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Kathy Griffin's Celebrity Run-Ins: My A-Z Index
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Kathy Griffin, an A-Z compendium of her celebrity run-ins, and the jaw-dropping, charming, and sometimes bizarre anecdotes only she can tell about them.
Kathy Griffin's Celebrity Run-Ins is Kathy's funny, juicy index of all of the celebrities she has met during her many years in show business, bursting with never-before-told stories. Starting with Woody Allen and ending with Warren Zevon, Kathy Griffin's Celebrity Run-Ins is a who's who of pop culture: Leonardo DiCaprio, Nick Jonas, Kendall Jenner, Anna Kendrick, Lily Tomlin, Suge Knight, Barbra Streisand, Ashton Kutcher, Queen Latifah, Maria Shriver, Jared Leto, Selena Gomez, Meghan Trainor, Macklemore, Bruno Mars, Aaron Paul, Pink, Pitbull, Sia, Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Christina Aguilera, and many more. Who would imagine that Kathy was an extra in a Michael Jackson commercial (guess which one)? That she and Salman Rushdie trade celebrity stories? That Donald Trump once drove Kathy and Liza Minelli around on a golf cart? That Sidney Poitier has a wicked sense of humor? That Demi Lovato has none? That David Letterman is still scared of Cher? That Channing Tatum is as polite as they come, and Tom Hanks might have the best perspective on fame of anyone? Kathy, that's who. Kathy has met everyone, and after reading this book, you will feel as if you have, too.
Kathy Griffin has seen it all. Shocking and sidesplitting, Kathy Griffin's Celebrity Run-Ins is an indispensable guide to the stars from one of our most beloved comedians. Can you handle it?
Kathy Griffin's Celebrity Run-Ins is Kathy's funny, juicy index of all of the celebrities she has met during her many years in show business, bursting with never-before-told stories. Starting with Woody Allen and ending with Warren Zevon, Kathy Griffin's Celebrity Run-Ins is a who's who of pop culture: Leonardo DiCaprio, Nick Jonas, Kendall Jenner, Anna Kendrick, Lily Tomlin, Suge Knight, Barbra Streisand, Ashton Kutcher, Queen Latifah, Maria Shriver, Jared Leto, Selena Gomez, Meghan Trainor, Macklemore, Bruno Mars, Aaron Paul, Pink, Pitbull, Sia, Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Christina Aguilera, and many more. Who would imagine that Kathy was an extra in a Michael Jackson commercial (guess which one)? That she and Salman Rushdie trade celebrity stories? That Donald Trump once drove Kathy and Liza Minelli around on a golf cart? That Sidney Poitier has a wicked sense of humor? That Demi Lovato has none? That David Letterman is still scared of Cher? That Channing Tatum is as polite as they come, and Tom Hanks might have the best perspective on fame of anyone? Kathy, that's who. Kathy has met everyone, and after reading this book, you will feel as if you have, too.
Kathy Griffin has seen it all. Shocking and sidesplitting, Kathy Griffin's Celebrity Run-Ins is an indispensable guide to the stars from one of our most beloved comedians. Can you handle it?
304 pages, Hardcover
First published November 22, 2016
266 people are currently reading
1998 people want to read
About the author
Kathy Griffin
9 books232 followersKathleen Mary "Kathy" Griffin is an American actress, stand-up comedian, media personality, and LGBT rights advocate. A self-proclaimed "D-list celebrity", Griffin first gained recognition for appearances on two episodes of Seinfeld, and then for her supporting role on the NBC sitcom Suddenly Susan. Her Bravo reality show Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List (2005–2010) became a ratings hit for the network and earned her two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Reality Program. She has also worked as a voice artist and red carpet commentator, in addition to several other career pursuits. In 2008 she was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album.
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February 14, 2017
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
When I saw Kathy Griffin was FINALLY putting pen to paper and releasing a “Celebrity Run-In” book I was on it like white on rice. In case you can’t tell by my oh-so-very-youthful (not) profile pics, I am a geezer. B.C. (Before Children) I even used to watch sitcoms so I have followed Kathy since waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in her Suddenly Susan days. When that finally ran its course and Kathy was back to grinding on the comedy circuit, I watched all of her specials and when My Life On The D-List premiered, I pretty much decided we should be best friends. It probably goes without saying that I had high hopes for this book. But . . . . . .
Unfortunately, it did what I was terrified it would do – made me not love Kathy so much. Kathy Griffin is a woman who could have easily shot her entire career in the foot when she chose to yell “SUCK IT JESUS, THIS AWARD IS MY GOD NOW!” after winning an Emmy. She revamped her career via reality television due to her obsession with all things celebrity and her pop-culture knowledge was out of this world, making her show not only funny but relatable. This book proves she’s either now completely out-of-touch or that she drinks enough of her own Kool Aid that she can’t be bothered knowing pointless things. Examples: (1) Never heard of Breaking Bad before Cranston was up for his first Emmy as Walter White and (2) A story which comes off as sour grapes about a make-out session with Brian Austin Green (yep, I’d still hit that – blast from the past yo) that she ends by saying “I heard he married a hot chick.” Seriously????? It’s Megan Fucking Fox – evenI straight middle-aged women who shall remain nameless want to bang her . . . .
Then she admits to being friends with people like Rachel Ray. The E.V.O.O. lady?????
How is that even possible? Kathy’s career is based off of talking shit about annoying celebrities. I almost had to tie my arms to my chair to keep from punching my computer monitor while searching for a Rachel Ray gif!
