Kathy Griffin: Live and raw and ready for her Columbia show

Before taking the Koger Center stage Saturday, comedian Kathy Griffin will be indulging in some of South Carolina’s finest cuisine.

“I know you people want to come and hear an evening of hysterical comedy from a living legend such as myself, but I’m not gonna lie, I’m really coming for the fried food,” Griffin said. “You don’t want to know what I’m going to eat before the show, but I guarantee you it’s something that is pulled. I also probably will have eaten at a picnic bench at a nearby truck stop.”

Griffin is performing in Columbia through a partnership with SC Pride; the event is a fundraiser for the organization. Griffin is a longtime supporter of lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender rights, advocating for same-sex marriage and rights for LGBT members of the military. In 2009, she won the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) Vanguard Award for her continued support of the LGBT community.

Griffin is known for her no-holds-barred, sometimes controversial comedy, and cites the late Joan Rivers, who performed for SC Pride in 2012, as a major influence. She often riffs on pop culture and current events, and the Palmetto State has provided her with no shortage of material, she said.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for providing me with the funniest politicians in the United States, if not the world,” Griffin said. “I’m not saying they are trying to be funny, I’m just saying they know who they are and they know I’m coming for them.”

One subject of Griffin’s jokes has been U.S. Rep. Mark Sanford, the Lowcountry Republican who famously disappeared to visit his Argentinian mistress while governor. Griffin has called him the comedic “gift that keeps on giving.” But not even Myrtle Beach native Vanna White, of “Wheel of Fortune” fame, may be safe from Griffin’s jabs.

“Trust me, she’s going to need more than a vowel by the time I get done with her that night,” Griffin said.

Griffin’s comedy may be divisive at times, but she’s got the hardware to show that it pays off; the comedian won two Emmys for her reality show “My Life on the D-List,” which ran on Bravo from 2003 to 2010. She also won her first Grammy after six consecutive nominations for best comedy album. Griffin is only the third woman to win the award, but is hoping her latest album, cheekily titled “Kathy Griffin: Look at My Butt Crack,” may bring a second consecutive win.

“After two Emmys, I still look forward to the possibility of either Andrea Bocelli or Ariana Grande saying, ‘and the Grammy for Best Comedy Album goes to ... Kathy Griffin: Look at my Butt Crack,’” Griffin said. “Preferably Bocelli.”

This story was originally published October 23, 2014 at 4:05 PM with the headline "Kathy Griffin: Live and raw and ready for her Columbia show."