Kathy Griffin says she's under U.S. Secret Service inquiry

The Associated Press</span>
Published Friday, June 2, 2017 4:36AM EDT
Last Updated Friday, June 2, 2017 12:45PM EDT

LOS ANGELES -- Backlash against Kathy Griffin continues to grow with at least four theatres announcing Thursday that they had cancelled her performances after the comedian posed with a likeness of U.S. President Donald Trump's severed head.

Venues in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania cancelled November shows. The Community Arts Theater in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, posted on its website that the show had been dropped "due to the recent controversy surrounding Kathy Griffin and the concern for the safety and security of our patrons and staff...."

Sen. Al Franken also dis-invited Griffin from an event promoting his new book, "Giant of the Senate."

"After hearing from many Minnesotans who were rightfully offended, I've come to the conclusion that it would be best for her not to participate in the event we had previously scheduled," the Minnesota Democrat said Thursday, a day after he had said she was still welcome. "I understand why Minnesotans were upset by this, and I take that very seriously."

He said what Griffin did "was inappropriate and not something that should be anywhere in our national discourse."

Earlier this week, CNN said Griffin would no longer co-host its live New Year's Eve special from Times Square, a gig she'd had for more than a decade, and another show was cancelled at a New Mexico casino. An endorsement deal with Squatty Potty also ended.

Though Griffin, 56, apologized within hours of the images appearing online Tuesday, they were met with swift and widespread condemnation.

Trump later tweeted that Griffin "should be ashamed of herself" for posting the images.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Thursday called Griffin "disgusting" and said the photo was "completely outrageous."

Attorney Lisa Bloom says Griffin will discuss the photo and video during a press conference scheduled for Friday.

The comic has faced controversies before for her abrasive humour, but none as widespread as the one generated by Tuesday's images.

Here are the latest developments (all times local):

9:20 a.m.

Kathy Griffin's attorney says the comedian has been contacted by the Secret Service in the wake of her controversial photo shoot in which she posed with the likeness of U.S. President Donald Trump's severed head.

Attorney Lisa Bloom says Griffin has retained a criminal attorney, who also appeared at a Friday press conference in which Griffin apologized again for the images. Griffin said she is the subject of a Secret Service investigation, but did not provide any further information about the inquiry or if she was co-operating.

Griffin says she will not refrain from joking about Trump in the future.

Since the comedian posed with a likeness of President Donald Trump's severed head, she has been fired from her annual gig hosting CNN's New Year's Eve special and several performances have been cancelled at venues across the U.S.

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8:29 a.m.

Sen. Al Franken has dis-invited Griffin from an event promoting his new book, "Giant of the Senate."

Franken says he has heard from constituents "who were rightfully offended," leading the Minnesota Democrat to change his mind from earlier, when he had said she was still welcome. He says he takes seriously that Minnesotans were upset by her behaviour, which he characterizes as "inappropriate and not something that should be anywhere" in the national discourse.

It's the latest fallout after the comedian posed with a likeness of President Donald Trump's severed head.

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6:50 a.m.

Backlash against Kathy Griffin continues to grow with at least four venues announcing that they had cancelled her performances after the comedian posed with a likeness of President Donald Trump's severed head.

Venues in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania have cancelled shows. The Community Arts Theater in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, posted on its website that the show had been dropped "due to the recent controversy surrounding Kathy Griffin and the concern for the safety and security of our patrons and staff."

Earlier this week, CNN said Griffin would no longer co-host its live New Year's Eve special from Times Square and another show was cancelled at a New Mexico casino. An endorsement deal with Squatty Potty also ended.

Griffin, 56, apologized within hours of the images appearing online Tuesday, but they were met with swift and widespread condemnation.

Trump later tweeted that Griffin "should be ashamed of herself" for posting the images.

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4:09 a.m.

Kathy Griffin and her attorney have scheduled a news conference for Friday morning to discuss the fallout from the comedian posing with a likeness of President Donald Trump's severed head.

Attorney Lisa Bloom says Griffin will discuss the photo and video she and celebrity photographer Tyler Shields posted on Tuesday. The images prompted CNN to fire Griffin from her decade-long gig hosting a New Year's Eve special with Anderson Cooper.

Griffin apologized within hours of the images appearing online. They were met with swift and widespread condemnation.

Trump later tweeted that Griffin "should be ashamed of herself" for posting the images.

The 56-year-old comic has faced controversies before for her abrasive humour, but none as widespread as the one generated by Tuesday's images.

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