Speaking of talking trash – if that’s what you are hoping for, you will probably find yourself disappointed just like me. The title isn’t misleading – it is truly about “run-ins.” Thestories one or two page blurbs consist of “this one time I saw so and so at this award show” or “one time when I went a restaurant whose its was there.” There are zero juicey tidbits and basically, any time Kathy isn’t treated as a speshul snowflake she determines it’s because the other person is a dick . . . while being a person who has made an entire career out of being a dick. This makey no sense to me. On the flip side (even though there is absolutely zero “meat” to any of these little snippets), all of her “best” encounters are with celebrities who apparently fawn all over her and all of her hilariousness. Yawn.
The exception:
Kathy’s dog Larry went MIA and ended up at Kal Penn’s house. Kathy failed yet again because she should have totally tried to bone that sucka as a reward.
Pretty much each story where she attempts to really dish and dismiss involves no-details-given (of course) paragraphs of how much she dislikes someone. Such as:
Jon Hamm. She hates him because he is “cold and somewhat disrespectful” to her. No shit, Sherlock. He’s MOTHERFUCKING DON DRAPER. Have you ever seen any of his roles? I don’t think that’s method acting. I’d actually be floored if he weren’t a total douchebag.
Elisabeth Hasselback. A fucking moron. ‘Nuff said.
Anna Kendrick. Who Kathy sort of accosted a party and who was polite enough to allow introductions, but eventually asked Kathy to back off so she could visit with her cousin from out of town. Dear Kathy, you were the dick in this scenario and since I am seriously not a fan of Anna Kendrick it has to be true if I’m saying it.
Ashton Kutcher. A co-host at some charity function who refused to speak to her when they weren’t on stage.
She disses on Miley, but since it’s pretty obvi Miley has zero shame and owns all her shit it’s not even fun.
And the one time I could have totally jumped on her bandwagon? She pussied out!
“To this day, I can’t tell you if Rahm Emmanuel is a prick or just a guy doing his job.”
If you're from Illinois you know the answer to the above starts with a capital P.
Wait, she pussed out twice by not having an actual Bieber story, but instead bashing Usher for “unleashing Justin Bieber on the civilized world.” Well, you know what the Biebs would probably have to say about that???? Something like Kathy should go and love herself. And also . . . .
Final rant: Nothing says something bothers a person more than them saying “it doesn’t bother me one bit” – which is exactly what Kathy Griffin says about being snubbed by Will Ferrell (who was her student along with Cheri Oteri at The Groundlings before they invented “The Cheerleaders”). People aren’t obligated to like you. Maybe his “snub” is him taking the high road. Seriously, if you don’t like it, go back to your giant mansion next to Kim and effin’ Kanye . . . .
I’ll end this on a positive by sharing the most interesting tidbit I discovered from this book: Kathy was an extra on the set of the Pepsi commercial where Michael Jackson’s hair caught fire. For you youngsters who thought this was perhaps only an urban legend, it was not. Pepsi Cola did indeed burn Michael Jackson up . . . .
And now he’s drinking 7-Up. Well, not really since he’s dead.
When I saw Kathy Griffin was FINALLY putting pen to paper and releasing a “Celebrity Run-In” book I was on it like white on rice. In case you can’t tell by my oh-so-very-youthful (not) profile pics, I am a geezer. B.C. (Before Children) I even used to watch sitcoms so I have followed Kathy since waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in her Suddenly Susan days. When that finally ran its course and Kathy was back to grinding on the comedy circuit, I watched all of her specials and when My Life On The D-List premiered, I pretty much decided we should be best friends. It probably goes without saying that I had high hopes for this book. But . . . . . .
Unfortunately, it did what I was terrified it would do – made me not love Kathy so much. Kathy Griffin is a woman who could have easily shot her entire career in the foot when she chose to yell “SUCK IT JESUS, THIS AWARD IS MY GOD NOW!” after winning an Emmy. She revamped her career via reality television due to her obsession with all things celebrity and her pop-culture knowledge was out of this world, making her show not only funny but relatable. This book proves she’s either now completely out-of-touch or that she drinks enough of her own Kool Aid that she can’t be bothered knowing pointless things. Examples: (1) Never heard of Breaking Bad before Cranston was up for his first Emmy as Walter White and (2) A story which comes off as sour grapes about a make-out session with Brian Austin Green (yep, I’d still hit that – blast from the past yo) that she ends by saying “I heard he married a hot chick.” Seriously????? It’s Megan Fucking Fox – even
Then she admits to being friends with people like Rachel Ray. The E.V.O.O. lady?????
How is that even possible? Kathy’s career is based off of talking shit about annoying celebrities. I almost had to tie my arms to my chair to keep from punching my computer monitor while searching for a Rachel Ray gif!
Speaking of talking trash – if that’s what you are hoping for, you will probably find yourself disappointed just like me. The title isn’t misleading – it is truly about “run-ins.” The
The exception:
Kathy’s dog Larry went MIA and ended up at Kal Penn’s house. Kathy failed yet again because she should have totally tried to bone that sucka as a reward.
Pretty much each story where she attempts to really dish and dismiss involves no-details-given (of course) paragraphs of how much she dislikes someone. Such as:
Jon Hamm. She hates him because he is “cold and somewhat disrespectful” to her. No shit, Sherlock. He’s MOTHERFUCKING DON DRAPER. Have you ever seen any of his roles? I don’t think that’s method acting. I’d actually be floored if he weren’t a total douchebag.
Elisabeth Hasselback. A fucking moron. ‘Nuff said.
Anna Kendrick. Who Kathy sort of accosted a party and who was polite enough to allow introductions, but eventually asked Kathy to back off so she could visit with her cousin from out of town. Dear Kathy, you were the dick in this scenario and since I am seriously not a fan of Anna Kendrick it has to be true if I’m saying it.
