E!’s long-running “Fashion Police” continues to run into challenges as it attempts to carry on following the death of series founder Joan Rivers.
In the latest development, The Hollywood Reporter’s Live Feed reports that co-host Kathy Griffin has decided to leave the show. Griffin, who stepped in to fill the hole in the lineup left by Rivers’ death, lasted just seven episodes.
Griffin announced her exit in a series of posts Thursday afternoon on Twitter.
The report quotes Griffin writing: “After seven episodes of Fashion Police, I discovered that my style does not fit with the creative direction of the show and now it’s time to move on.” The comedian also reportedly wished producers and the network well.
Griffin’s exit comes on the heels of the departure of “Fashion Police” fixture Kelly Osbourne. As we reported previously, Osbourne bailed out amid a controversy over comments by co-host Giuliana Rancic about singer Zendaya’s hair. Zendaya, a close friend of Osbourne, criticized Rancic’s comments as having racial overtones.
Co-host Brad Goreski is another newcomer to the “Fashion Police” panel following Rivers’ death, leaving Rancic as one of the few holdouts from the Joan Rivers era. Rancic has been on board since 2010, the year the show launched.
Melissa Rivers, Joan Rivers’ daughter, remains with the show as an executive producer.
Like Osbourne, Griffin appears to have taken issue with the mean-spirited nature of the show’s commentary, THR notes.
The piece quotes Griffin in her Twitter posts writing: “My brand of humor, while unrepentant and unafraid, is all about context. There is plenty to make fun of in pop culture without bringing people’s bodies into it.”
Kathy Griffin
The less there is of Griffin on any show is a good thing. I wish her no ill, I just wish her away.
Her almost two dimensional on camera personality belongs inside her front door.
When even Kathy Griffin can’t tolerate the mean-spiritedness of this show then I think it’s time to let it die. Without Joan at the helm (and you knew what the deal was with her as a comedian) this is a rudderless ship. Having Joan or Kathy come out with the barbs is one thing, you expect that from comedians but the likes of Guiliana Rancic to think she can fling out insults (hey…take a look in the mirror G…you should not be talking) then it’s just a sad, sad, mean spirited show. The whole “who are you wearing” crap is just that crap and if the stars want to be taken seriously then don’t play into it. Fashion Police should be a goner imho.