Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-list

I'm not much of an entertainment critic, so I am going to review Kathy Griffin, My Life on the D-list as conversationally as possible. But I need to start with a story. Back in the mid to late 1990's, I was on Michigan Avenue in Chicago one fall morning with a group of college classmates. We had a group paper to do on "Retailtainment," and Michigan Avenue was the center of our universe. We were gathered near the Tribune building to set our game plan for the day when I red head came walking quickly past us. Immediately we new we were in the presence of celebrity. The problem was, we didn't know which one. Kathy Lee Gifford was out-she was too famous, and we'd have recognized her. But this one, this one was tough. We all knew her, but who was she, and what did we know her from. The paper became secondary as we battled it out. "News Radio!" "No, Suddenly Susan!" "No, she's the one from that commercial. You know, ''til you die, yeah, 'til you die.'" "No! you're all kinda wrong, she's the commercial chick, but she's not in Suddenly Susan, but Talk Radio." In the end, we never drilled it down. When I got back that night, I told the yet-to-be Mrs. Jib about my brush with celeberity, and her response was, "I know you, and you get this stuff wrong all the time. You didn't meet anyone famous."

We have since become Kathy Griffin fans, even though Mrs. Jib still doesn't believe that I met-check that, saw-her on Michigan Avenue that morning. This confusion is apparently common for Griffin, and she does a great job of capitalizing on it in "D-list". Someone just jumping into the D-list might not 'get it'. If you are not familiar with Griffin, rent one of her stand up acts first. I guarantee you will get your money's worth. Then watch "D-list". You'll have an appreciation for it that might be difficult to gain without being familiar with Griffin's comedy.