Ashton Kutcher. A co-host at some charity function who refused to speak to her when they weren’t on stage.
She disses on Miley, but since it’s pretty obvi Miley has zero shame and owns all her shit it’s not even fun.
And the one time I could have totally jumped on her bandwagon? She pussied out!
“To this day, I can’t tell you if Rahm Emmanuel is a prick or just a guy doing his job.”
If you're from Illinois you know the answer to the above starts with a capital P.
Wait, she pussed out twice by not having an actual Bieber story, but instead bashing Usher for “unleashing Justin Bieber on the civilized world.” Well, you know what the Biebs would probably have to say about that???? Something like Kathy should go and love herself. And also . . . .
Final rant: Nothing says something bothers a person more than them saying “it doesn’t bother me one bit” – which is exactly what Kathy Griffin says about being snubbed by Will Ferrell (who was her student along with Cheri Oteri at The Groundlings before they invented “The Cheerleaders”). People aren’t obligated to like you. Maybe his “snub” is him taking the high road. Seriously, if you don’t like it, go back to your giant mansion next to Kim and effin’ Kanye . . . .
I’ll end this on a positive by sharing the most interesting tidbit I discovered from this book: Kathy was an extra on the set of the Pepsi commercial where Michael Jackson’s hair caught fire. For you youngsters who thought this was perhaps only an urban legend, it was not. Pepsi Cola did indeed burn Michael Jackson up . . . .
And now he’s drinking 7-Up. Well, not really since he’s dead.
July 18, 2019
My local library recently had a book sale. I knew I wasn’t going to find lesfic anything but I still wanted to dig around and look for some good mainstream stuff. I came across a box of some audiobooks on CD’s. They wanted 50 cents apiece, which was just so incredibly cheap that I grabbed what I could and Kathy’s book was one of them.
Since these were on CD’s I only listened to them while I was in the car so it did take me forever to finish this. On the good side this is a book with a bunch of mini stories as Kathy goes in alphabetical order of all the celebrity’s she has had run-ins with. It was very easy to stop and start this audiobook since it was so many mini stories.
I did not find this as funny as some of her older stand-up performances that I remember. I don’t know if it is because you don’t have the laugh track of a live audience or what but yeah not as funny. They are lots of interesting stories about celebrities that were nicer than you expected or celebrities that were disappointingly rude cough Anna Kendrick cough. It was also hard to hear how much Kathy obviously cares about Anderson Cooper when nowadays he hasn’t spoken to her since she got in trouble with the severed head photo.
Did this make my traveling to work and appointments better? Sure it provided some good entertainment. However, I listened to this for the comedy. I wanted to laugh which didn’t happen enough for me.
Since these were on CD’s I only listened to them while I was in the car so it did take me forever to finish this. On the good side this is a book with a bunch of mini stories as Kathy goes in alphabetical order of all the celebrity’s she has had run-ins with. It was very easy to stop and start this audiobook since it was so many mini stories.
I did not find this as funny as some of her older stand-up performances that I remember. I don’t know if it is because you don’t have the laugh track of a live audience or what but yeah not as funny. They are lots of interesting stories about celebrities that were nicer than you expected or celebrities that were disappointingly rude cough Anna Kendrick cough. It was also hard to hear how much Kathy obviously cares about Anderson Cooper when nowadays he hasn’t spoken to her since she got in trouble with the severed head photo.
Did this make my traveling to work and appointments better? Sure it provided some good entertainment. However, I listened to this for the comedy. I wanted to laugh which didn’t happen enough for me.
February 7, 2017
I did my first ever video book review for the blog and it was about this book. To see it go to: http://bit.ly/2jLMMp8 But, I'm still going to write a regular, old review because that's how I roll.
I've always loved Kathy Griffin. I watched every episode of My Life on the D-List and I fell in love with her unending optimism and snarky sense of humor. She seems like a normal person who just happened want a career in Hollywood and now that she's there, she points out all of the weird things that famous people do. Love her or hate her, I would say that Kathy is the new Joan Rivers. She's brilliant when it comes to storytelling humor and, I personally feel, that she never crosses the line into cruelty.
To be totally honest, I liked Official Book Club Selection: A Memoir According to Kathy Griffin more than Celebrity Run-Ins because I felt like the stories were more personal and complete. In her effort to hit all of the letters of the celebrity alphabet, I felt like she had to dig a bit and not use her best humor. But, there is still much to be enjoyed in this offering which is essentially a bunch of behind-the-scenes stories about famous people.
At times, Celebrity Run-Ins literally had me laughing out loud. (I swear, ask my husband): "Jane Fonda made me the worst quesadilla of my life. And I was never so happy to eat it." pg 56.
Or when a certain British musician, who may or may not have put back a few drinks, met Tom Hanks and Hanks said to Kathy afterwards: "Sometimes, I just want to drive them to rehab myself." pg 232.
Or any of the stories that included Kathy's mom, Maggie. She's the best.
Those were the high points but my absolute favorite part was Gloria Steinem's chapter where she said, about Kathy: "Laughter is the only truly free emotion. Even love can be compelled, if someone feels bound to someone else, practically captive. But no one can compel laughter. It's the ultimate proof of freedom. That's why we as women need to laugh and why we need to know that women can make us all laugh, men as well as women." pg 222. Thank you, Kathy, for making me laugh.
Recommended for people who already love Kathy and want more of her or if you're addicted to tabloids and want to know the inside scoop on some of your favorite celebrities. If you haven't experienced any of her comedy, start with Official Book Club Selection: A Memoir According to Kathy Griffin and work your way to this one. Also recommended: The Andy Cohen Diaries: A Deep Look at a Shallow Year or Tip It!: The World According to Maggie.
