Thursday, July 10, 2008

KG on the O

We caught Kathy Griffin's "I'm not Nicole Kidman" special the other night. Ohmigosh, that woman is funny. Do not try to consume beverages while watching this show; hydration will have to wait.

Rather than grasping at straws as so many creative people do when they finally make it and now have to produce new material on a tight deadline (I'm thinking of the sophomore slump we always read about with books and music--the one I'm hoping to avoid myself) this stuff is even better than what she did before.

My favorite part? The bit about Oprah, and how absurd our worship of her one-woman enterprise has gotten. Honestly, if there were a way for me to thank Kathy personally for this, I'd fly to wherever she is to do so.

Because honestly? The O thing is out of hand. Have you noticed? Last month's magazine contained a long feature on this spiritual book she has the whole country reading, and how the take home point is that the key to happiness is getting over our self-involvement and our ego. Not terrible advice, right? But then on the next page is a segment about how the roses featured in some picture are "Oprah roses" that she designed for some gala. That stopped me in my tracks. Why would anyone, other than someone with a PhD in plant biology who lives for this kind of thing, design their own rose? Because there no other pretty roses anywhere on the planet that would look nice in a vase in the center of the table? It just struck me as a strange combination, this "let's all ditch our ego" thing and the "here's where you can order my super-special roses..."

What inspires me about Kathy, though, is she doesn't say, "Oh, this is HORRIBLE!" Instead, she sees life through a different lens, and says, "Oh people, this is FUNNY!" I think that is a spectacular quality, one I'm hoping to cultivate. Because really, these opportunities are all around us; it's up to us what we do with them.

16 comments:

Gretchen said...

Great points! I'm a semi-secret fan of Kathy Griffin, too. I love her impression of her mother, especially- SO FUNNY! She has heart, too, judging from some of the takes of "Life on the D-List".

CelticBuffy said...

I, too, am a closet Kathy Griffin fan. I love how she just says what she thinks. If I'm feeling down, watching just about any of her episodes of "Life on the D-List" is bound to make me laugh out loud.

Unknown said...

I love Kathy Griffin, too!! I think she's the funniest comedian out there, right now, male or female! I haven't heard her latest bit, yet! I'll definitely be looking for it. Is it on her show or a special?

Stacy said...

I have no idea of who Kathy Griffin is, but I have frequently wished I had no clue who Oprah is.

Anonymous said...

I think seeing things like this as FUNNY is such an awesome perspective to have. I find her to be hysterical!

mslizalou said...

I'm a fan of Kathy Griffin because she says what she thinks, even when what she thinks goes against everyone else.

L Sass said...

I have watched Oprah since I was a little girl, but it's true--in the last 10 years, she has become ALL about herself. I do believe that she has a good heart! I really do! But she can't conduct an interview these days without interrupting the person to share her own feelings and experience.

Kathy Griffin, on the other hand? Hilarious. And she tells it like it is!

hckygrl said...

You TOO!?! I so watch her in secret, she cracks me up. I think she is my alter ego, maybe.

I'm not a fan of the "O" and Rachel Ray is a close second these days! Whatever happened to Stedman, he just seemed to drop off the radar?

Gretchen said...

I dig what I Sass says. I remember watching an Oprah-generated show where she had George Clooney and Julia Roberts interview each other. I was really looking forward to the Sidney Poitier and Jamie Foxx interview, but they only got as far as one question before Oprah burst in to be part of the moment. Wish she had done that during the Nicole Kidman/Russell Crowe pairing since Nicole seemed to lack personality in her bit...

Mary Ann said...

Great posting. I think Kathy Griffin is hilarious. And I used to love Oprah but in the last year or so began to feel that she's just feeding our (my?) tendency to think we are not good enough the way we are.

xxxx said...

Oh, my goodness, Kathy Griffin cracks me up. I love her mom, too. She has such a great, funny family.

Patti said...

i watch her all the time. love her. but, i gotta say she stole the o material from me. i have been saying it for years and no one wanted to listen...they were too busy trying to get tickets for o's "my favorite things" show (do you know how to get those tickets? no? ok, well, how about you there, reading this? you?)....

alexa @clevelandsaplum said...

she is so NOT on the d-list. i heart her!

Unknown said...

i heart KG! she's fabulous.

down with Oprah. ugh. can't stand her!

Paige Jennifer said...

I love KG so much I just might be a gay man. In fact, I'm traveling to Atlanta in September to see her live. Again. For the third time.

LEstes65 said...

Hydration will have to wait inDEED. She slays me.

I love celebrities giving ego-ditching advice. Lovely bit of comedy, that.