CBS Corp board member drafts Trump apology letter for Kathy Griffin
“IF YOU DON’T DO EXACTLY WHAT I HAVE WRITTEN, YOUR CAREER IS OVER,” reads the dire warning sent to Kathy Griffi n.
Titled “Your next move,” the email was drafted by CBS Corp. board member Arnold Kopelson on the comedian’s behalf as a grovelling apology to President Donald Trump in the wake of the May scandal that arose after Griffi n shared a photo of herself holding a beheaded Trump-like fi gure, according to New York Magazine’s The Cut. “Now, with my world crumbling around me, I am listening for the fi rst time about the great things you have done and are doing,” Kopelson suggests Griffi n say in kowtowing to Trump.
Condemnation from Trump supporters and foes alike ultimately led to severe career blowback for Griffi n. Her comedy tour was cancelled and she lost the CNN New Year’s Eve gig she’s hosted since 2007 with Anderson Cooper, whom, she told the magazine, is no longer her friend because of the incident.
New York Magazine freelancer Yashar Ali tweeted out a screenshot of the email as a follow-up to his feature on Griffi n that was published on Sunday.
“How stupid was I to follow lies from the ‘ Left,’” says the email, which Kopelson instructed Griffi n to release in letter form exclusively to Fox News. Kopelson predicts that the president might deign to entertain her apology. Trump “has been known to be compassionate,” he says.
CBS would not comment on the email.
Despite the email’s containing typos such as “Thank you sir for hearing meh plea,” Kopelson specified that Griffi n was not to alter the text in any way.
Griffi n did not follow the email’s instructions. Instead, the comedian issued an apology video and opted to hold a press conference to address the scandal, which she feels was more than enough.
“Why are people still expecting me to apologise and grovel to a man that tweets like this?” Griffi n said in June.
Griffi n revoked her apology altogether on Monday, when she told hosts of Australia’s “Sunshine” that she was “no longer sorry” for the photo, calling the backlash “B.S.” — WP-Bloomberg