State Theatre cancels Kathy Griffin appearance after Trump video

Ilana Keller | Asbury Park Press

Show Caption Hide Caption Kathy Griffin: 'I went way too far' with Trump photo Kathy Griffin apologized for the photo she posted of herself holding up what looked like the decapitated head President Donald Trump. Trump responded, saying the comedian should be ashamed of herself.

NEW BRUNSWICK - The State Theatre on Thursday canceled a November appearance by comedian Kathy Griffin in the wake of a release of a video that featured her holding a likeness of President Donald Trump's severed head.

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A note on the New Brunswick theater's Facebook page reads:

"Please note: After careful consideration of recent events and for the safety of our patrons, Kathy Griffin’s November 3rd performance has been cancelled. All Kathy Griffin ticket buyers will be issued a full refund. If you purchased your tickets on Ticketmaster please call 800-745-3000. If you purchased your tickets through another party, please contact them directly."

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Please note: After careful consideration of recent events and for the safety of our patrons, Kathy Griffin’s... https://t.co/Fc3dqqoUty — State Theatre (@StateTheatreNJ) June 1, 2017

Griffin has faced much backlash since the release of the video, which she has since apologized for.

Trump said Griffin “should be ashamed of herself” for creating the video in a tweet. “My children, especially my 11-year-old son, Barron, are having a hard time with this. Sick!”

Kathy Griffin should be ashamed of herself. My children, especially my 11 year old son, Barron, are having a hard time with this. Sick! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2017

First lady Melania Trump issued a statement of her own: “As 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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Griffin, a comic known for her abrasive style of humor, had apologized on Tuesday, conceding that the brief video, which she originally described as an “artsy-fartsy statement” mocking the commander in chief, was “too disturbing” and wasn’t funny.

I am sorry. I went too far. I was wrong. pic.twitter.com/LBKvqf9xFB — Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin) May 30, 2017

“I went too far,” she says in her contrite followup video. “I sincerely apologize.”

The State Theatre joins a number of Griffin's other engagements that have been called off since the video's release.

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CNN, which had called the images “disgusting and offensive” after Griffin posted the video on Tuesday, announced Wednesday it would not invite her back this year for the Times Square live New Year’s Eve special she had co-hosted annually since 2007 with CNN’s Anderson Cooper.

A New Mexico casino has also canceled a performance by Griffin, who was scheduled to perform at Route 66 Casino, operated by Laguna Pueblo, on July 22.

And a commercial endorsement deal was canceled just weeks after she landed it. Squatty Potty, a Utah-based company whose products include toilet stools and other bathroom accessories, said it was suspending an ad campaign that featured Griffin.

Contributing: The Associated Press

Ilana Keller: 732-643-4260; ikeller@gannettnj.com