Kathy Griffin Accuses Colbert of Interview Ambush

Comedian Kathy Griffin has accused Stephen Colbert of ambushing her during a 2018 appearance on The Late Show by questioning her about her 2017 photo with a fake decapitated head of Donald Trump, despite her prior request to avoid the topic. Griffin claims the segment producer initially agreed to her request, but reversed course at Colbert's insistence moments before the interview. She described Colbert's questioning as unexpectedly aggressive and misogynistic, saying it left her emotional both on and off camera. Griffin criticized Colbert for 'punching down' at her as a 'D-list' comedian and suggested he would not have treated a male comic similarly. The incident has received broad media attention, with some outlets noting possible impacts on public sentiment and financial markets tied to meme-driven assets, though no immediate market effects were observed. Representatives for Colbert and CBS have not commented on Griffin's claims.