Anderson Cooper will be looking for a new New Year’s Eve co-host, after CNN decided Wednesday to sever its relationship with the comic. The sacking comes one day after Griffin thought posting a photo and video of her holding up what was intended to look like the severed head of President Donald Trump was a good career move. She later apologized, after seeing the blow-back from both the right and left (including Cooper) – alas, too late:
CNN has terminated our agreement with Kathy Griffin to appear on our New Year's Eve program.
— CNN Communications (@CNNPR) May 31, 2017
Same time, “Barron Trump” was still trending worldwide on Twitter, in the wake of POTUS’s pre-dawn tweet that his 11-year-old son was especially disturbed by Griffin’s photo:
Kathy Griffin should be ashamed of herself. My children, especially my 11 year old son, Barron, are having a hard time with this. Sick!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2017
Meanwhile, appearing on CNN Wednesday morning – before the network announced it had sacked the comic – Sen. Al Franken called Griffin a friend and “terrific comedian” who made a horrible mistake,” condemning the grisly photo and photo-shoot video as having “no business being in our public discourse.” Franken said he thought Griffin could recover, and that he had not changed plans to appear with her in July on his book tour.