Kathy Griffin was an accomplished comedian for quite some time before she mastered reducing Anderson Cooper to embarrassed giggles on CNN’s New Years Eve broadcasts. She playfully noted early in her standup routine at the State Theatre on Aug. 20 that she has had to threaten Cooper to get him to talk to her. That’s probably at least half true, given the outrageous things she’s known to say.

Griffin, alone on the wide stage in a long black and gold dress and flat shoes, often broke down the lengthy list of celebrities she dished about during the almost two-hour show. There are those who “get” her and those who don’t, those who have real talent and those who don’t, those who are naughty and those who are nice. In the latter categories, she tried to find her own place, often referencing her mother who had appeared during a brief (slightly botched) video montage that opened the show.

Courtesy photo

COMEDY REVIEW

WHAT: Kathy Griffin

WHERE: State Theatre, Portland

REVIEWED: Aug. 20

She recounted how her mom always told her she would go to “hell in a hand basket” if she didn’t get a respectable job and stop being a “potty mouth comedian.” That last epithet certainly fit more than a little of the language and imagery Griffin employed at the State. But she was quick to list her accomplishments in her chosen field and gave particular nods to her fans among military veterans and the LGBT community. Though she called the State Theatre a “garage” at one point and referred to the possible negative gastric consequences of eating lobster rolls, overall, as the show went on, it seemed like the comic may be mellowing ever so slightly. Perhaps the 54-year-old comedian’s many references to her much younger boyfriend were telling in that regard.

There was not as much political humor as some might have expected. She did have a few choice words to offer about the “crazy wig lady” Donald Trump, adding that the “O’Griffins” were immigrants from Ireland.

The comic employed some brief vocal impersonations in telling stories about such widely known celebs as Barbara Streisand, Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga and Barbara Walters. Josh Groban also seemed to be a favorite of hers. However, the Chicago native lingered on more obscure personalities from such shows as “Marriage Boot Camp” and “Teen Moms.”

Griffin several times promised to get to major themes “in a minute,” only to go off again into the realm of Reality TV. She dropped the Kardashians’ names and referenced Caitlyn Jenner, but pretty much left them alone in favor of digging into “Kendra and Hank.” Kim Richards and Michelle Duggar also got a lot of attention.

Many in the large, enthusiastic crowd recognized all the celeb names and laughed loudly. Others didn’t, but willingly went along for the ride. Griffin joked about those in the audience who didn’t follow her interests as being mostly husbands who had been dragged to the performance by their mates. She offered a quite specific recommendation for how those spouses should be rewarded for their sacrifice after the show.

The crowd showed the comedian nothing but warmth from beginning to end. She was definitely among friends in Portland and acknowledged as much when she stepped away from the celeb talk for a moment or two.

A strong finish had her recalling her adventures with the late Joan Rivers, including meeting the royals in England and chasing after a chilly Taylor Swift on the red carpet. Griffin’s advice to Swift was for the singer to adopt a more “one and done” approach in her love life and to accept comics like her as ultimately being well-intentioned and mostly just having fun.

The crowd at the State seemed to understand that last point and gave the comedian a standing ovation at the close.

Steve Feeney is a freelance writer who lives in Portland.