Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List (review)

I never thought it would happen, but it has: I found a reality show that I can actually stomach. No, scratch that: I flat-out love this snide and sneakily sweet look at the underbelly of fame and fortune by a pseudoceleb whose star doesn’t shine quite as brightly as it might. Comedian Kathy Griffin’s observations of the perils and pitfalls of sorta-fame -- like constantly being mistaken for Kathie Lee Gifford, or worse, not being recognized at all -- pile up into a hilarious puncturing of celebrity lifestyles and the public’s obsession with them. For, you see, this smart gal with an irretrievably smartass approach to everything exists in a twilight zone between fame and obscurity, drawn to the flame like the unapologetic starfucker she is and simultaneously repulsed by it like only someone who has had a hint of how unpleasant it can be to be a celebrity can know. All six episodes from the debut season on cable network Bravo are here, and they are a trashy joy to behold, mostly because they’re nowhere near as trashy as Griffin would like them to be. Only someone on the A-list -- or, okay, maybe the B-list -- could pull off pretending to be less than what she is this entertainingly. Extras include a sneak peek at Season Two and, much better, the entirety of Griffin’s HBO standup special Kathy Griffin Is... Not Nicole Kidman. [buy at Amazon]

(Technorati tags: Kathy Griffin, D-list)