I've always loved Kathy Griffin. I watched every episode of My Life on the D-List and I fell in love with her unending optimism and snarky sense of humor. She seems like a normal person who just happened want a career in Hollywood and now that she's there, she points out all of the weird things that famous people do. Love her or hate her, I would say that Kathy is the new Joan Rivers. She's brilliant when it comes to storytelling humor and, I personally feel, that she never crosses the line into cruelty.
To be totally honest, I liked Official Book Club Selection: A Memoir According to Kathy Griffin more than Celebrity Run-Ins because I felt like the stories were more personal and complete. In her effort to hit all of the letters of the celebrity alphabet, I felt like she had to dig a bit and not use her best humor. But, there is still much to be enjoyed in this offering which is essentially a bunch of behind-the-scenes stories about famous people.
At times, Celebrity Run-Ins literally had me laughing out loud. (I swear, ask my husband): "Jane Fonda made me the worst quesadilla of my life. And I was never so happy to eat it." pg 56.
Or when a certain British musician, who may or may not have put back a few drinks, met Tom Hanks and Hanks said to Kathy afterwards: "Sometimes, I just want to drive them to rehab myself." pg 232.
Or any of the stories that included Kathy's mom, Maggie. She's the best.
Those were the high points but my absolute favorite part was Gloria Steinem's chapter where she said, about Kathy: "Laughter is the only truly free emotion. Even love can be compelled, if someone feels bound to someone else, practically captive. But no one can compel laughter. It's the ultimate proof of freedom. That's why we as women need to laugh and why we need to know that women can make us all laugh, men as well as women." pg 222. Thank you, Kathy, for making me laugh.
Recommended for people who already love Kathy and want more of her or if you're addicted to tabloids and want to know the inside scoop on some of your favorite celebrities. If you haven't experienced any of her comedy, start with Official Book Club Selection: A Memoir According to Kathy Griffin and work your way to this one. Also recommended: The Andy Cohen Diaries: A Deep Look at a Shallow Year or Tip It!: The World According to Maggie.
December 7, 2016
Okay, I'm totally going to name-drop here, but I went to high school with Kathy Griffin. Now, granted she was two years ahead of me, and the only time we encountered each other in our huge high school was when we did "Fiddler on the Roof" together (not surprisingly, she had a lead role and I was in the chorus), BUT I want to say that when we did chat, she was the nicest of people. Very sweet. And I tend to think that despite some of her rather out there and/or crass barbs in her act, she's still the same. I mean, look at the people she's made fun of in her act, and they still love her, s (according to her, LOL.) Seriously, the book is "okay", as she describes run-ins with celebrities. I especially enjoyed the one about Jeremy Irons, as he's my fave actor, and she seemed to think he was as great as I do. Some of the chapters, I just skipped, as I had no interest in the run-in, but all in all, the book is entertaining, and I will always be Kathy's fan.
December 16, 2016
Wow, this is total crap. I often enjoy Kathy doing stand up, and her various TV shows have been fun. She's got a shtick, and works it. But there is NOTHING interesting in the first 15 celebrity run-ins. Nothing. Blah. News Flash -- Amanda Byrnes cared for a stray dog on location, and then didn't take it home with her to Hollywood. Whatever are we to think of her?? And get this -- Drew Barrymore once promised to invite Kathy to dinner someday, but never has, and it's probably for the best . . . Yikes, this was just crap. Don't waste a minute on it.
February 14, 2017
Kathy Griffin is still working her "Aw, shucks! I'm just a Midwest girl named Kathleen, how did I end up next to [insert Big Time A List Celebrity here]. Well, let me tell you all about it like we are two middle-school girls having a good gossip at our weekly sleep-over" schtick.
Not only is it unbelievable at this point, it's downright embarrassing. Kathy has clearly crossed to The Other Side. You can tell because she either completely censors herself or her celebrity run-ins have become the most boring, unamusing encounters in Hollywood. Long gone are the days where she gleefully and viciously shared screenshots of Mariah Carey's insane appearance on MTV cribs, shamed Ryan Seacrest mercilessly, or exposed her mock terror at Whitney Houston's threat to cut her. The stories she shares on Celebrity run-ins mostly have her as the butt of the jokes, and actually are unashamed suck-ups to the celebrities she is supposed to be lampooning.
There are some funny moments in this audio book, mostly concerning minor celebrities or young pop stars that she probably feels are safe to make fun of without serious repercussions. Her impression of a wasted Harry Styles in a high pitched, "Hallo, guv'nor!", accent, cornering an indulgent Tom Hanks at a party, badgering him to "memba" all his iconic film roles, was pretty hysterical.
I will give it a higher rating than it probably deserves because it was just the needed level of vapid inanities that can make the time go faster when I am doing excruciatingly boring housekeeping chores or stuck in traffic.
Not only is it unbelievable at this point, it's downright embarrassing. Kathy has clearly crossed to The Other Side. You can tell because she either completely censors herself or her celebrity run-ins have become the most boring, unamusing encounters in Hollywood. Long gone are the days where she gleefully and viciously shared screenshots of Mariah Carey's insane appearance on MTV cribs, shamed Ryan Seacrest mercilessly, or exposed her mock terror at Whitney Houston's threat to cut her. The stories she shares on Celebrity run-ins mostly have her as the butt of the jokes, and actually are unashamed suck-ups to the celebrities she is supposed to be lampooning.
There are some funny moments in this audio book, mostly concerning minor celebrities or young pop stars that she probably feels are safe to make fun of without serious repercussions. Her impression of a wasted Harry Styles in a high pitched, "Hallo, guv'nor!", accent, cornering an indulgent Tom Hanks at a party, badgering him to "memba" all his iconic film roles, was pretty hysterical.
