By Tom Rose
Fancast.com
Is there a better job in the world than lucking into an assistant's gig on Team Griffin? I just watched episode 2 of My Life on the D-List and I'm still tingling from the contact high. Kathy Griffin is a whirling dervish of hilarity, genius and affectionate consideration. She spends the entire show devoted to promoting the careers of her mundane yet quirky staff, particularly Tom and Tiffany, and she's only a little bit jealous when they're a bigger hit than she is.
But there's a mad promoter underneath it all. Who knew she was such a business genius? Apparently the way to push your minions into buying tacky KG merch is to hang a new blackberry off the end of a stick and the world opens up at your feet. How about if you're bent on winning a Grammy? Most of us only dream of being the lucky recipient of the coveted awards bestowed by the Big 3: Movies, Music and Television. Never one to sit and wait for it, Kathy devises an ambitious plan that virtually locks up the nomination. Just adopt a gay crack baby and title your next CD: "Kathy Griffin's Grammy Award Winning Comedy Album." Brilliant.
It's a fun filled hour of traveling to the home towns of her road manager, Tom Vize and personal assistant Tiffany Rhinehart. In St. Louis, the Mayor proclaims it "Tom Vize Day" and his cop brother helps Kathy beat him up in a park with a baton, then takes them all off to the shooting range. Turns out crazy Tom's a crack shot. Don't turn your back Kathy. Then it's on to Tracy, California where Tiffany's grandma Millie dispenses expert promotional advice that puts Team Griffin over the top on the Blackberry blackmail deal. In both towns she plays to packed audiences. All along the way everybody gets in the mood produced by Kathy's infectious, irresistible warmth and camaraderie. Except for the print reporter from Sacramento who has the effrontery to admit "I'm not a fan." Kathy concentrates on the pastry and ignores him. He'll have a pink slip on his desk in the morning I'll bet.
The show is building to a delicious crescendo, I'm certain of it. Next week it's on to New Zealand for the Gay Mardi Gras. In the meantime I'll be scouring Craigslist for blind items looking for interns. Anybody wanna buy a T Shirt?
