It's no secret that comedian Kathy Griffin is not a supporter of President Donald Trump. On Tuesday, the 56-year-old posted a photograph of her holding a bloodied mask of Donald Trump. The image was taken by photographer Tyler Shields.
Image goes viral
Griffin posted the photo on her Instagram page early Tuesday but has since taken the image down. There was outrage all over social media about the photo, and even those who despise President Trump agreed that the image was too much. On Tuesday evening, Griffin posted a video apology on her Twitter page and promised to remove the photo.
Her apology stated the following.
"Hey everybody, it's me, Kathy Griffin. I sincerely apologize. I am just now seeing the reaction to these images. I'm a comic. I crossed the line. I move the line. Then I cross it. I went way too far. The image is too disturbing. I understand how it offends people. It wasn't funny. I get it. I've made a lot of mistakes in my career. I will continue. I ask your forgiveness. Taking down the image. I am going to ask the photographer to take down the image. And I beg for your forgiveness. I went too far. I made a mistake and I was wrong."
Griffin, who has over two million Twitter followers, is known for her harsh comedy. She rarely shies away from anything and apologies are not something people will usually receive from her.
The photographer who took the controversial photos still has the image on his Twitter page, and he has over 101,000 followers.
Who is Tyler Shields?
Tyler Shields is a Los Angeles-based photographer and filmmaker who is no stranger to controversy. When it comes to his work, the 35-year-old relies heavily on as much shock value as possible.
The use of violent images in his photographs has come to be expected and is usually applauded, except for in this case.
Exhibits of Shields' work can be found all over the world. He has exhibits in galleries throughout Hollywood, London, Australia, Dallas and more. He has photographed many celebrities, including Lindsay Lohan, Francesca Eastwood and Emma Roberts.
Shields not only makes movies and photographs, but he also has the title of author on his resume. He wrote two books of photography, one in 2013 and another in 2016. The first book was titled "The Dirty Side of Glamour" and focuses on the excess that takes place in Hollywood along with the trappings of celebrity.
His second book came out last year and is called "Provocateur." In this one, Shields shares many of his most seductive photos with some of the most beautiful people in Hollywood. The sales of both of his books will likely go up following this latest controversy.
