just like former podcasters. She was a governor. I just need you to know this.
If you're hearing from your people, maybe at work, maybe your family, somebody that the protesters are rioters, I want to be very clear. Let's change that word. Let's turn that frown upside down because what we saw over this last weekend, I'm taping this on Monday. Um, I actually have shows this weekend and I'm going to admit it's a little bit of a challenging time to do standup comedy, but I'm going to incorporate what's going on in America because this has never happened in my lifetime. I'm 65 years young, never seen anything like this. The four shows, by the way, that I have this weekend are Toronto, Ottawa, Burlington, Vermont, Conquer New Hampshire. Come see me. We need to be together. We need to build community. And I know that sounds corny, but if you come to one of my shows, go to kathaggriffin.com, you're going to look around and you're going to see your actual neighbors. And guess what? It's IRL. These are opportunities for you guys to be with each other and take a break and laugh because we deserve a break. And we need to take breaks going with all of this madness going on because let me tell you, it's not at the point anymore where if Trump croaks then things will be better and he's going to croak any minute. He looks like [ __ ]. Don't act like JD Vance is going to be the grown-up in the room. All right, that guy's a freaking psycho. He wrote that book Hillbilly Elegy, which I read, and he's a dishonest actor. And now he's all about Project 2025, which is not in the interest of anyone watching this show. Like, I'm pretty sure if you're watching the Kathy Griffin YouTube show, you're not going to want to be part of Project 2025. All right, so JD Vance had the nerve to go to Minnesota and try to act like what's happening there is justified.
If you're not already aware, and you probably are, we are now in a place in this country, my beloved country, I am proud to be an American. I'll say it again. I have performed for our US troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, and Usuzbekistan, and on bases in the United States. It was my honor to make those people laugh. And they did. They were great laughers. And if any of you are out there, hello. It's good to see you. But we are now in an age where those of us that are not looking, cuz I don't look for these videos, but I'm sure you've seen the video of Alex Prey being murdered in cold blood. I'm using the word murder because that is what it is. It is murder. We all saw it. He was clearly holding a cell phone. So, if you have relatives or co-workers that are saying he was brandishing a gun, he was not. In fact, let me make a point. I would argue that Alex Prey checked off all the boxes that MAGA people want to fight for. White male uh worked as a nurse in a VA hospital for veterans, took care of veterans in the ICU. There's talk from my Minnesota followers that he wasn't really dressed to do maybe an hours long protest. So maybe he really was just going to the doughnut shop for a donut. and then saw what was going on because they have a system there that's quite sophisticated of using whistles and cars honking to let your neighbors know when ICE is in your neighborhood and they're about to abduct somebody. So, we all saw the video and I just want to tell you like I did with Renee Good, believe your own eyes and ears. I cannot believe that the president, the same president that came after me and tried to convince you guys that I was a domestic terrorist eight years ago is doing the same thing to these poor victims, Renee Good and Alex Prey. And I know that machine, okay, it comes right from the Oval Office. And Trump then goes on Truth Social and says horrible things about somebody that was murdered right there. right there with multiple angles. We all saw it. I saw Whoopi Goldberg on the view and she stated it perfectly. Believe your own eyes and ears. And my question for you guys is, do you think people are going to believe it this time? Do you think there are enough people that finally say, "I saw the video and there's no way that guy deserved it. That guy was clearly holding a cell phone."
Now, he did have a gun in a holster under his jacket in the back. And now they're trying to make it sound like, including Christine Nome, that he was brandishing a weapon at federal agents and they were defending themselves. That is unbelievable. I watched the video of this guy in the middle of trying to help a woman. There was a woman that they had knocked to the ground. He was checking on her to see if she was okay. He went up. You can see him touch her jacket trying to help her up and then multiple ICE agents just dogpile him, put him in a prone position. You know what that means is when your stomach is down. um put it put the cuffs on him and then things got out of hand and one guy shot and then another ICE agent shot multiple rounds at a guy already down on the ground and yet people were still filming and yelling stop and those videos are everywhere. So I only would encourage you to watch them if you have any doubt about the situation. If you're someone that heard he had it coming and I know there are MAGA people that say comply and if you do what you're told you have nothing to worry about. No, this was a white guy. Okay? So you MAGA people have to deal with that and be honest about it. And I'm not going to try to convert any MAGA people. I'm just trying to convert the people that aren't seeing anything about this on their algorithm or think it doesn't have anything to do with you because it's happening in Minnesota and oh my goodness, I've never been to Minnesota or whatever your story would be. I have many times. I've played Minnesota many times. It's a great state and it gets so freezing.
