Kathy Griffin Drops F-Bomb Live On CNN New Year’s Eve Special (VIDEO)

by Rachel Sklar | 12:45 am, January 1st, 2010

» 23 comments

Kathy Griffin Anderson Cooper Does saying the F-word on live TV even matter anymore? Maybe not if you’re Kathy Griffin and expected to say outrageous things that will make Anderson Cooper look adorably abashed on CNN’s live New Year’s Eve special — because they both ignored it so smoothly. F-word? Live TV? Yawn.

WATCH THE BALL DROP LIVE IN TIMES SQUARE

Griffin and Cooper, whose New Year’s Eve pairing on CNN has become an annual tradition, were doing their usual jokey banter, discussing various moments of infamy from the past year, and particularly the saga of Balloon Boy (how hard is it gonna be for that kid to get a date in a few years, eh?). Cooper and Griffin were at their post in Times Square discussing Balloon Boy Perè, Richard Heene, and then the little one himself, Falcon Heene. Here’s how it went:

COOPER: Falcon Heene.
GRIFFIN: Fal — Fuckin? Falcon? How do you say it?
COOPER: (shaking head, eyes downcast) You’re terrible. Really terrible.

And that was it! F-bomb on CNN live, New Year’s Eve. No biggie. Welcome to 2010. Or is there more to it? It should be noted that Griffin was famously unprintable before — last year she shot down a heckler by saying, again on live TV, “I don’t go to your job and knock the dicks out of your mouth.” This year, she promised to forfeit her salary if she said anything naughty. So maybe it’s only naughty if Anderson Cooper acts shocked. Or maybe it’s 2010 and EVERYTHING’S DIFFERENT. Or maybe we’re just used to the F-bomb on live TV by now. Or maybe we should all just lighten up, it’s a new Yecade, after all. Watch below:

Update: The clip was not edited for broadcast on the West Coast, perhaps in support of the “open to interpretation” argument (as opposed to the “we know it when we hear it” argument). But either way, looks like Kathy’s gonna take home her salary — well earned, we say.
Update to the Update: Griffin joked on air about the New York Times calling to confirm that she swore, which she said she did not, and which Anderson Cooper, too, swore up and down did not happen. The NYT’s Brian Stelter said on Twitter that he did not actually, call, but she did actually swear. He listened three times.

> Update on Friday night: CNN has a comment about the incident: “CNN regrets that profanity was used during our New Years Eve coverage.” As for whether Griffin will forfeit her salary, like she had said, “We do not discuss contractual issues.” -SK

This article has been edited since publication to add the word “Yecade.” We really think it’ll catch on.

libra blue

So predictable. I only caught a few minutes of CNN’s NYE fiasco, but you would have to be an idiot to believe that this was unplanned or spontaneous. I am sure it was carefully planned by Anderson and CNN. They had to come up with something to top, or at least equal last year’s controversial remark.

Only a fool or 360′s most gullible “dedicated” viewers, would believe that Anderson is this innocent bystander that is shocked by anything sexual Botoxed Griffin or anyone would say. I am sure he could shock all of us with the details of some of his “escapades.”
Rachel Sklar

Oh come now, it’s a New Yecade! (And between us, if they’d wanted to top last year, then a garden-variety F-bomb playing second fiddle to SNL is nothing to write home about.) Either way: Happy New Year, Libra Blue! You’re our first commenter of the New Yecade!

(If I say “Yecade” enough it will totally become a thing.)
Fidoohki

Hasn’t Kathy Griffin ‘jumped the shark’ already? If not.. can we find a shark for her to jump over or maybe into? :) IN this new Yecade, though I shouldn’t say that…. PETA might come after me for cruelty to the shark! :P
same2u

Libra “Boo Hoo” Blue,

Most of his viewers don’t care. Prudes care. Of course I am not making this comment about you. I would never do that!
puck30

Griff: Okay Anderson I’m gona drop the f-bomb tonight, you act surprised okay?

Anderson: Okay

Griff & Anderson: he, he, he, he, he,

Maybe I’m old skool, It doesn’t take talent to drop an f bomb for a laugh. I liked it when folks had to be a little creative on the air.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwuUzSZfQ4k

Happy New Year Rachel, and Happy New Year All.
Knowledge_Is_Power

Well what do they expect, you hire trash then you’re going to get trash.

I think CNN wanted her to cuss that way more people will watch next year. I guarantee you anything she’ll be back! They don’t care that she cusses all they care about is getting ratings any way that they can.

I flipped back and forth between Anderson and Ryan and to me Anderson looked totally annoyed with her all last night. He seemed as if he didn’t want to be there and wasn’t amused. It was rather boring to tell you the truth.
Knowledge_Is_Power

@ Libra Blue

If you hate Anderson so much and think he is such a bad person then what’s up with your avatar? You must still be jonsing for the man to have his face as your profile pic. Funny how you constantly down him yet you have a blog dedicated to him. Your rants don’t fit with your actions. Just sayin….
personwhomakescomments

LibraBlue is one sick, twisted woman – maybe her and “TfT” are long lost sisters….
dhg

You said it right Rachel,it doesn’t matter anymore.F (are we allowed to say it here too?) has been so much a part of our culture and our real world dialog that it as well as all the “other words” now ALL being used on TV,should be included.Especially when it’s late at night what difference does it make anymore?Look if you’re over about 14 you know exactly what it means and you aren’t somehow damaged or shocked to hear it because you’ve heard it all around you in then real world.If you’re a child it’s up to your parents to teach you about it’s use or non use just like all the other things your parents should teach you.I’m not saying everybody should just blast away with it and all the “other words” aren’t being used non stop all over TV but it’s time to stop worrying about that one final word and go on with our lives.
LotusMan

Who the f— cares?? I mean really. There are a hell of a lot of other, much more important, things to be concerned about.

