Does saying the F-word on live TV even matter anymore? Maybe not if you’re Kathy Griffin and expected to say outrageous things that will make Anderson Cooper look adorably abashed on CNN’s live New Year’s Eve special — because they both ignored it so smoothly. F-word? Live TV? Yawn.
WATCH THE BALL DROP LIVE IN TIMES SQUARE
Griffin and Cooper, whose New Year’s Eve pairing on CNN has become an annual tradition, were doing their usual jokey banter, discussing various moments of infamy from the past year, and particularly the saga of Balloon Boy (how hard is it gonna be for that kid to get a date in a few years, eh?). Cooper and Griffin were at their post in Times Square discussing Balloon Boy Perè, Richard Heene, and then the little one himself, Falcon Heene. Here’s how it went:
COOPER: Falcon Heene.
GRIFFIN: Fal — Fuckin? Falcon? How do you say it?
COOPER: (shaking head, eyes downcast) You’re terrible. Really terrible.
And that was it! F-bomb on CNN live, New Year’s Eve. No biggie. Welcome to 2010. Or is there more to it? It should be noted that Griffin was famously unprintable before — last year she shot down a heckler by saying, again on live TV, “I don’t go to your job and knock the dicks out of your mouth.” This year, she promised to forfeit her salary if she said anything naughty. So maybe it’s only naughty if Anderson Cooper acts shocked. Or maybe it’s 2010 and EVERYTHING’S DIFFERENT. Or maybe we’re just used to the F-bomb on live TV by now. Or maybe we should all just lighten up, it’s a new Yecade, after all. Watch below:
Update: The clip was not edited for broadcast on the West Coast, perhaps in support of the “open to interpretation” argument (as opposed to the “we know it when we hear it” argument). But either way, looks like Kathy’s gonna take home her salary — well earned, we say.
Update to the Update: Griffin joked on air about the New York Times calling to confirm that she swore, which she said she did not, and which Anderson Cooper, too, swore up and down did not happen. The NYT’s Brian Stelter said on Twitter that he did not actually, call, but she did actually swear. He listened three times.
> Update on Friday night: CNN has a comment about the incident: “CNN regrets that profanity was used during our New Years Eve coverage.” As for whether Griffin will forfeit her salary, like she had said, “We do not discuss contractual issues.” -SK
This article has been edited since publication to add the word “Yecade.” We really think it’ll catch on.
