Kathy Griffin, a comedian, has stated she believes she is blacklisted from "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" because she is considered "too controversial." However, insiders close to the host have disputed this assertion, telling the Daily Mail that there is no ban in place.
Griffin, 65, shared her thoughts in an Instagram video, noting that she has not appeared on the show since Jimmy Fallon took over as host in 2014. She recalled her previous appearances on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon," which aired before "The Tonight Show," stating she was on the earlier program in 2010 and 2011.
"I have not done the Jimmy Fallon show since it was on at 12:30 Eastern and Pacific," Griffin said in the video. "So I guess I'm banned from the Fallon show, or inappropriate or too controversial - I don't even know."
She expressed that when a show decides to ban a guest, they typically do not explicitly state it but rather "can't seem to find room for you."
Griffin clarified that she holds no personal animosity towards Fallon, whom she described as "super nice" during her earlier appearances. However, she did criticize his decision to have Conor McGregor on the show, calling it a "bad call."
Griffin referenced a 2024 civil lawsuit in which McGregor was ordered to pay approximately $285,000 plus court costs after a stylist alleged sexual assault. McGregor denied the claims, stating the relations were consensual. An appeal by McGregor was dismissed in July 2025.
"I think the Fallon folks made a mistake by having Conor McGregor on," Griffin stated. "I think it sends yet another message to women and marginalized folks everywhere that we're not equal and you can do anything to us and the perpetrators are still gonna be out there being glorified."
She drew a parallel to President Donald Trump's 2016 appearance on "The Tonight Show," where Fallon ruffled his hair, a gesture that drew criticism after the election. Griffin suggested it's time to decide "who we're gonna cancel and who we're not," adding, "Take it from the most canceled celebrity in history! ... As the kids say, do better."
Griffin, who previously faced significant professional and personal repercussions after posting a photo holding a replica of Donald Trump's severed head, stated earlier this year that she felt "uncanceled." The fallout from that 2016 photo cost her jobs and led to a federal investigation. She recounted a seven-year period of no work before returning to touring, which she documented in a special called "Kathy Griffin: My Life on the PTSD List."
Despite feeling she has moved past the controversy, Griffin acknowledged that the image continues to define her in the public eye. The backlash from the photo resulted in the loss of her CNN New Year's Eve hosting gig with Anderson Cooper. At the time, Trump tweeted that Griffin should be ashamed and that the image was difficult for his children to process.