I will give it a higher rating than it probably deserves because it was just the needed level of vapid inanities that can make the time go faster when I am doing excruciatingly boring housekeeping chores or stuck in traffic.
January 14, 2024
I will always love her even if she hates the president (I don't love Trump but she did go too far with the fake beheading thing) and can be hypocritical at times. What she did is a great example of how people can misinterpret 'freedom of speech' to mean that you're allowed to literally say anything you want and not have any consequences; you can't just go in the White House and say you're going to bomb it (unless you're Madonna, which is great...). But at the same time, Kathy is incredibly intelligent and always makes me laugh so I'm hoping everyone can just move past the whole incident and Kathy can be a little open-minded to people who aren't 100% left-leaning, because it's not just crazy leftists and the alt-right out there. Anyway, I learned that she does an amazing Cher laugh, her stories with Anderson Cooper are always hilarious especially when she gets him to do his crazy ass giggle, she could have been on Hannah Montana if not for her hilariously anti-Jesus acceptance speech at the Emmys, she taught improv to the likes of Will Ferrell among others I don't remember, she often gets confused with Kathie Lee Gifford, Jon Hamm is kind of a douche or he just has a crap sense of humour, January Jones has dated the most random people like Michael Bolton and Ashton Kutcher, she shares my hatred of Elizabeth Hassleback who I do consider alt-right and just a dipshit and whose claim to fame was being on Survivor of all things (if you haven't seen Kathy take her on on The View you must), her stories about the Kardashians were hilarious, Michael Keaton is just as lovable as he seems (and will always be the best Batman) while Ashton Kutcher is a douche (which I've had hints of not only from Kathy), Demi Lovato went to rehab after she punched a girl in the face so basically she dodged jail and this whole time I liked her new image I may have just been sucked in by the craziness (maybe I should have woken up after Simon Cowell said he hates her), Lily Tomlin and David O. Russell have recovered from their recently viral feud that they had on set from years ago, Kathy's love of Barbra Streisand is hilarious and she is just the queen of roasting in general. That run-on sentence aside, I don't think all the Kathy haters realize how long she's actually been in the business (sorry for pointing out your age, Kathy). So if you like celebrity gossip, this is a gem.
July 17, 2019
About fourteen years ago I was at work and wanted to listen to something entertaining so I tuned into a stand-up comedy radio channel that played "Allegedly" by Kathy Griffin. When the DJ mentioned the upcoming stand up comedian, I recalled Kathy being an actress on...something...and was completely unprepared for the 90 minutes of savagery that made me laugh so hard I cried the entire hour and half...at work.
Since then, I've been a fan and seen her live twice. Her schtick never wavers as she describes encounter after encounter with some celebrity or another. And the only way I'd say this audiobook is different is that the run-ins are not scandalous, they're just run-ins.
I lived in Los Angeles for a long while and have a laundry list of my own celebrity run-ins and, from that, I can tell you celebrity encounters are either super mundane or completely bizarre. There's no middle ground. And this kind of goes along that vein and falls more into the former category. So no, you won't walk away with scathing revelations but the short snippets are still entertaining and you may even have more respect for a certain person or other.
Each story is only a few minutes long and are based on where the celebrity's last name falls into the alphabet.
If you didn't know, another hallmark of Kathy's is that, whether it's an audience of one or thousands, she always speaks as if it's an intimate conversation with just you. In that way, this isn't a typical audiobook reading. You might as well be sitting down at a coffee shop for a personal chat rather than having something read to you.
THAT'S what's also entertaining and makes this book a great one to listen to on a drive or doing chores or just about anything.
Since this was available on Scribd it was a no-brainer. Enjoyed.
Since then, I've been a fan and seen her live twice. Her schtick never wavers as she describes encounter after encounter with some celebrity or another. And the only way I'd say this audiobook is different is that the run-ins are not scandalous, they're just run-ins.
I lived in Los Angeles for a long while and have a laundry list of my own celebrity run-ins and, from that, I can tell you celebrity encounters are either super mundane or completely bizarre. There's no middle ground. And this kind of goes along that vein and falls more into the former category. So no, you won't walk away with scathing revelations but the short snippets are still entertaining and you may even have more respect for a certain person or other.
Each story is only a few minutes long and are based on where the celebrity's last name falls into the alphabet.
If you didn't know, another hallmark of Kathy's is that, whether it's an audience of one or thousands, she always speaks as if it's an intimate conversation with just you. In that way, this isn't a typical audiobook reading. You might as well be sitting down at a coffee shop for a personal chat rather than having something read to you.
THAT'S what's also entertaining and makes this book a great one to listen to on a drive or doing chores or just about anything.
Since this was available on Scribd it was a no-brainer. Enjoyed.
January 2, 2017
I can't help it... I've always loved Kathy Griffin. Something about her makes me laugh. Maybe its the attitude that she doesn't care what she says, but I've always been a fan of hers. I shake my head a lot at her, but still laugh at a lot of the things that comes out of her mouth. I think you have to know she's a COMEDIAN. People tend to forget that. & I also know she's not everyone's cup of tea. Comedy is like any art - its all in the eye of the beholder.
I actually did this one audio book & I'm not a fan of audio books - but I think doing this book that way is what made me give it the full 5 stars. Her voice, it wasn't like she was 'reading' - it was like she was just telling her life - & I KNOW she was adding in things that aren't in the book. Add in her own laughter as she was reliving these celebrity stories & I didnt want this to end.
It made me really like other celebrities more, & also have me give some side eye to some others after the real life interaction with these people. When you can come away loving Christine Aguilera more, you gotta like this book. Some of the stories are really endearing too making me 'ahhh' a lot of times & other stories just had me flat out laughing.... Leo DiCaprio & the bathroom scene, I choked laughed while I was driving.
