Kathy Griffin pays the price: CNN fires comedian from New Year’s Eve lineup following anti-Trump ‘severed head’ photo shoot – hours after she lost a Route 66 Casino gig and an endorsement deal

CNN has booted Kathy Griffin from co-hosting its New Year’s Eve show with Anderson Cooper
Griffin is seen holding up Donald Trump’s bloody, severed head for shock-value in a photo shoot captured on video
She has since apologized, saying: ‘I am sorry. I went too far. I was wrong’
The apology was not enough to stop Trump himself from blasting her as ‘sick’
The first lady called it ‘very disturbing’ and ‘simply wrong’
11-year-old Barron Trump reportedly saw the image on TV and thought it was real
Democratic Senator Al Franken is refusing to cancel a public appearance with Griffin schedule for July
But she has already seen a casino gig canceled, and lost an endorsement deal with Squatty Potty, an ergonomic toilet-aid footstool company

CNN has fired comedian Kathy Griffin from her annual gig co-hosting its New Year’s Eve program with network anchor Anderson Cooper, following a shock-value photo shoot that depicted her holding President Donald Trump‘s blood-gushing severed head.

‘CNN has terminated our agreement with Kathy Griffin to appear on our New Year’s Eve program,’ the network’s PR department tweeted.

Trump’s 11-year-old son Barron reportedly saw his father’s decapitated head on television after news of the D-list celebrity’s publicity stunt became news – and thought it was real.

First lady Melania Trump said that ‘[a]s a mother, a wife, and a human being, that photo is very disturbing.’

‘When you consider some of the atrocities happening in the world today, a photo opportunity like this is simply wrong and makes you wonder about the mental health of the person who did it.’

The president lashed out at Kathy Griffin on Wednesday morning, saying she ‘should be ashamed of herself’ for posting video of the photo shoot on social media.

‘My children, especially my 11 year old son, Barron, are having a hard time with this. Sick!’ Trump tweeted.

The Trumps’ anger, and public pressure, became too much for CNN to withstand.

But one liberal politician has decided to stay with Griffin, refusing to cancel a joint appearance in July.

Minnesota Democratic Sen. Al Franken told CNN ‘Yes,’ when asked if he plans on appearing with Griffin in his home state.

‘I think she did the right thing,” Franken said of Griffin’s eventual apology. ‘I think asking for forgiveness and acknowledging that this, this was a horrible mistake.’

The Route 66 Casino near Albuquerque, New Mexico was less forgiving.

‘The performance by Kathy Griffin on July 22nd has been cancelled,’ the company wrote on its Facebook page. ‘Any guests that did purchase tickets will receive a full refund.’