CNN has fired comedian Kathy Griffin from her annual gig co-hosting its New Year's Eve program with network anchor Anderson Cooper, following a shock-value photo shoot that depicted her holding President Donald Trump's blood-gushing severed head.

'CNN has terminated our agreement with Kathy Griffin to appear on our New Year's Eve program,' the network's PR department tweeted.

Trump's 11-year-old son Barron reportedly saw his father's decapitated head on television after news of the D-list celebrity's publicity stunt became news – and thought it was real.

First lady Melania Trump said that '[a]s a mother, a wife, and a human being, that photo is very disturbing.'

'When you consider some of the atrocities happening in the world today, a photo opportunity like this is simply wrong and makes you wonder about the mental health of the person who did it.'

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CNN has fired Kathy Griffin from bo-hosting its New Year's Eve program with Anderson Cooper

Griffin co-hosted the CNN New Year's Eve countdown show in recent years with Anderson Cooper. The two are seen on-camera five months ago

President Donald Trump's 11-year-old son Barron (left) was reportedly terrified when he saw a make-believe photo shoot on TV that included a representation of his dad's severed head

First lady Melania Trump (right) rushed to protect her son, saying" 'As a mother, a wife, and a human being, that photo is very disturbing.'

President Trump weighed in Wednesday morning on Kathy Griffin's tasteless video – and he pronounced it 'sick'

The president lashed out at Kathy Griffin on Wednesday morning, saying she 'should be ashamed of herself' for posting video of the photo shoot on social media.

'My children, especially my 11 year old son, Barron, are having a hard time with this. Sick!' Trump tweeted.

The Trumps' anger, and public pressure, became too much for CNN to withstand.

But one liberal politician has decided to stay with Griffin, refusing to cancel a joint appearance in July.

Minnesota Democratic Sen. Al Franken told CNN 'Yes,' when asked if he plans on appearing with Griffin in his home state.

'I think she did the right thing,” Franken said of Griffin's eventual apology. 'I think asking for forgiveness and acknowledging that this, this was a horrible mistake.'

The Route 66 Casino near Albuquerque, New Mexico was less forgiving.

'The performance by Kathy Griffin on July 22nd has been cancelled,' the company wrote on its Facebook page. 'Any guests that did purchase tickets will receive a full refund.'

The Route 66 Casino Hotel near Albuquerque, New Mexico canceled Griffin's planned stand-up appearance on July 22 shortly after she released the damning photographs

Griffin also lost an endorsement deal with 'Squatty Potty,' an ergonomic footstool designed to be used while sitting on the toilet

Griffin also lost an unconventional endorsement deal with Squatty Potty, a company that makes ergonomic footstools designed to ease bowel movements.

'We were shocked and disappointed to learn about the image Ms. Griffin shared today, it was deeply inappropriate and runs contrary to the core values our company stands for. In response, Squatty Potty has suspended its ad campaign featuring Ms. Griffin,' company CEO Bobby Edwards said in a statement.

'We have acted swiftly and decisively to demonstrate our commitment to a culture of decency, civility, and tolerance,' the toilet aid company's statement continued.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer resisted the temptation to pile on during his Wednesday press briefing, which was conducted off-camera.

He allowed the president and first lady's statements, and one from the Secret Service, to speak for themselves.

People close to the Trump family told TMZ that Barron panicked at the make-believe sight of his beheaded dad and screamed for his mother Melania.

'He's 11. He doesn't know who Kathy Griffin is and the head she was holding resembled his dad,' one source said.

Trump was furious and complained that his children – 'especially my 11 year old son, Barron' – are having to grapple with Internet images of their father's bloody decapitation

Minnesota Democratic Sen. Al Franken (right, with retired TV host David Letterman) said he isn't canceling a planned public appearance with Griffin in July

Griffin apologized on Tuesday for posting the video following a furious backlash and a hint at an investigation by the U.S. Secret Service.

The controversial entertainer tweeted: 'I am sorry. I went too far. I was wrong.'

In the video Griffin is seen slowly raising Trump's head during a photo shoot with infamous photographer Tyler Shields.