I also want to make you aware of the multiple protests that were happening that didn't really get media coverage. They were all over the country. Giant protests in New York and Chicago and Dallas and smaller small town protests. And I think there should be wall-to-wall coverage of this because you have to understand by now Minnesota is the test state. They're coming to your state next. Even if you think your state is safe because maybe you have a Republican governor or senators, I don't think so, you guys. I think this is about a nationwide authoritarian takeover and I think the media needs to cover it more and I don't think you should have to go to YouTube to see the real story. Although like and subscribe, like and subscribe. But I can't get it out of my mind and I can't stop worrying for my fellow Americans because I care. If you're an empathetic person, this is on your mind. And I will bring some levity and say you're welcome. Yes, I got Anderson Cooper to go on the ground. All right. So, last week I did an episode where I actually looked in the camera and said the Anderson Cooper that I knew that I used to be friends with would have been boots on the ground being the reporter that he is. And as of right now, he is in Minnesota and doing excellent reporting. They had everything from people lined up that were members of the clergy at the airport because there have been plane rides after plane rides of these folks that are abducted. Most of them are US citizens because there's a bounty on if you abduct someone you get a pay bump. And the kind of person that would sign up to work for ICE, you know that kind of person, right? They're a white guy, not always white, but they're a guy that wants to be in a fight club or start some [ __ ] and wants to fire off some rounds on anybody and they're looking for an excuse. And so I posted one of Anderson's videos because good for him. He's he's there and he needs to be there because we need as many famous faces there as possible.
Now, I know what you're saying. Stay in your lane, Kathy. Stay in your lane. I'm a comedian. Why am I talking about this? Because I have a little platform. I don't have a giant platform or microphone. I've got this YouTube show. I'm on tour right now. I have a special on YouTube here that you can watch for free if you want to see some comedy. I really believe everyone who has a platform has to at least acknowledge what's going on or else I'm gonna argue that you're complicit. That's right. I I work in Hollywood. Okay. And even though my own industry turned on me, it's still an industry I love. And I'm encouraging everyone who goes to the Grammys to use any stage time to speak out about this. You heard me. I feel like if you don't speak out, you're being complicit. And for people that say they don't have an opinion, I don't see how you cannot have an opinion. For example, I'm going to show you a video. This is from October, but it's a video of a woman in Chicago, my hometown. Well, first I was Forest Park, then Oak Park, then Chicago. And this is a typical ICE abduction. And of course, the woman turned out to be a US citizen. So, let's go ahead and take a look at this. And ladies, imagine if this was you driving your kid to school or picking them up or going to the store or doing some kind of an errand. >> You hit her. >> You hit her. You guys hit her. >> You guys hit her. >> Whole lawsuit right there. >> Okay, that would traumatize me for life. First of all, all those men on top of her is disgusting. She is clearly just trying to save her life because she can tell her life is in peril. Because ladies, we know that moment when a guy has truly lost control. And these guys have no control. They have 45 days of training allegedly. I don't even know if they have that much. The fact that we're not seeing any accountability on behalf of these ICE agents is shocking to me. We've never seen anything like this. I mean, if you're a brown person, you have and I hear you loud and clear that this has been happening to you your whole life. And this is on video. So, it's it's right there in our face in a way that we can't we can't ignore. And we see it happening in real time. As I'm sitting here taping this, I'm terrified another person is getting shot that I haven't heard of. I'm terrified they're going to get a kid. If you haven't seen it, there's a very famous photo of a five-year-old kid who was abducted by ICE, put on a plane, and sent to a detention center in Texas. I believe it was the very next day, if not two days later, they abducted a two-year-old with one of the two-year-old's parents and took them both away. Now, that is not something that we signed on for. Don't act like if you're a constitutionalist, that's okay. That is a violation of amendments one, two, four, and six at least. And we need to see as many leaders as we can out there. And so I'm challenging anybody who won a Grammy or is nominated to use their time to speak about it.