SO MANY CELEBRITY STORIES!!! I was all about it.
& you gotta read it just for her story about being involved in one of the biggest serial killer trials in the US.
I will listen to this again just for the sheer fun of it.
I actually did this one audio book & I'm not a fan of audio books - but I think doing this book that way is what made me give it the full 5 stars. Her voice, it wasn't like she was 'reading' - it was like she was just telling her life - & I KNOW she was adding in things that aren't in the book. Add in her own laughter as she was reliving these celebrity stories & I didnt want this to end.
It made me really like other celebrities more, & also have me give some side eye to some others after the real life interaction with these people. When you can come away loving Christine Aguilera more, you gotta like this book. Some of the stories are really endearing too making me 'ahhh' a lot of times & other stories just had me flat out laughing.... Leo DiCaprio & the bathroom scene, I choked laughed while I was driving.
SO MANY CELEBRITY STORIES!!! I was all about it.
& you gotta read it just for her story about being involved in one of the biggest serial killer trials in the US.
I will listen to this again just for the sheer fun of it.
February 17, 2017
This audiobook was just fun to listen to. I love how in-your-face and unapologetic Kathy Griffin is. She just comes off as really authentic, and is also plenty self-deprecating, which makes the ways she teases other celebrities even more fun to laugh at, I think.
This was fun, because Griffin shared a lot of stories that felt like you were really taking a peek behind the scenes in the lives of celebrities. Some of the stories made those celebrities look good, some made them look bad, and some just made them seem more human. Griffin mentions at numerous times throughout the book that she's just a "girl from Forest Park, Illinois" getting to rub elbows with celebrities, and I do think that she serves as a kind of stand-in for those reading her book. Griffin's job clearly puts her in close vicinity to other celebrities, but she really isn't one of them in the same way, which makes her a good person to share these stories.
The extent to which I enjoyed or appreciated each story (laid out alphabetically by celebrity last name, dictionary-style), really depended on a couple of things -- how familiar I was with the celebrity in question, how much I liked the celebrity in question already, and how juicy the story was. There were a couple significant stand outs for me:
Anna Kendrick: This one was memorable for me, but unfortunately not in a positive way. Kendrick came off as kind of a jerk, which was disappointing to hear. And, to make matters worse, I could completely see the interaction Griffin describes playing out that way. I'm still a fan of Kendrick, but think this story will stay with me.
Harry Styles: I think this might have been my favorite story in the entire book, and I also believe that listening to it on audio really enhanced it. Kathy Griffin doing an impression of a drunk Harry Styles talking to Tom Hanks, reminding Tom Hanks of the movie roles he is known for was PRICELESS. I could 100% picture the scene that she described, and I laughed out loud listening to her tell the tale, and say "'member??" in a squeaky British accent repeatedly.
Cher AND Joan Rivers: I'm lumping these two together because they are both legends. I love that Kathy's super close relationships with both of them. There was obviously so much love between her and Joan, and I loved reading about her and Cher essentially playing dress-up together at Cher's house.
Nightstalker Killer: I won't even say much about this one, other than it was hilarious and too crazy not to be true. It was also a fun glimpse into the early Kathy Griffin days, before anyone even knew who she was, because she wasn't anyone. I just loved this one.
Anyway -- I really enjoyed this, and it was the fun read I needed. Griffin can be harsh in her comedy, but she is also clearly a very genuine person, and I love that about her.
This was fun, because Griffin shared a lot of stories that felt like you were really taking a peek behind the scenes in the lives of celebrities. Some of the stories made those celebrities look good, some made them look bad, and some just made them seem more human. Griffin mentions at numerous times throughout the book that she's just a "girl from Forest Park, Illinois" getting to rub elbows with celebrities, and I do think that she serves as a kind of stand-in for those reading her book. Griffin's job clearly puts her in close vicinity to other celebrities, but she really isn't one of them in the same way, which makes her a good person to share these stories.
The extent to which I enjoyed or appreciated each story (laid out alphabetically by celebrity last name, dictionary-style), really depended on a couple of things -- how familiar I was with the celebrity in question, how much I liked the celebrity in question already, and how juicy the story was. There were a couple significant stand outs for me:
Anna Kendrick: This one was memorable for me, but unfortunately not in a positive way. Kendrick came off as kind of a jerk, which was disappointing to hear. And, to make matters worse, I could completely see the interaction Griffin describes playing out that way. I'm still a fan of Kendrick, but think this story will stay with me.
Harry Styles: I think this might have been my favorite story in the entire book, and I also believe that listening to it on audio really enhanced it. Kathy Griffin doing an impression of a drunk Harry Styles talking to Tom Hanks, reminding Tom Hanks of the movie roles he is known for was PRICELESS. I could 100% picture the scene that she described, and I laughed out loud listening to her tell the tale, and say "'member??" in a squeaky British accent repeatedly.
Cher AND Joan Rivers: I'm lumping these two together because they are both legends. I love that Kathy's super close relationships with both of them. There was obviously so much love between her and Joan, and I loved reading about her and Cher essentially playing dress-up together at Cher's house.
Nightstalker Killer: I won't even say much about this one, other than it was hilarious and too crazy not to be true. It was also a fun glimpse into the early Kathy Griffin days, before anyone even knew who she was, because she wasn't anyone. I just loved this one.
Anyway -- I really enjoyed this, and it was the fun read I needed. Griffin can be harsh in her comedy, but she is also clearly a very genuine person, and I love that about her.
