Why Kathy Griffin and Gay Men Are Not Strange Bedfellows

Kathy Griffin is a heterosexual woman, one wouldn't know by her comedy chops. Anyone who looks closer can see she has an inner gay man writing her material. Her brilliance has recently met wider acclaim thanks to the "in-the-closet" network, Bravo, and her Emmy nominated reality series, Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List.

Her standup comedy performances have long garnered respect from critics and audiences while at the same time garnering scorn from celebrities, but why is she such a gay bedfellow? Kathy is quickly joining the ranks of Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli, Bette Midler, Cher and Madonna, gay iconography in the form of women. Obviously Kathy Griffin connects with her gay fans and has a deep appreciation for them, but why?

Both gay men and Kathy are outsiders. Gay men are on the fringes of sexuality society, and only in recent years have been able to come out of the closet in respect to mainstream media attention. Griffin is a self proclaimed "D-Lister" who doesn't fit in with mainstream Hollywood.

As outsiders, gay men hold a stereotype of being "bitchy" and "caddy" criticizing everything from fashion to music, hair styles to attitudes. Griffin too holds true to the bitchy and caddy stereotype. Everyone knows that stereotypes always hold a little truth, that's how they become stereotypes.

Celebrity obsessed culture, entertainment junkies and pop culture fanatics are all hallmarks of the gays and Kathy. While Kathy rags on A-List celebrities on stage, gays gossip on the latest diva news in gay-bar-anywhere-USA. Kathy and gays can dish on any given celebrity, they watch the same television shows, read the same magazines and follow all the award shows, only to dig up dirt on the "Hollywood Royalty."

Dysfunctional families seem to have spawned both gay men and Kathy Griffin. Whether it might be an overbearing mom or distant father, or wine-o parents and swearing/cursing Catholics, gay men and Kathy share a fondness for the dysfunction that they understand and find humor in at the same time.

It is no wonder that throngs of gay men worship their very own D-List Diva with fire-y red hair and spunky attitude. They are one in the same. Kathy is obviously appreciative of "her gays" that she always looks for in her audiences. Perhaps Kathy's parents were hoping for a gay male child, and ended up with a hilariously funny hell raiser of a comedian, the A-List's worst nightmare. Watch out Renee, Britney, Lindsey and Paris, Kathy is aiming for you, and she's got countless gay males as backup.