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Comedian Says She Was Told CBS Was ‘Not Considering Females’ for Late-Night Role

Sep 15, 2014  •  Post A Comment

A popular comedian who says she was interested in the CBS late-night spot being vacated by Craig Ferguson indicated the network was closed to the idea of a female taking the job. The Associated Press reports that Kathy Griffin told the news service she was interested in the position, but was told her gender disqualified her.

“I was interested in the Ferguson spot long before it was announced because I had a feeling things might shift,” Griffin said. “My joke phrase is, ‘I can start Monday.'”

She said an executive, who wasn’t named nor his or her role identified, said, “They’re not considering females at this time.”

Griffin said she replied, “You realize that’s illegal to say in a business meeting?”

She added that when she said the lack of female hosts was “embarrassing,” since women make up half the population, she was told, “Well, you have ‘The Talk,’” referring to the daytime talk show, which features five co-hosts.

“While the rest of TV catches up to diversity, with fictional portrayals daring to imagine women as U.S. presidents and mirror the reality of an African-American leader, networks simply are unwilling to roll the dice on either a female or minority in the lofty position of late-night host,” the AP notes.

As we reported previously, the Craig Ferguson spot has been given to British performer James Corden.

kathy griffin

Kathy Griffin

9 Comments

  1. “… networks simply are unwilling to roll the dice on either a female or minority in the lofty position of late-night host,”

    Guess Kathy hasn’t seen Arsenio Hall’s show.

  2. “…Guess Kathy hasn’t seen Arsenio Hall’s show.”

    No one else has either…

  3. Arsenio’s show’s were syndicated, not network.

    • No difference, he’s still the host of a late night show. Griffin’s comment also ignore’s Joan River’s own show and her many guest host appearances on the Tonight Show.

      FWIW, I think Kathy Griffin is hysterical and that she would do a terrific show… if left alone to do her thing, but that comment is just, well… not exactly accurate.

  4. Not a Kathy Griffin fan at all………she’s just annoying.

  5. I’m having difficulty buying this one.

    Even if you were a CBS exec stupid enough to say this, would you say it to Kathy Griffin, knowing she would immediately publicize your comments via social media and, frankly, any platform willing to point a camera at her?

    I think not.

    • “I’m having difficulty buying this one.”

      Not me. I’ve read, heard, and seen people (you’d think would know better) say far more stupid things. Look at people who run for political office.

      I guess you end up not being surprised by much, if you live long enough… and I’m not that old.

  6. No Kathy, They were just no interested in you. Because you suck & CBS wanted someone with talent. Something that you lack. No please go far, far away….

  7. I wanna see those hypocrites on The Talk discuss this. If they’re truly concerned about equality for women, they should definitely bring this up. Of course, if it happened on another network, they would be OUTRAGED!!!! Of course, they’d much rather blab about Kanye. Remember when The Talk originally started, it was pitched as a show about being a mother and raising a family. How long did that last? 2 episodes?
    Get off the air, The Talk.

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