She also posted a video promising to remove the offending image after she was lambasted by all sides of the political spectrum, including Chelsea Clinton.

But the apology had little effect on an army of critics, both Trump supporters and Democrats from attacking Griffin on social media for the outrageous stunt.

Even her long-time New Years Eve co-host Anderson Cooper said he was 'appalled' by the photo shoot, which he described as 'clearly disgusting and completely inappropriate.'

Meanwhile, the Secret Service made an oblique reference to the controversy on Twitter, reminding everyone that any threats against the president are taken seriously.

Griffin sparked fury from Trump supporters on Tuesday after footage emerged of her holding up a fake severed Donald Trump head

The controversial comedian tweeted 'I am sorry. I went too far. I was wrong' after the stunt

'On it! @SecretService has a robust protective intelligence division that monitors open source reporting & social media to evaluate threats. Threats made against @SecretService protectees receive the highest priority of all of our investigations. #ProtectionNeverRests.'

GRIFFIN'S VIDEO APOLOGY IN FULL 'Hey everybody, it's me, Kathy Griffin. 'I sincerely apologize. I am just now seeing the reaction to these images. 'I'm a comic. I crossed the line. 'I moved the line. Then I crossed it. I went way too far. The image is too disturbing. 'I understand how it offends people. It wasn't funny. I get it. I've made a lot of mistakes in my career. I will continue. I ask your forgiveness. 'Taking down the image. I am going to ask the photographer to take down the image. And I beg for your forgiveness. I went too far. I made a mistake and I was wrong.' Advertisement

The agency later released a statement saying that '[i]t is always unfortunate when people make statements that could be perceived as threats. We don't have the luxury of knowing a person's intent. Each alleged or perceived threat has to be investigated thoroughly which taxes Secret Service manpower and resources that could be utilized elsewhere.'

As the firestorm of criticism surrounding Griffin increased a CNN spokesman said that they were 'evaluating' Griffin's long-time role hosting its New Year’s Eve coverage but have 'made no decisions at this point'

'We found what she did disgusting and offensive. We are pleased to see she has apologized and asked that the photos be taken down. We are evaluating New Year’s Eve and have made no decisions at this point,' the spokesman said at the time.

Even former first daughter Chelsea Clinton was quick to express her outrage at Griffin tweeting: 'This is vile and wrong. It is never funny to joke about killing a president.

Griffin, an outspoken opponent of Trump who is best known for presenting the New Year's Eve countdown with Anderson Cooper on CNN, is seen holding the head, which is slathered in fake blood.

During footage of the shoot, posted on her own official website, Griffin said: 'Tyler and I are not afraid to make images that make noise.'

The shocking images quickly set social media alight, with many calling for her to be locked up for supposedly 'threatening' the president.

President Trump's eldest son Donald Jr. also got in on the act, attacking Griffin for posing with a severed fake head resembling his father, saying it was 'disgusting but not surprising.

'This is the left today. They consider this acceptable,' he tweeted. 'Imagine a conservative did this to Obama as POTUS?'

'It's sad that the left today would rather see America suffer and fail than to see it succeed with @realDonaldTrump at the helm. #maga'

The Secret Service - while not citing the video or image - chose this tome to remind its followers on Twitter that the agency monitors social media and took any threats against the president very seriously

Griffin's long-time co-host Anderson Cooper also criticized her on Twitter

Even former first daughter Chelsea Clinton was quick to express her outrage at Griffin tweeting: 'This is vile and wrong. It is never funny to joke about killing a president

Sarah Palin, who has long been a target of mockery for Griffin was quick to jump on the bandwagon, branding the post 'sick'

Kellyanne Conway‏ joined in, pointing out that the outspoken comic had plenty of time for reflection before she posted the picture

In another tweet he demanded to know if CNN would keep Griffin on the air after the stunt.

He also tweeted his thanks to Cooper for his condemnation before demanding to know if the TV host would work with Griffin in the future.

'Asking for a lot of people. #LMK,' he added.

Kellyanne Conway‏ joined in, pointing out that the outspoken comic had plenty of time for reflection before she posted the picture.