I um also talk about threads which is a social media app and it's owned by Meta and I do not care for Meta's owner whose name is Mark Zuckerberg. So I have a right to not care for him. I do believe that um my threads or my posts on threads are being suppressed when I am what they call quote posting which means retweeting someone who's doing a video about these ICE abductions and murders because let's not call them raids anymore. That's not what they are. So for example, there was a guy who did kind of an interesting how-to guide of the stuff that you guys can do because I know we all feel helpless. those of us that are paying attention and awake. And I do believe that Meta is suppressing the postings that are about the ICE raids. Remember Mark Zuckerberg went to the inaugural event and you know these billionaires all seem to be kissing up to Trump and they are all making a lot of money when we go on social media and we fight with each other because it's rage bait. And I'm guilty too cuz I'm addicted to social media like everybody is. But we have to figure out some way out of this because they have manipulated elections in other countries and our country. I don't know if you listen to the Jack Smith testimony in Congress, but it was fascinating. And I don't want to [ __ ] him. I want to [ __ ] Jack Smith. I just said that. Jack Smith, will you go on a date with me? And at the end of the day, will you [ __ ] me? All right. I didn't put that right. Jack Smith. Hi, I'm Kathy Griffin. I would love it if you would take me on a date if you're single and at the end perhaps we could become intimate. I'm direct to a flaw. Some of you are coming on threads where some people there call me the mayor of threads because I post so much and I respond to people a lot and I feel like I'm getting to know you guys. So I hate that the platform is owned by Meta because I'm really enjoying it. So the um MAGA people come after me on there sometimes and their new approach is to say that I Kathy Griffin am a paid protester. So I think that's hilarious. I wish I was a paid protester, but I am a resistance member because I believe in resisting what is tyranny and what is happening in the United States. And so, um, I want to have a moment of levity with you and show you some of the things that I have purchased being a paid resistor. And, and, uh, I guess I got paid, let's go with a million dollars a day. A million dollars a day. I get paid just to post things online. And then I take that money and I buy things. So, the first thing I bought with my paid protester money is my two Emmys. That's right. Uh, it turns out I didn't really earn these because I had a good TV show named Kathy Griffin, my life on the D-list, which you can watch on Peacock. But I bought these at the I Love America Emmy store, which is located in America, USA. Okay. The next thing I purchased with my paid protester money is Oh, what do you know? My Grammy. Yes, I have a Grammy for best comedy album. And I didn't win it after being nominated six years in a row. I I paid for it. I went to the Grammy store at the Grammy outlet in Grammy Town, California, and I got a great deal. It was worth it. I'm getting a million bucks a day being paid protester. And the next thing I bought was my paid protester, which is in crypto, but I was able to buy a crown. Not a crown that I have because I have judged more drag shows than RuPaul almost, but a crown that I bought at the Crownlet in Crown Heights America. And I used crypto and I put it in my um what are those wallets called? Chain wallets. Those wallets that crypto people use. It's a digital wallet and that's how I get paid for my protesting. And so I buy crowns for myself and I even used some of my paid protester money to buy a carton of eggs. Yes, I know that eggs are supposed to be cheaper under Trump, but I bought this was and I have so much money from being a paid protester. I don't even know how much these cost. I assume they're a million dollars a dozen and now they're mine and so I'm set for life being a paid protester.
Okay, another internet rumor that the MAGAS are trying to start about me, which is my favorite, is not only am I a paid protester, but you guys are paid audience members. So, there are people posting that if you go to a Kathy Griffin show, you get a giant check because I'm a lip [ __ ]. That's their favorite word for me. And um you know, I I just have to clear that up. I don't mean to be rude, but no, you're not going to get paid to come see me live. In fact, shocker, you have to buy a ticket. You have to go to kathygriffin.com and you have to actually buy a ticket. I am competitively priced. But no, you you can tell people as a joke that you're a paid audience member, and I certainly like the notion of you coming to my show in Ottawa or Toronto or conquered or Burlington. And I love the idea of each of you getting, oh, let's go with $500 million to be there, but that's not going to happen. I just need you to come up, come and show support and hang out with your neighbors and have a laugh. But um I I won't be paying you. No one will be paying you. Not me. No. No billionaire. I'm no billionaires on my side. So just come see a show and cough up the money yourself.
