Kathy Griffin Shares Some 'Juicy Gossip' About CNN's New Year's Show

CNN welcomed another New Year sans comedienne Kathy Griffin, who was given the pink slip from her New Year's Eve hosting gig in 2017 a...

CNN welcomed another New Year sans comedienne Kathy Griffin, who was given the pink slip from her New Year's Eve hosting gig in 2017 after posing for that grisly photograph of herself holding a fake severed head of President Trump. Two years later, Griffin is overtly bitter about the whole affair and voiced her disgust with CNN in a long-winded Twitter rant Tuesday in which she used fellow comedienne Leslie Jones as a battering ram to accuse the network of racism and sexism.

Griffin began her soliloquy by first thanking her many fans for expressing their dismay over her absence at the CNN New Year's Eve show this year, during which her former co-host Anderson Cooper pounded shots while revealing one too many details about his mother's sex life.

"I’m so flattered and touched by all the comments saying that you miss me co-hosting the New Year’s Eve telecast," said Griffin. "I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the positivity and I want you to know how grateful I am."

The toxic comedienne then announced she had some inside dirt about CNN regarding their treatment of SNL cast member Leslie Jones. According to Griffin, Jones at one point was floated as a potential host for the CNN show but was dropped entirely for an inexplicable reason.

"I heard that they had downgraded her to a couple of segments or some sort of a guest role," said Griffin. "Anything less than co-hosting screams to me very little or no pay, and a lack of respect for someone who is such a proven talent, has a big fan base, and knows what she’s doing. She has paid her dues and then some!"

She continued: "Soon after, I heard from a couple folks she had been dropped from the show entirely because NBC Universal did not want her to appear on a different network. This didn’t pass the smell test with me. The #JeffZucker I knew for years could make this happen. What say you, Jeff?"

Griffin then segued into a talk about equal pay, lamenting how she worked the CNN show for 10 years until she got a paycheck of $150,000 for one night of work.

"I worked my way up by the 10th year at CNN to get a fee of $150,000," said Griffin. "By the way, just as a point of reference, Anderson Cooper regularly bragged for years that his annual CNN contract was $10 million a year."

"The first two years I appeared on CNN, it didn’t even occur to me to ask for a salary," she continued. "The 8th year when I asked Jeff Zucker for a raise, he was so angry he docked me 30%. I’m sorry to say I took the pay cut because I truly enjoyed making you all laugh."

Following the controversy over the ghastly photo, Griffin apologized for posing with a severed head of President Trump before ultimately taking the apology back.

See the full text of her Twitter rant below:

A.) I’m so flattered and touched by all the comments saying that you miss me co-hosting the New Year’s Eve telecast. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the positivity and I want you to know how grateful I am. So, I wanted to share some juicy gossip I heard about the telecast...

B) I’ve been in this business for over 30 years...I’ve gotten to know everybody. A few little birdies told me some juicy nuggets...

C) I heard from a few different people that the hilarious @Lesdoggg was in talks to co-host CNN’s New Year’s telecast with Anderson Cooper this year.

D) I was elated when I heard this news. If I can’t get the gig, I will cheer for Leslie. I don’t know her, but I thought it was such a great idea for CNN to have a woman of color over 50 who is so sharp, improvisational, and hilarious. I was ready to congratulate her publicly.

E) I love all of Leslie’s work, but this little short tape she posted on her 50th birthday last year says it all about her. How can you not love @lesdoggg?!

F) As I started asking around to find out when CNN was going to announce Leslie as co-host, I heard that they had downgraded her to a couple of segments or some sort of a guest role.

G) Anything less than co-hosting screams to me very little or no pay, and a lack of respect for someone who is such a proven talent, has a big fan base, and knows what she’s doing. She has paid her dues and then some!

H) Soon after, I heard from a couple folks she had been dropped from the show entirely because NBC Universal did not want her to appear on a different network. This didn’t pass the smell test with me. The #JeffZucker I knew for years could make this happen. What say you, Jeff?

I) I’m thrilled she is going to appear in the NBC New Years telecast with Carson Daly/Chrissy Teigen, but it's time for Leslie to co-host/host. That would be progress...it would have been a step in the right direction for all women if she got the CNN gig

J) You have to admit, it didn’t make sense that NBC Uni wouldn’t have a problem with Andy Cohen, who also works for NBC Uni, appearing on CNN, but would have a problem with Leslie? Since Leslie didn't work out, CNN couldn't find one woman standup comic star to co-host? Jeff?

K) I didn’t hear anything about what Leslie‘s fee will be on NBC, but I really hope it is AT LEAST $150,000 because that is a nice paycheck and it’s what she deserves.

L) I worked my way up by the 10th year at CNN to get a fee of $150,000. By the way, just as a point of reference, Anderson Cooper regularly bragged for years that his annual CNN contract was $10 million a year.

M) I know $150,000 is a hell of lot of money for one night of work (although when I was doing it, I certainly put in more than one night of work) but trust me Leslie has paid her dues and when you are a female comic starting out you do gigs for free sometimes for years.

N) The first two years I appeared on CNN, it didn’t even occur to me to ask for a salary. The 8th year when I asked Jeff Zucker for a raise, he was so angry he docked me 30%. I’m sorry to say I took the pay cut because I truly enjoyed making you all laugh.

O) I really hope @Lesdoggg has been paid fairly for New Years...but I'm not optimistic. The boys get paid much, much more in the comedy industry and that is a fact I know a lot about.

P) I’ve never made serious New Year’s resolutions. Not when I did three shows on NYE at Carolines Comedy Club, or co-hosted MTV’s New Year’s broadcast in the year 2000. Remember Y2K?! I also appeared with Carson Daly in the NBC broadcast and had a blast.

Q) So each time I worked either live or on television on New Year’s Eve I would make a joke about how I didn’t believe in resolutions. Well, I’ve change my mind! Here are my three resolutions for 2019...

R) Resolution #1: Try to make as many people laugh, giggle, gasp in shock, throw their head back and have a belly laugh for as long as possible!

S) Resolution #2: I have learned it is essential to stick up for others in ways I truly wish others would have stuck up for me. I have done that more than ever in the past year and will continue to do it no matter what.

T) Resolution #3: I will stay positive, be as brave as I can in my comedy, never quit, and never let the old boys club keep me silent or out of work.

U) I love you all and am so grateful for the love and support you have given me. Happy New Year to all of you! I may not be able to have a drink with you, but I have served up a pot of piping hot tea!