Kathy Griffin opens up about her brother’s past as a pedophile and its impact on their relationship. Learn more about their family’s struggles and how they are moving forward. has spoken out about the ‘violent’ way she discovered who her brother really was
Warning: This article contains discussion of child abuse, domestic abuse, sexual assault and drug addiction which some readers may find distressing.
Kathy Griffin has revealed the ‘really heavy’ way she found out her brother was a pedophile and her relationship with him once she found out.
The 64-year-old comedian is best known for her iconic roles in iconic US sitcom Seinfeld and her reality show Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List.
However, what even the biggest of fans may’ve not been aware of is, a traumatic part of her life which occurred in her childhood – growing up and finding out at the age of 10 years old that her brother was a pedophile.
In an interview with podcast The Skinny Confidential, Griffin revealed she ‘had a brother that was a pedophile’.
“It was just a very heavy thing, it was very divisive in my family obviously,” she explained.
She continued: “I have a tremendous amount of empathy for my mom and dad because I know that my dad did not molest my brother – he was molested by a coach and a priest.
“I have the most empathy for his victims though.”
Griffin noted she cut all ties with her brother once she found out, having ‘no relationship’ whatsoever.
Revealing her brother’s wife ‘told her’ and it was ‘really heavy’, she recalled: “Not everyone in the family believed her. He was also physically abusive to her.
“Also just to be told as a 10-year-old: ‘By the way, your brother molests children and he beats me’. And then he did beat that woman right up in front of me, my sister and my brother – threw her right across the room. And it was such a violent act and it was so intense.
“That was the first time my parents had to deal with that part of his personality.”
And where her brother is now?
Well, Griffin’s brother ultimately went to prison and later passed away – the actor explaining he overdosed on ‘crack’.
“I think the coach and the priest molesting him is probably what made him like that and as far as being an addict, I don’t know, I’m in recovery for a pill addiction myself.” she reflected.
“He was homeless here on the streets of Los Angeles and sometimes I would see him if I was going to an audition,” she added, noting if she saw him, she would ‘keep driving’.
Griffin resolved: “I don’t support pedophiles.”
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues or want to speak to someone in confidence regarding the welfare of a child, the Childhelp USA National Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and receives calls from throughout the United States, Canada, US Virgin Islands, Guam and Puerto Rico.