Kathy Griffin Claims She Was Banned From Jimmy Fallon’s Show Over Controversy
Comedian Kathy Griffin says she believes she is no longer welcome on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. According to comments she shared in a recent video, Griffin thinks her public image has made her too controversial for the NBC late-night program.
Griffin said she has not appeared on one of Jimmy Fallon’s shows since his days hosting Late Night. While she has not been officially told she is banned, she believes the lack of invitations speaks for itself.
“I’ve not done the Jimmy Fallon show since it was on at 12.30 eastern and pacific, so I guess I’m banned from the Fallon show, or inappropriate or too controversial. I don’t even know,” Griffin said. She added that television shows rarely tell guests they are no longer welcome.
“When you’re banned from a show – and if you guys know me, I’m banned from most of them. They don’t usually tell you you’re banned; they just can’t seem to find room for you.”
@kathygriffin Fallon, what kind of message are we sending here?! AND can we PLEASE save canceling people for the ones who actually deserve it? Watch this week’s episode of Kathy Griffin: Talk Your Head Off out now on my YouTube channel!
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Fallon hosted Late Night with Jimmy Fallon from 2009 until early 2014 before taking over The Tonight Show from Jay Leno. Griffin’s last appearance on The Tonight Show happened in 2013 while Leno was still the host. She has not appeared on the franchise since Fallon took over. Despite her comments, Griffin made it clear that she has nothing personal against Fallon.
“I do like Jimmy Fallon. I’ve met him a few times and when I used to do his later show, he was always super nice to me,” she said. However, Griffin criticized the show’s recent guest choices. She pointed to mixed martial artist Conor McGregor, who appeared on The Tonight Show to promote his return to the UFC.
Griffin argued that inviting McGregor sent the wrong message because of the civil case in Ireland involving him. In November 2024, a civil jury in Dublin found McGregor liable for assaulting a woman who accused him of rape and awarded her damages. McGregor has continued to deny the allegations.
Speaking about the interview, Griffin said, “I do think it was a bad call for him to have Conor McGregor on. I think the Fallon folks made a mistake by having Conor McGregor on. I think it sends yet another message to women and marginalised folks everywhere that we’re not equal and you can do anything to us and the perpetrators are still gonna be out there being glorified.”
Griffin also revisited Fallon’s widely discussed 2016 interview with Donald Trump during the presidential campaign. The appearance drew criticism at the time after Fallon playfully ruffled Trump’s hair on air. “It kind of reminds me of when Fallon had Trump on and then he petted his hair, or as I call it, a bird’s nest. That didn’t sit well with me,” Griffin said.
She also criticized Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels for allowing Trump to host the sketch show during the same election cycle.
Griffin’s own relationship with television networks changed dramatically in 2017 after she posed for a photo holding a fake bloodied head resembling Donald Trump. The image sparked widespread backlash across the political spectrum. The controversy led to the loss of several jobs, including her role as co-host of CNN’s New Year’s Eve special with Anderson Cooper, ended endorsement deals, and prompted a U.S. Secret Service investigation.
Earlier this year, Griffin told WUSF Public Media that the fallout had a lasting impact on her career. “I didn’t work for seven years,” she said.
NBC and Jimmy Fallon have not publicly responded to Griffin’s latest comments. According to The Independent, representatives for Fallon and McGregor were contacted for comment following Griffin’s remarks.
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