Hello readers, Katie's publicists and finalists. We are interrupting the last Culture East Feed for a preview of the latest episode from our friends at Stradio Lab, a podcast about straight culture hosted by Culture Award winner Sam Taggart and George Severis. This week they talk to none other than comedy legend Kathy Griffin. Here's a sneak peek and to hear the full episode, search for Stradio Lab. No spaces in your podcast app of choice.
Okay, podcast starts now Wowow. Today we are in the studio in Hollywood, California.
The life updates are NonStop, NonStop. I wish they would stop. I literally wish for one day there were no life updates.
I would actually be so grateful for how to have one day where I don't have to text anyone that anything has happened.
I swear to God, the way I am fielding phone calls left and right, you would not believe. So. First of all, I'm visiting La That's right to do my famous stand up show. So now two nights, Baby and I the other day, in the same day, you were in the hospital getting surgery while my sister in law was giving birth.
Two hospitals, two coasts, two patients, two.
Shows, and I am I'm feeling like, you know, the carmelo soprano, the matriarch at home. That's like, oh, my boys are are okay, that's my that's Carmel Southern Carmel soprando. And meanwhile, my mom, who's very invested in both things, like how's Sam, how's the baby?
How's Sam? Calling me?
The second I'm you know, entering a work there whatever. Yeah, And then I'm visiting you at the hospital. I'm saying, I need to bring him two pastries. What if he's hungry? What if my boy is hungry? And guess what I was, and you were. Of course, I'm getting a FaceTime to meet the baby while I'm at the other hospital. Then I'm like in the lobby of the hospital, people around me,
you know, having god knows what. And then I'm like in the best mood ever, being like she's so cute, and then everyone around me is like in the process of like dealing with some terrible illness.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, well you've really held it all together, my rock. You've been the rock to so many people this week. And yeah, I had a surgery and you know, I'm to the point and so many calls, so many texts. My family's like what's wrong, how are you? And I'm like, I don't have time.
Yeah, well there is a I'm there is a sort of Munchausen esque thing happening with you where no one knows exactly what they do.
Is well, it's because it's not like it's not like an easy it's not a quick word. You can't be like, oh, I had an appendectomy before, you know, it's sort of it's mine was sort.
Of custom, yes, and you always go customer.
I've never if you're getting your surgeries off the rack, you need to grow up. It's twenty twenty four.
Yeah, in Los Angeleshilosopher's weekend, like if you're if you're out there literally getting like you're like amputated, Like, grow up up, get a custom surgery.
Yeah, I just know that it's perfectly fine. And was sort of kidney related and yeah, I'm going to say it. I have a catheterin currently.
So we were saying, you know, we'll bring our guests in a second, and I am dying too. But the big debate this weekend was we are having you know, one of our true idols, role models, like she is mother, you know, everyone a raise, everyone has voted, and she is the President of the United States. Yes, and meanwhile, you have a catheter and there's no way around it around debate is do.
We were like, will.
Kathy find it funny if we bring it up, or will she immediately leave the room?
To me?
To me, it had to be brought up because it is so notable it is and I didn't.
Know what was going to happen.
Yeah, and I like the fear that struck me when the doctor told me that, And then I was like, the first thing I thought was like, so I'm going to be in a room with Kathy Griffin trying to do a comedy podcast while I have a catheter in.
Okay, we actually need to bring her in because I'm shaking with anticipation. Oh my god, please welcome you become literally the president of the United States.
Kathy Griffins.
Oh my god, I love her. She is around applause all right, first time. I'm so honored because I went on Twitter before it became x which is now just a Nazi playground, but prior to that, when it mattered, I asked to my fans, I said, Gaga has her monsters, Nick Minaj has the barbs. What do you guys want to be called? And the number one vote was they wanted to be called catheters. Oh my god, wow, I am honored and my catheters support you. I have had
a catheter. I found it to be a great relief because when I didn't have it and could not void, which is the doctor word for me, it was so painful. I felt like somebody was standing on my bladder with a combat boot laughing. So my question is, how does your dick feel uncomfortable?