Kathy Griffin is talented, funny and usually right on target. I look forward to her continuing to enrich and enliven our lives on television and elsewhere
.
http://lauriebethsgrotto.wordpress.com Laurie Beth

The obsession is obvious when people shoehorn Anderson Cooper’s personal life into just about any topic involving him.

Yes, Anderson Cooper is a grown man, therefore he has “escapades” (good Lord). How that is at all relevant to the topic of this article I have no idea, but in 2010 can we get OVER it already?

Call me naive, but I think she genuinely slipped. I think she did exactly what Jenny Slate did and was dancing around the word, saying things that sounded like it but weren’t actually the word, and then slipped and actually said it. I don’t think it was some plot that was carefully orchestrated by CNN, but hey, what do I know?

More importantly, I think she muddled it enough that CNN will just say (if they say anything at all on the subject) that it sounded like it but she didn’t actually say it. That seemed to be Anderson’s position when they came back from commercial break after they were informed there was a problem. He said something along the lines of, “You did not swear. I think they’re going to go back and look at the tape, but you didn’t.” I don’t think he, Kathy or the network will waver from that story and it’ll just blow over.

I didn’t think the show was as hilarious as it was last year, but I still enjoyed it. They make a good team, Kathy has a huge fan base, and as long as they get the ratings CNN wants, she’ll be back.
Eliza

@Laurie Beth: I agree with everything you said. I was thinking of Jenny Slate as well. I didn’t notice Kathy’s f-bomb when it happened live, and I didn’t notice that one either. But really, as the beginning of this post asks, does saying the f-bomb on live TV even matter anymore? I don’t think so. If Kathy was trying to outdo last year’s performance, she failed.
http://lauriebethsgrotto.wordpress.com Laurie Beth

To be fair, Rachel Sklar made the SNL connection before I did (see her comment above! :) ), but I thought it was a really sharp connection because essentially the same thing happened.

And, seriously–if the intention was to top the hilarity of what she said last year (I get that some people don’t go for the blue humor, but I thought it was hysterical–and call me naive, but I also believe she didn’t know they were still on the air when she said it; if you were watching they cut the visual feed WAY before the audio) Kathy would have come up with something better. Just because she works blue doesn’t mean she’s a bad comic. She spent seven years with the Groundlings and is a two-time Emmy winner; she’s not a flash in the pan.
libra blue

@Rachel, Happy New Year to you! Glad you don’t let my comments get under your skin. The “F-Bomb” doesn’t shock me in the least, but I still think it was set up and frankly boring.
libra blue

@Knowledge_Is_Power, You might want to take a closer look at my avatar, it isn’t exactly complimentary.
marigrace

The English language is a wonderful thing with many intelligent descriptive words for its users. Good language skills are an indication of intelligence and good education. Yet using unintelligent gutter words on national TV is viewed as prize that must be brought to everyone’s attention and the idiots using them seem to be lifted on a pedestal. No wonder CNN is known as one of the “lamestream media” sources. I really don’t care if the “F” word is used, I suppose it’s users aren’t smart enough to increase their vocabulary and find a better word from the English language.
http://trickletown.vox.com/ Trickletown

Hey now, weren’t there two major motion pictures made on the same premise, “Meet the Parents” and “Meet the Fockers”? Big deal.
felixw

This was so predictable. Remember, this is the woman who said “Suck it, Jesus” on the Emmy broadcast. She has been banned from the Apollo Theater for her profanity. And she was unbelievably offensive on the New Year’s Eve broadcast a year ago.

So CNN knew exactly what they were doing. And Griffin needed to do something offensive to live up to her reputation.

What a sad commentary on CNN, that to get attention they need to broadcast the F word on TV. Pathetic!

And about Anderson Cooper, all I can say is: water seeks its own level.
http://www.sailrabbits.com Magister

@marigrace: I’ve never really understood the idea of broadening our vocabulary, by limiting its content.

Otherwise, the YouTubes from last night makes it look like they were having fun. An AC360 New Year’s may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but they’re probably enjoying the (unplanned) publicity and I’d look for her to be back next year.
disgusted

whine, Whine, WHINE! If this is all you have to complain about: Don’t watch, “IDIOCRASY”! I was given a copy for Christmas – it shows where we will be – SOON, long before 2025! Then it’ll be TOO LATE to complain!
marigrace

Magister,
I am not suggesting limiting the vocabulary of people. However the use of the “F” word is NOT an indication of broadened vocabulary, but exactly the opposite.

I highly doubt the “F” word usage publicity was “unplanned” either, but more than likely, well planned.
http://www.facebook.com/people/James-Guo/100000649950349 James Guo

happy New Year guys
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