So, I had to set you up for something I'm going to read that's difficult, but I had to hopefully get you laughing a little bit because this is the statement from Alex Py's parents. And imagine your parents having to put out this statement because moms, your son was murdered in public in cold blood. The whole world has seen it. And then the president smears him. Okay, so this is statement from Alex Py's parents, Michael and Susan Prey. We are heartbroken but also very angry. Alex was a kind-hearted soul who cared deeply for his family and friends and also the American veterans whom he cared for as an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA hospital. Alex wanted to make a difference in this world. Unfortunately, he will not be with us to see his impact. I do not throw around the hero term lightly. However, his last thought and act was to protect a woman. The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting. Alex is clearly not holding a gun when attacked by Trump's murdering and cowardly ICE thugs. He has his phone in his right hand and his empty left hand is raised above his head while trying to protect the woman Ice just pushed down all while being pepper-sprayed. Please get the truth out about our son. He was a good man. Thank you. I can't even imagine being in his family and friends and having to having to put that statement out. That is unreal.
I want to give a shout out to some of the stars that are speaking out and I know I'm going to miss a lot of people but of course Mark Ruffalo was out front and center and so many were. Megan Stalter from Hacks, a show that's fantastic. She uh showed a video of her talking about being a Christian queen comedian. Twitter suppressed her video and post and she deleted her account. Billy Eilish has been very vocal and yesterday challenged celebrities to speak up. Hi Billy, I got your message loud and clear. I'm a big fan. Phineas, her brother, Katy Perry, Pedro Pascal, who just posted now is a pretty good reason for a national strike, which may be coming. It is controversial. You guys know what that is, right? A national strike, which many countries have done that have been under an authoritarian regime, is when we all decide together. Those of us that can, and that's a big part you have to hear me say because I know I'm going to hear in the comments. Oh, Kathy, you don't know what it's like in the real world. You live in a bubble. Blah, blah, blah. But a national strike would be very effective. And that would be a situation where everyone who can just stops buying things, stops working, stops going to school, stops going to their job, um, and basically economically shuts down the country. I know that's radical, but honestly, you guys, I think that's where we're headed. I don't see us really picking up arms and having an old-fashioned civil war with actual firearms. I know the ICE agents are armed up to the teeth, but I I don't know. I could be wrong. Um, I used to think it could happen via the internet, but the fact that the tech bros all own the social media companies and they all went to the Trump inaugural and I'm looking at you, Tim Cook, Tim, we've met. You and I have met. You sat next to me at Clive's party. You're a gay man and you went to a Trump inaugural event. Tim, no. We say no. Someone who's that rich doesn't even have to support Trump. I don't know how much more money Jeff Bezos can have. I think that a national strike might be something that's on the table. Just think about it. But it would have to be organized and we'd have to take it in shifts and I would participate. But I I was out of work for seven years anyway because of the government. So I have more practice than most people. I'm dying to hear in the comments those of you that are awake that see what's going on. What do you think the solution is?
I think the murder of Renee Good, the murder of Alex Prey, putting children on planes and taking them to detention centers, which are really concentration camps. Call it what it is. They're concentration camps in the United States of America in 2026. So, take that in. And I know you don't want to participate in something radical. I don't either. I wish I could just go on the road and do my funny stories about celebrities or or making fun of politicians, but not even have to acknowledge this, but it is happening all around you. It's happening around you. I live in Los Angeles. It's happening at targeted places in Los Angeles. And I think it's time to talk to the neighbors in real life. It's time to talk to your neighbors. Find out if they're MAGA or not. Sorry, but we have to know who's on our team and start to plan. Is there a way we can do something as a community? When I hear from my followers in Minnesota, they describe a very sophisticated channel of a system of things that they do to help one another. And they use encrypted apps. And like I said, everyone has whistles and honks their horn, but they organize in small groups. And they have told me that they learned this from the George Floyd incident because George Floyd was murdered 20 blocks away from these other murders roughly. And so they said they learned a lot from that experience. So I'm just telling you guys live your life, but be conscious of this and if you're silent, you're complicit. Sorry, I know I'm being a judgy [ __ ], but that's how I feel.