Okay, it feels uncomfortable, but it's been getting better every day. And yeah, I've had it since Thursday. How long do we have it till Monday?
Okay?
But will say it feels every time I move. I'm like, oh yeah yeah.
And the big part of the narrative is Sam's doctor is being very chill about all of this. Sam didn't even know he was going to have to do this, and the doctor was like, what's the big deal, right.
He was like, well, most people will even want this, Like why are you being so weird about it?
And You're like, well, I have to I have work, Like why be able to go to work? She's like, yeah, why wouldn't you.
He's like, okay, well it's a normal letter that the doctors acting like none of us don't have a catheter.
Yeah.
And then I also felt gaslap because I told my mom and I was like, isn't it crazy that we're going to you know, have to record in sama the caather And she's like, what's the big deal. I'm like, why is everyone trying to getsbating?
It's normal?
My mom was like that's horrible, And I was like, okay, well, don't go that hard, like I do have to do it with the baby.
Wish I had one in, But I'm also granting that it's horrible and it also could be normalized for people.
Normal normalized guys.
Thank you. It's about time.
It's about time I start the movement.
I'm going out to dinner tonight, and I think it's I cannot something about how funny it will be to be having a martini and a catheter.
As you can often. Are you going to drain yourself?
I think I'm going to go as often as maybe like every.
Hour, when the bag feels when the else.
I keep saying for some reason, I keep referring to having the catheter as Diva Mode unlocked.
Well, that's fabulous, that is fabulous.
Right, turn that front upside down with that, I don't even need to pee.
No Diva, honestly, Disa Mode Unlocked would be a great album title for you.
It would be really good special type.
Yeah.
I think that's really genius.
I love it.
I have to confront about something which is so I'm as everyone every listener knows.
I grew up in Greece. My family is Greek. And I happened.
To see on a social media platform that you went to Madonna with ne e Verdalos my number one.
The Queen of Greece, literally, the queen. She is the Britney spears of Greece. She cannot go three feet in Greece without being mobbed by.
Fans literally, and that's not a joke.
And I last summer was in Greece and my friend of mine.
From my big fact the Empire franchise.
And by the way, I was recently watching Curb. She's in a season one episod sort of Curb. Oh, Larry's like doctor or something. Remember, she's great, She's incredible. One of the biggest like pains of my life was I was in Greece and my friend had me over for lunch or something, and it turned out that the day previous, the previous day, she had had Nea Verdalos over and I had missed that lunch and went to the other lunch.
That is a.
Stranger That.
Is not appropriate when you could have been with the Queen of Greece.
Literally, So how was are you friends with her?
I'm friends with there. We've been friends for a long time. I don't even remember how I met her. You know, a lot of these clubs I meet him at like that.
I call it the charity circuit.
Yes, you know.
I went to a thing last night for the Gay and Lesbian Center and I ran into Gabrielle Union, who I haven't seen in years, or Gabby as I call her, or at least as she was called back in the day. And I don't know how I know Nia, but I love that she has this one country where she can go and she's got to have security and everybody wants a piece of her.
And then she goes and Hey is out with Tom and Rita.
Oh yeah, oh I know Rita.
The honorary King and Queen of.
Greece and not even honorary. Excuse you, Rita will sorry.
That's right, that's right, but there are two Greeks queens.
When I was growing up, the big thing was Tom and Rita had a home in I believe in Tipers, which is an island, and he would there were stories that he would grill on the beach and like give everyone like a little blacky little.
Sausage, getting getting sausage from Tom Hanks and.
readA of course, you know, dancing in the corner traditional.
Yea, yeah, do you feel like the neoverardalas? Okay, guys kind of yeah.