December 22, 2016
As a pop culture enthusiast that knows more about celebrities than will ever be useful for my life I was ecstatic to get my hands on this book brimming with interactions of the people I'd love to meet! But....the excitement really ends there for me; the interactions are obviously only from one person's pov which makes the book rather tedious over time and then even though Kathy Griffin is a comedian some of the things she says to the people featured in this book are on the rather rude side when it comes to the people she was just meeting and talking to. I'm not going to fault someone not wanting to chit chat or stick around when she's abrasive from the jump.
While I found some of the tales enjoyable there were more I found to be on the 'meh' side. I recommend picking this up at the library and just reading the interactions with celebrities you like/enjoy and moving on.
While I found some of the tales enjoyable there were more I found to be on the 'meh' side. I recommend picking this up at the library and just reading the interactions with celebrities you like/enjoy and moving on.
April 27, 2018
If you like Kathy, you'll like this. It's not constant "LOL" like her standup though. I saw an interview where she explained that a lot of these stories have been left out of her act for that reason -- they're interesting but don't necessarily get a laugh. But I am kinda fascinated by "celebs in real life" stories and Kathy is such a fun storyteller. I enjoyed it and would recommend the audiobook :)
September 17, 2022
The book was published before Griffin did that severed trump head thing. I would be interested to read how that changed the direction of her career. Celebrity Run-In's gave off the vibe that she is that secretly/not so secretly lovable comedian that can be obnoxious at times. She would be the first to admit that she is THIRSTY which is something I like about her and kinda don't. I mean if I had any level of fame I think I too would try to duck under her radar.
My favorite story involved a drunk Harry Styles at an Eagles concert backstage with Tom Hanks. Styles kept asking Hanks if he remembered some of his most famous films. I'm talking question after question. "Do you remember making Saving Private Ryan? Do you remember making Forrest Gump? Remember how you ran everywhere in that movie?" Once Harry moves on Hanks quips under his breath, "Sometimes I just want to drive them to rehab myself.
My favorite story involved a drunk Harry Styles at an Eagles concert backstage with Tom Hanks. Styles kept asking Hanks if he remembered some of his most famous films. I'm talking question after question. "Do you remember making Saving Private Ryan? Do you remember making Forrest Gump? Remember how you ran everywhere in that movie?" Once Harry moves on Hanks quips under his breath, "Sometimes I just want to drive them to rehab myself.
December 31, 2016
This is a conditional recommendation. You either love Kathy Griffin and her comedy, or you don't. If you don't, just go look up a Franzen novel review and leave me be.
This is really fun, especially as an audiobook. Kathy Griffin is very performative with her storytelling, so it comes across like an 8-hour version of her stand-up (which is intended as a compliment). Didn't really enjoy the the encounters that were negative but not really funny because they felt a little grudge-y and were sort of boring (i.e. John Hamm, Demi Lovato), but they were more than made up for by things like Tom Hanks turning to her after being drunkenly accosted by Harry Styles and saying, "Sometimes I just want to drive them to rehab myself."
If you are a long-time US Weekly fan, it's fun to learn things like how close Joan Rivers was to Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles and that Judge Judy, Joan Rivers and Barbara Walters had plans to move into an "Alzheimer Condo" together when they got too old to take care of themselves. (Okay, maybe I just love Joan Rivers stories.) The stories about Hollywood legends are great - the ones about the millenials less so (but that's really not her fault). I love how much she seems konflicted about the Kardashians being in on the joke.
This will not win the Pulitzer, but it is funny and irreverent, which I need after surviving a year where the best thing I can say is that at least I still have all my limbs. That Kathy Griffin is a good time.
This is really fun, especially as an audiobook. Kathy Griffin is very performative with her storytelling, so it comes across like an 8-hour version of her stand-up (which is intended as a compliment). Didn't really enjoy the the encounters that were negative but not really funny because they felt a little grudge-y and were sort of boring (i.e. John Hamm, Demi Lovato), but they were more than made up for by things like Tom Hanks turning to her after being drunkenly accosted by Harry Styles and saying, "Sometimes I just want to drive them to rehab myself."
If you are a long-time US Weekly fan, it's fun to learn things like how close Joan Rivers was to Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles and that Judge Judy, Joan Rivers and Barbara Walters had plans to move into an "Alzheimer Condo" together when they got too old to take care of themselves. (Okay, maybe I just love Joan Rivers stories.) The stories about Hollywood legends are great - the ones about the millenials less so (but that's really not her fault). I love how much she seems konflicted about the Kardashians being in on the joke.
This will not win the Pulitzer, but it is funny and irreverent, which I need after surviving a year where the best thing I can say is that at least I still have all my limbs. That Kathy Griffin is a good time.
February 14, 2017
4 stars in the sense that I thoroughly enjoyed this, not in the 'this was the best book I've read in awhile' sense. I never know what I think about Kathy Griffin but after this I think I like her. I love anything about celebrities and blind items and this was the best of both, without the blind part. There are so many celebrities that she has stories about (only a page or two each so it's quick), and the nicest part is that they're mostly current celebrities and the book is very up to date. There were maybe 5 people in the book that I didn't know.
She is honest and funny and I can appreciate that, and it's always interesting to get an inside look at the way celebrities "really" are, even from just one person's perspective. Some things were surprising but I believe she's telling the truth about all of these run-ins. I like that she even says "this is my experience so who know if this is the way they always are.." I was not at all surprised by Jon Hamm and Demi (or Debbie) Lovato.
I'm not disappointed that I picked this up on a whim (at a 70% discount no less! Thanks B&N!)
She is honest and funny and I can appreciate that, and it's always interesting to get an inside look at the way celebrities "really" are, even from just one person's perspective. Some things were surprising but I believe she's telling the truth about all of these run-ins. I like that she even says "this is my experience so who know if this is the way they always are.." I was not at all surprised by Jon Hamm and Demi (or Debbie) Lovato.