Here I am being preachy and I'm going to tell you about taking a little time off from all this madness for yourself. So, I went to a movie premiere, which I'll tell you about in a second. But, you know, while you're doing your work and keeping up with the news, call your senators, call your congressional rep. You can find out who it is in two seconds on the internet. You can find their phone number. You can be active from your own house. And that's important to do because they need to hear from you whether you're a Democrat or a Republican, whether they're a Democrat or a Republican. And I get it. Take time off to eat an entire pie, which I did last week myself. I don't know. Just go see a movie. Um get together with friends and maybe talk about this issue and then say, "Okay, now we're not going to talk about it anymore. We have to keep our sanity because we have to stay strong. You guys, this is a marathon, not a sprint. So, get your friends around you, have some laughs. If I'm coming to your town, you better come see me. That's why I'm on the road, so you guys can get a break. And I call it a laugh break. So, take your breaks in the way you need to. And here's how I took mine. So, I did take a night off. And I went out with my bestie, Sia. Yes, I love her so much. She's such a good pal to me. She the singer of Chandelier and Titanium and Unstoppable. She recently gave me an award advocate of the year at the Out Magazine 100 party and that was incredible and she sang to me and it caused a gay panic and it was wonderful. So we are friends with the inimitable Paris Hilton. Paris has a new documentary coming out called Infinite Icon and my joke is I keep getting the name wrong and I keep calling it Indefinite Icon but I love Paris. She has survived so much. There's a documentary you can watch here on YouTube that she made about when she was sent to one of those schools where they send teens that are out of control and Paris is very honest and she doesn't use her baby voice. She just talks to you about how she was physically assaulted, sexually assaulted and sure enough she went to Capitol Hill and co-sponsored co-wrote a bill that was bipartisan that President Biden signed into law. So, she had a premiere for her big movie, Infinite Icon. And it was really exciting and it was kind of fun to get away from all this ice madness and just put on a bunch of makeup, put on some magic hair, get dressed up and I went to see and then we went together and it was really fun. I ran into Molly Shannon who I love and have known forever and was telling her how much I loved her book. I suggest you read it. Um Harry Jowsey was there who's good friends with Sia and I met him um doing the environmental media awards. He's been on like a million reality shows and he's Australian and uh Lizzo was there uh who I think is so talented and I love that she's a flutist. Paris's reach is long and wide and I think people really are giving her the respect that she deserves because she really has put in her time. She really is an international brand. And uh I'm actually in the doc. Sea and I have a little cameo. And I'll tell you the backstory. One day I was at Sia's and she usually has a driver and a bodyguard take her everywhere. And we were in bed. Hold on. I can explain. We were in bed because she has a TV on her ceiling in her bedroom. So I go over there and then I just get in bed and we watch really usually silly shows. Sometimes we watch something good. She just turns to me and she goes, "Do you want to go to Paris's rehearsal right now?" And I go, "What? You're going to let me drive?" And she's like, "Yeah, mate." She calls me mate. So then we get into my car. We drive to some place in the valley. If you live in Los Angeles, you know what the valley means. And this was Deep Valley. Okay. This was like a part of the valley I don't know if I've seen in decades of living here. And it was all like warehouses. And you know that part of the valley where it's like they have where you buy like granite and stuff, you see the granite all lined up. So, Leave it to Paris to have the most difficult to find rehearsal studio. So, nobody can bother her. The paparazzi couldn't bother her. And Sia and I went and she was rehearsing one of her songs. And uh we were just cheering her on and being silly girlfriends and the dancers just when they saw Sia, they were like, "Oh my god, Sia's here." And they started dancing at level 10 for every single take. and there was smoke machines and cameras and it was really fun to just go over there and show Paris some support because we love her. And so, um, got to hit the red carpet. And I highly recommend that you go see the documentary and support Paris because like I said, whatever you feel about her in any way, shape or form, she has put her time in. Okay? She has put her time in. She has been a victim of the stalker. She is a survivor. I love her. She's an amazing businesswoman and she can take a joke on the chin and that's one of the reasons I love her and Sia.
Okay, you guys, that's it for this week and I'll see you next time. Remember to like and subscribe. I'll see you next week on Kathy Griffin. Talk your head off.