The Unseen Divide: 5 Shocking Truths About The Kathy Griffin And Anderson Cooper Fallout (Updated 2025)

The saga of Kathy Griffin and Anderson Cooper’s friendship is one of Hollywood’s most dramatic and definitive celebrity breakups. What began as an unlikely, beloved, and hilarious pairing that defined CNN’s New Year’s Eve coverage for over a decade has devolved into a permanent, painful rift that, as of late 2025, shows no signs of healing. The entire relationship—a rare blend of high-brow journalism and D-list comedy—was irrevocably shattered by a single, highly controversial photograph in 2017, a fallout that Griffin herself continues to speak about as one of the most devastating professional and personal blows of her career. The core of their relationship was always their annual, unscripted, and often chaotic co-hosting of *CNN New Year’s Eve Live*, a gig that lasted 10 years and cemented their status as an iconic, if bizarre, duo. However, recent updates, including a 2024 revelation by Griffin about a brief email exchange with Cooper, confirm the professional and personal chasm remains wide, with the comedian admitting the loss "still hurts."

The Unlikely Duo: Full Biographical Profiles

The friendship between the two stars was built on their contrasting public personas—Cooper, the serious, silver-haired Vanderbilt heir and journalist, and Griffin, the irreverent, Grammy- and Emmy-winning comedian. Their combined star power created a unique brand of television, but their differing approaches to political satire ultimately proved too great a divide.

Kathy Griffin (Comedian, Actress, Author)

• Birth Name: Kathleen Mary Griffin
• Born: November 4, 1960, in Oak Park, Illinois
• Profession: Stand-up Comedian, Actress, Writer, Producer
• Notable Work:
  • *Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List* (Two-time Emmy Award winner)
  • *Suddenly Susan* (Actress)
  • Six Grammy nominations for Best Comedy Album (Two-time winner)
  • *CNN New Year's Eve Live* (Co-host, 2007–2017)
• Key Entity: Known for her sharp-tongued, celebrity-lacerating humor and "D-List" celebrity culture observations.

Anderson Cooper (Broadcast Journalist, Author)

• Birth Name: Anderson Hays Cooper
• Born: June 3, 1967, in New York City, New York
• Profession: Broadcast Journalist, Political Commentator, Author
• Notable Work:
  • *Anderson Cooper 360°* (Primary anchor on CNN)
  • *60 Minutes* (Correspondent)
  • *The Mole* (Former host)
  • Descendant of the prominent Vanderbilt family.
• Key Entity: Renowned for his serious, empathetic journalism and coverage of major global events, including the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and Hurricane Katrina.

The 2017 Photo: The Controversial Catalyst That Ended a Decade

The definitive end of the nearly two-decade-long friendship can be traced directly back to a single, highly provocative photoshoot in May 2017. Kathy Griffin participated in a photo session with photographer Tyler Shields, where she posed holding a prop mask covered in fake blood, designed to resemble the severed head of then-President Donald Trump. The immediate public backlash was swift, severe, and unprecedented. The image was widely condemned across the political spectrum, leading to a massive professional fallout for Griffin that included:

• Being fired by CNN from the *New Year's Eve Live* co-hosting job.
• The cancellation of her stand-up comedy tour.
• A two-month-long federal investigation by the U.S. Justice Department.
• Widespread professional shunning by the entertainment industry.

Anderson Cooper, who had been a close friend and professional partner to Griffin for years, publicly and unequivocally denounced the image. In a statement posted to social media, Cooper called the photo "disgusting and completely inappropriate." He stated that he was "appalled" and that the act was "clearly inappropriate." This public condemnation, which Griffin viewed as a profound betrayal, became the final nail in the coffin of their personal bond.

The Permanent Divide: Why the Friendship Has Not Recovered

Despite the passage of time and Griffin’s eventual recovery from the professional crisis, the personal relationship with Anderson Cooper remains severed. The comedian has been vocal about the emotional toll of the fallout, repeatedly stating that the loss of his friendship was one of the most painful aspects of the entire ordeal. Griffin’s perspective is that Cooper, whom she considered a true friend, should have reached out privately to offer support or express his concerns, rather than issuing a public, career-damaging denouncement. She has since reflected that the incident revealed an irreparable difference in their values and priorities, particularly regarding the limits of political satire and the definition of loyalty.

The 2024 Email Revelation

The topic of their rift was brought back into the current news cycle in 2024 when Kathy Griffin revealed a brief email exchange she had with Cooper. While the exact content remains private, the revelation confirmed that communication, however minimal, had occurred years after the initial fallout. However, Griffin made it clear that the exchange did not lead to a reconciliation. She continues to express frustration with Cooper’s response to the 2017 controversy, noting that other friends who initially distanced themselves have since returned to her life, but Cooper has not.

The Andy Cohen Factor

Adding another layer to the narrative is Cooper’s current co-host for the *CNN New Year’s Eve Live* broadcast: Bravo personality Andy Cohen. Cohen replaced Griffin following her firing, and the duo has become a popular replacement, continuing the tradition of unscripted, often boozy, and viral moments. Griffin has also had a public and ongoing feud with Andy Cohen, adding a complex, intertwined layer to her rift with Cooper. She has openly criticized both men for their perceived lack of support during her professional crisis. The sight of Cooper and Cohen together every New Year’s Eve serves as a yearly reminder of the professional loss and the personal friendships that were sacrificed in the wake of the 2017 controversy.

The Enduring Legacy of the CNN Duo

While the current status of their relationship is definitively "over," the cultural impact of Kathy Griffin and Anderson Cooper’s time together endures. Their 10-year run on *CNN New Year’s Eve Live* is remembered for its hilarious, often awkward, and surprisingly tender moments. The duo created a unique television event that blended breaking news gravitas with outrageous celebrity comedy, setting a high bar for New Year's television. Their on-screen chemistry, characterized by Cooper’s stifled laughter and Griffin’s relentless teasing, generated countless viral clips and established a gold standard for celebrity co-hosting. Ultimately, the story of Kathy Griffin and Anderson Cooper is a cautionary tale about the high cost of political humor and the fragility of celebrity friendships. It serves as a powerful entity in the media landscape, demonstrating how a single, provocative act can permanently fracture a professional partnership and a deep personal bond, leaving a lasting scar on both their careers and their personal lives. The pain of the severed friendship, as Griffin has stated in 2025, remains a significant, unhealed wound.