I'm not disappointed that I picked this up on a whim (at a 70% discount no less! Thanks B&N!)
December 30, 2016
Harmless fun. Very gossipy. A-Z celebrity encounters...loved it. I enjoyed the little slices of life, glimpses into well known individuals' behaviors in a very public and yet private way. From Gloria Steinem to Salman Rushdie to Prince Charles. (You name them...they're here in this telling!) Overall..It shows a pop history unlike any I've read as well as growth of a very brave comedienne. I walked away liking Ms Griffin, she is just a woman working hard and laughing. Nothing wrong with that!
November 22, 2016
There's no veil. Casual interactions without much substantive information. Disappointed but a worthy effort. I like Kathy. She's funny. But this wasn't worth the money I spent.
March 4, 2017
I am ambivalent about this book. It was a gossip filled easy read,but with my TBR at a dangerous tipping point,I think my time could have been better spent.
March 26, 2022
“I’ve never met a celebrity who does not respond to the opening line, ‘Congratulations.’ Try it. It takes four seconds for them to come up with the reason they’re being congratulated, and they’re instantly in a good mood.”
April 21, 2017
Seems like a very honest (and hysterical) compendium of the stars that Kathy Griffin has encountered over the years. Some she liked, some she didn't and quite a few didn't care for her, but Kathy's anecdotes ring true, and she finds humor in every situation.
I was disappointed that some stars I like(d) were rude to Kathy (Aston Kutcher, Anna Kendrick), and saw new dimensions to other celebs that befriended her (Cher, Rachel Ray, Mr. T, Maury Povich).
The paper book was good -- but the audiobook was wonderful. I think Kathy didn't read her book word for word (but I'd have to check...). It seemed she added a little "conversational" asides, and a few giggles and pauses that made it seem like she was telling her stories to me personally. Makes me think it would be a hoot to sit next to her at some event (although apparently a lot of celebrities dread it!)
I was disappointed that some stars I like(d) were rude to Kathy (Aston Kutcher, Anna Kendrick), and saw new dimensions to other celebs that befriended her (Cher, Rachel Ray, Mr. T, Maury Povich).
The paper book was good -- but the audiobook was wonderful. I think Kathy didn't read her book word for word (but I'd have to check...). It seemed she added a little "conversational" asides, and a few giggles and pauses that made it seem like she was telling her stories to me personally. Makes me think it would be a hoot to sit next to her at some event (although apparently a lot of celebrities dread it!)
December 1, 2016
I love pretty much anything Kathy Griffin puts out- her stand-up, her reality show, her books (re-reading her memoir now too!), and this was no different. It's definitely not as biting or off-color as a lot of her stand-up, but it's still an interesting glimpse into her several decades in show business with a wide variety of celebrities. I particularly enjoyed seeing her stories about Don Rickles, Joan Rivers, Cher, Tracey Ullman, and Weird Al, but that's just a drop in the bucket compared to the sheer amount of stories in this book (over 120 stories!). As with her last book, there's a very funny QnA in the end, though it would've been even funnier to include a discussion guide as well (her last book had one). I definitely recommend this book if you love reading about celebrities and of course if you love Kathy too!
February 6, 2017
Really just a boring read. Short stories about celebrities but you never feel like it's enough. Bored to death after a couple chapters but I kept going. Some stories were funny (Jon Hamm) but the rest were just "kiss ass" written chapters to celebrities she knows. I felt like she was forced to write another book and just crammed part of her standup routine in a book. just wasn't fun to read. Sorry Kathy.
March 12, 2017
I loved this book!
Yes, you have the fabulous Kathy Griffin classically brazen humor, but there are also some stories that are sweet and tender and touching, too.
Some of my favorite highlights involve her flipping off Leonardo DiCaprio from the bathroom, watching Suze Orman broker a basketball deal, and having Pitbull scare and delight her at an awards show.
Great entertainment.
Yes, you have the fabulous Kathy Griffin classically brazen humor, but there are also some stories that are sweet and tender and touching, too.
Some of my favorite highlights involve her flipping off Leonardo DiCaprio from the bathroom, watching Suze Orman broker a basketball deal, and having Pitbull scare and delight her at an awards show.
Great entertainment.
January 1, 2017
I've never been a fan of hers but these are fun little "sound bite" chapters that don't go into a lot of detail or depth. Perfect book for reading while killing time between football plays or while watching Kathy and Anderson Cooper on New Year's Eve (which is what I did).
May 22, 2019
Read this with a Kathy Griffin voice because OF COURSE. A fun read (also, wow at some celebrities being complete dicks).
June 2, 2017
KG's a guilty pleasure, and this is a lot of fun. Ironic that I was in the middle of this when she posted the pictures that got her fired from CNN, but enough said about that
April 24, 2017
I don't care what anyone thinks of me, I find her hysterical and love her banter with celebrities. I have seen her live stand up at least 3 times and laugh my but off everytime.
April 23, 2017
This was funny, but I think I wanted it to be more scandalous. Still, it was fun finding out which celebrities are secret dicks and which are good sports. I'll read just about anything Kathy puts out.
December 29, 2016
So how do you rate a book that is clearly just a celebrity tabloid on steroids? Those rags are my vice and I will shamelessly read them (with a cup of coffee in hand, or wine if it's evening). So over the Christmas break, this one was perfectly delicious. The kind of book that I will read practically in one sitting, then pass to my mother in law and not care if I get the book back. An enjoyable and at times touching read. She is not my cup of tea (on tv) but through this book, I can see that Ms. Griffin is unabashedly ambitious and intelligent. Even touching.
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