Arts & Entertainment
Kathy Griffin claims she knew Gloria Vanderbilt better than Anderson Cooper
The comedian says she and her ex-friend have not reconciled

Kathy Griffin claims she knew Anderson Cooper’s late mother Gloria Vanderbilt better than he did while discussing her ex-friend in an interview with “AM to DM” on Wednesday.
Griffin, who was promoting her documentary “Kathy Griffin: A Hell of a Story,” praised Vanderbilt and commented on their close relationship.
“I was really in love with Anderson’s mom, the great Gloria Vanderbilt. She let me call her Glo-Vandy,” Griffin says of Vanderbilt who died at the age of 95 in June. “She gave me so many life lessons when we would chat, and I actually kind of knew her better than Anderson in a way.”
Griffin was asked if Cooper had reached out to her since his mother’s death and the comedian replied, “No, Anderson’s not really wired that way.”
“Anderson Cooper and [CNN President] Jeff Zucker are cut from the same cloth. I’ve known Jeff for a long time, but a lot of these older white guys hate me, and they’ve hated me for years, because I’ve been a ballsy chick my whole career and I’ve never learned my lesson,” she says. “Misogyny and sexism are part of my message, and as I get older, I don’t have a f**k left to give. I really don’t.”
Cooper and Griffin were friends and co-hosts of CNN’s New Year’s Eve special, but Griffin was fired by the network after posing in a controversial photo with a replica of Donald Trump’s severed head. Griffin bashed Cooper at the time for not defending her during the fallout.
The Capital Pride Alliance presented the 2026 Capital Pride Honors at “The Audacity Brunch: In Full Fuchsia” at the Four Seasons Hotel Washington, D.C. on Sunday, June 7.
(Washington Blade photos by Landon Shackelford)












Out & About
Congressional Cemetery hosts Gays & Graves
Daylong Pride celebration blends history, remembrance, art and community
Historic Congressional Cemetery will host the second annual “Gays & Graves: A Big Gay Festival” on Sunday, June 14 at 11 a.m.
The event will feature pioneering activist Randy Wicker, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, and new public art installations and programs celebrating LGBTQ+ history. Gays & Graves is an official partner event of Capital Pride 2026.
This event is a daylong Pride celebration blending history, remembrance, art and community. Visitors can shop from LGBTQ+ and allied artists and makers, experience performances and interactive installations, and engage with programs exploring LGBTQ+ history and lived experience.
For more details, visit the cemetery’s website.
Baltimore Pride is underway, taking place from June 8-14.
The Pride Parade will be on Saturday, June 13 at 12 p.m. at Charles Street & North Avenue, followed by the Pride Block Party at 1 p.m. at Druid Hill Park. And then the Pride Festival will be held on Sunday, June 14 at 12 p.m. at Druid Hill Park.
There will be an array of additional events including: a fashion show, a “Suits and Sneakers” reception and a 5k race, among many other events.
For more details, visit Baltimore Pride’s website.