When we went to Madonna, I don't know if you know the movie Soap Dish, but it's one of my favorites. And there's a great scene where Sally Field isn't getting recognized enough and so Woopy Gilbert takes her to a mall in Jersey. And I have to admit walking into the Madonna concert with Cia Harris, Hilton Lunel and the of ar Dallas and I got a lot of shout outs, like a lot of hay hay, and I was stopping and they are of course very famous, so they're all
going really fast get into the seats. I'm not gonna speed up that moment, so I was slowing down posing I like it. Old Paris at least three times and said, you're on your own, bitch, it's my time now. But it was a fantastic night. We had a wild girls evening and I did do a post about it on my TikTok or my Instagram you can see it. Because as much as we all worship the Queen Madonna, I did not know she has a strict no air conditioning policy,
which Rosie o'donnald said extends to her life and her homes. Yes, because she thinks it's unhealthy. And so we ended up leaving early because I'm an older gal, and we actually started getting overheated. And even though Paris Hilton was dressed up like S and M Madonna in some little off of sheet got from trashy laingerie that day, Lunelle was in like these fendy sweaters and see you had on this big taff at a gown that had layer to it, and we kept tripping on it and sitting on it.
So we ended up having to leave early. And as a gay man. I feel very pachy about that, and I would not be surprised if man Donna yelled at me, although I don't know her, but if I ever met her, I'm ready for her to yell at me and say, who do you think you are leaving my show?
I think it would be an honor for you to be Yeah, that would be I would.
Be laughing and crying at the same time. And Dovini, you know.
She yelled at him. She yelled at Andy Cohen when I saw her. Somebody should well.
I mean you're talking I think there are now Yeah, that's true.
Wait, why did she yell at him because she was like she sort of saw him stop saying bad show?
Yeah because he yeah, because he like talks about her on Watch What Happens Live, and she like spotted him in the crowd and was like, Andy, you stupid.
Yes, I look.
I gotta say. I loved her show. I think it's an amazing show. You should go see it if you can't. And the fact that she's doing the same dance moves as the freaking videos in the MTV Heyday and she's sixty five is pure inspiration. And so I've been reading a lot of ages comments on TikTok and Instagram, and I'm not having it. That is our queen. And does she sing? You know, probably not, but we don't really go to hear.
The actual scene.
She's not Maria Collis. I'm just saying she never was, but she's our Madonna. And the way she gives up the hits and she sings bad Girl, which she hardly ever sings Live and Lived to Tell, and she gives up the hits and it's a two and a half hour show, you know, not that I know because we love her. They tell me no, but it's a great show. And I love that she's doing it at sixty five
because I don't think it's desperate. I think she's proving a point that while Share still tours, which is also one of my faves, but Madonna, just the dancing part is what kills me. And just you know that Jana Jackson tour is also amazing, and Janet at sixty is doing the same moves from the videos and also not singing, but not important to me, not important to me.
Who is singing?
Sea?
Okay, Miley, I.
Love my.
Y I am over.
I don't need everyone. I mean here's the big question.
For I need to sing. Oh god, no.
But when I did go see her Vegus residency, I did go with a genuine heterosexual who I dragged.
Beautiful, who I'm divorcing because of this. No, I'm just kidding.
But he turned to me and he about twenty minutes in, so sincerely, he goes, I don't think she's even really singing.
I think she's lip singing, sinking. I go, look around, you think these guys care. These guys are doing.
Car wheels, their phones are out, they're jumping up and down and dancing.
Nobody gives a shit. She's doing the best she can. Brittany.
Yeah, And that's why Miley is such a big deal when she comes out, because people are like, oh my god.
People can sing if they want.
Kelly Clarkson, Kelly Clarkson, she can see anything.
No, you know what, the big mystery is what Beyonce.
Beyonce probably does. I would think she does like half it half because you can't dance that much and say, that's what people have to understand. She's really really moving around doing real choreography. So she's probably got the autotune mic, which is also fine. With me, with Me, it's part of the show, and it's a show, not a recording session. No, we're not in the studio with Phil Spector trying not to get shot. We're just trying to make the case happy and do a lot of fun dancing.
M That was an incredible little snippet to hear the rest of the episode. Fine Stradio Lab, wherever you get your podcasts.
Now, get back to work. We don't pay to just sit around and listen to gay guys talk. Bye.