'Kathy Griffin did not misspeak or misstep. She plotted & posed for photoshoot. Ample time for reflection/correction,' she tweeted.

While Mitt Romney denounced the comedian for dragging politics 'into an even more repugnant & vile territory.'

Sarah Palin, who has long been a target of mockery for Griffin was quick to jump on the bandwagon, branding the post 'sick.'

'No one should be shocked at the sick audacity of sick characters. Kathy is a hurting individual. She needs help,' she tweeted.

Meanwhile on Twitter @nancygolliday said 'Parading beheading of POTUS makes @kathygriffing a terrorist and an enemy of the state. She needs to be treated as such.'

Mitt Romney denounced the comedian for dragging politics 'into an even more repugnant & vile territory'

And Dr J wrote: 'You're disgusting. Honor our military but dishonor our President and Commander in Chief? You'd behead our President? Hypocrite.'

Even some self-described liberals got in on the act.

CNN anchor Jake Tapper said: 'It's pretty disgusting. I can't imagine how anybody would think that's appropriate.'

'Big time Liberal here - and a Kathy Griffin fan - and I agree,' said Tanya Crosse. 'This is not ok and there is no excuse. She should immediately apologize.'

Meanwhile, Simar wrote: 'We can't knock the alt right for promoting hate speech & then support Kathy Griffin for promoting violence against the President.'

In footage of the shoot, Griffin is seen joking that she and Shields will have to flee the country once it gets out.

'We have to move to Mexico today,' she said, 'because we're gonna go to prison. Federal prison.

'Call your dad, apologize, then let's you [and me] go to Mexico because we're not surviving this.'

She's seen in the footage lifting the grisly 'head' out of a metal bowl, then rotating it towards the camera until it hits a spot that Shields likes.

Finally, at Shields' demand, she drops it to the ground.

Griffin responded to the outrage with a two-part tweet, the first part of which saw her mocking the imaginary dead president

Mocker: Griffin claimed she was 'merely mocking the Mocker in Chief' in the second part of her tweet, and that she wasn't condoning violence

In the video Griffin says that 'Tyler and I are not afraid to do images that make noise. And also he often lights me to the point where I look about 15.

'But first I'm an artist. But really it's good lighting.'

On Tuesday afternoon Griffin seemed to want to silence some of the 'noise' she'd been so proud of when she tweeted that she didn't condone violence.

However, that only came as the second part of a two-tweet message that began: '1/ I caption this 'there was blood coming out of his eyes, blood coming out of his...wherever' Also @tylershields great Photog/film maker.'

The second tweet read: '2/ OBVIOUSLY, I do not condone ANY violence by my fans or others to anyone, ever! I'm merely mocking the Mocker in Chief.'

Griffin had posted a video on Memorial Day in which she invited people to give a moment's silence for those who died fighting for America.

Shields had posted the image a few hours before with the message 'Friend text me this 'I hear Tijuana is beautiful this time of year.''

Shields has made a name for himself as a provocative photographer whose images include Lindsay Lohan as a blood-soaked vampire and a KKK member being hanged by a black man.

In 2011 he came under fire for a photo shoot with Glee star Heather Morris in which she sported a 'black eye'. Critics said that he made light of domestic abuse.

He later apologized after receiving death threats, adding: 'If you are anti-domestic abuse spread the word about it. Threatening to kill me is not going to help anything.'

Tyler Shields is famous for taking provocative images of stars such as Lindsay Lohan, He also put this image of Griffin on his blog

Griffin was reportedly inspired by Game of Thrones. In 2011 the show featured the severed head of George W Bush (left); producers apologized and the shot was edited in later showings

Griffin was emulating the beheadings seen in Game of Thrones, according to Daily Wire.

The show came under fire itself in 2011, at the end of its first season, when it featured a shot of George W Bush's head on a stick.

The wax head was one of a number of severed heads placed atop a castle's wall; the producers apologized, and said that there was no political intent.

Rather, they said, they had used it because it was one of a number of pre-made heads they had lying around.

The grisly shot was edited for later airings and DVD releases.