Kathy Griffin: Like A Boss

The indomitable redhead with the sharp tongue and self-deprecating wink returns with an all-new 80 city tour. If you thought she might have disappeared from public view or her popularity had waned, fear not because Kathy Griffin is taking the country by storm and she hasn't lost any of her torrential wit.

Griffin began her "Kathy Griffin: Like a Boss" four-night stay at the Mark Taper Forum on Wednesday night, gracing the intimate venue with her usual energy and charm. While normally a venue to see serious theatrical productions, it was a delight to be able to see Kathy up close and personal which gave her the ability to really connect with her audience.

One of the best traits of Griffin's stand-up is the way in which it feels like you are just sitting in her living room while she tells hilarious stories about her week. (My dream is to be invited over for exactly that.) Here is a woman who gets to hob-nob with the rich and famous, she gets to attend elegant galas and events, but she never makes you feel like she is above you because of it. In fact, she is endlessly surprised and humbled by the fact that she gets to do these things and her resulting giddiness is something she can't wait to share.

Which is exactly what I, personally, love about Griffin's humor. I might not always be doubled over laughing at everything she says, but I'm endlessly amused by her tales and I catch myself smiling so much that my face starts to hurt. Which brings me to the problem with this review.

Griffin commented last night that she had heard there were critics in the house and that she didn't know how they'd actually review the show. And she's right. Her subject matter is so random because she's like an excitable poodle that has forgotten to take her government mandated ADD medication. She'll start talking about a TV show she saw, but then interrupts herself three or four times during that one story to tell other stories before rounding back to finish what she started; sometimes almost twenty minutes later. While she's pretty good at remembering to circle back, I will say that she promised a story about the recent Madonna concert that she never got back to. (To her credit, she did ask the audience to remind her and clearly in the whirlwind of stories we all forgot.)

But isn't that the fun of a Kathy Griffin show? The stories are fast and thick and -- as she admits -- change from night to night. No show is the same and I can only imagine as her tour continues that new and even more hilarious stories will surface.

There's really no way to summarize her comedy, but suffice to say that she was an equal opportunity offender, but at the same time she knows when to make fun of herself as well. Targets included Caitlyn Jenner, the South, her darling 95-year old mother, and Demi Lovato. (Okay, Kathy, you crossed the line because I love my Demi!)

She told stories about forcing herself on Eddie Murphy (not in a sexual way, mind you), visiting Loretta Lynn's "Boofay" and Gift Shop (it's actually called "Loretta Lynn's Kitchen and Gift Shop") where they sell blackface ceramic-ware and guns, as well as dealing with college audiences and their ridiculous "triggers."

But that's not all, and honestly there were dozens of stories, side-stories and anecdotes, and asides that went on for two and a half hours. Which is also awesome. She doesn't just end after an hour and a half and call it a night. She'll go for as long as she wants and even then you can tell she doesn't really want to stop. That's not out of narcissism, either, it's from the simple fact that she is having a great time regaling us with her tales because she knows we get them.

There are a lot of people that take issue with Kathy Griffin's brand of humor, but as negative as she can be toward certain people, for the most part her targets sort of deserve it. Not only that, but she isn't afraid to make fun of herself and admit that while she might knock certain celebrities, she's also a fan of them. She does it in good humor and that's the difference between her and other comedians who just spew negativity.

The thing is, her comedy comes from a rabid intelligence that gives her skewering of people a validity that other comedians might entail. She is one smart cookie and I bet if anyone challenged her on her perceptions of them or her take on subjects like politics or religion, she could take them down with common sense and facts.

So there ya have it, Kathy. A critic's review. Yup, it's almost impossible to review your show, so instead I reviewed you. And I think you're pretty fucking fabulous. And even though I'm sort of a Lovatic, I promise not to burn your house down. #confident

"Kathy Griffin: Like a Boss Tour" runs through Nov. 7 at the Mark Taper Forum, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. For tickets, call 213-628-2772 or visit www.CenterTheatreGroup.com. For information on Griffin's 80-city tour, visit www.kathygriffin.net.