Comedian Kathy Griffin said she has been effectively barred from appearing on The Tonight Show. Her comments came as she criticized host Jimmy Fallon for a recent interview with UFC fighter Conor McGregor.
Kathy Griffin focuses her criticism on Jimmy Fallon’s Conor McGregor interview
Griffin told her followers she hasn’t appeared on the NBC late-night institution since its 12:30 a.m. era. “I guess I’m banned from the Fallon show, or inappropriate, or too controversial,” she said on Instagram. “I don’t even know. When you’re banned from a show — and if you guys know me, I’m banned from most of them. You’re welcome, America and Indonesia,” Griffin continued. She shared that the process rarely involves an official notice. “They don’t usually tell you you’re banned. They just can’t seem to find room for you,” the comedian added.
The catalyst for Griffin’s post, however, wasn’t only her own absence. She pivoted to Jimmy Fallon’s June 16 episode of The Tonight Show, which featured UFC star Conor McGregor promoting a comeback bout against Max Holloway. A Dublin civil jury found McGregor liable for sexual assault in 2024, ordering him to pay $257,000 to the woman who accused him of rape.
“I think the Fallon folks made a mistake by having Conor McGregor on,” Kathy Griffin stated. She argued the booking carries a damaging subtext. “I think it sends yet another message to women and marginalized folks everywhere that we’re not equal and you can do anything to us, and the perpetrators are still going to be out there being glorified,” she added.
The comedian expanded on this in the post’s caption, directly addressing the host. “Fallon, what kind of message are we sending here?! AND can we PLEASE save canceling people for the ones who actually deserve it?” she wrote.
Jimmy Fallon or The Tonight Show has yet to respond.
