Warning: This article references both sexual violence and the defense of a convicted abuser, notably in the case of child sexual abuse, as well as a brief reference to domestic violence. This may be potentially triggering for some readers.
Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher have faced a wave of criticism since it was revealed that the actors wrote letters in support of their former That ’70s Show co-star Danny Masterson, addressed to the court case’s judge prior to his sentencing for the rape of two women.
“I do not believe he is an ongoing harm to society and having his daughter raised without a present father would [sic] a tertiary injustice in and of itself,” Kutcher’s statement read. Similarly, Kunis’ letter described Masterson as an “outstanding role model and friend.”
Criticism of the married couple has come from other high-profile figures, notably fellow actors as well as prominent campaigners for abuse victims. And now, Kathy Griffin has joined the discourse against Kutcher and Kunis in a new video shared on her Instagram and TikTok accounts, becoming one of the most impactful voices in calling out the actors for not supporting the sexual assault victims in the Masterson case.
Who is Kathy Griffin and why has she taken a stand in the ongoing Danny Masterson controversy?
Kathy Griffin is an American comedian, actor, and TV host. Griffin is perhaps best known for her work as a stand-up comedian, as well as her Emmy-award-winning reality series, Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List. She is also an outspoken activist, known for her advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community, victim support, as well as her often-controversial statements against the Republican Party.
But the biggest reason Kathy Griffin has spoken out about Danny Masterson’s sexual assault conviction is because she herself was a victim of sexual abuse as a child. As previously revealed by the comedian, her brother Kenny, who was twenty years her elder, began sexually abusing her at the age of seven. Later, he would be convicted of sexually and physically abusing children, as well as women.
“[Masterson’s conviction] is such serious stuff that I don’t really care that they were working on That ’70s Show, he was like a good guy to work with, and he actively worked to keep people off drugs, ’cause he’s a Scientologist,” Griffin said, referencing Kutcher and Kunis’ letters describing Masterson’s alleged passionate advocacy against drug addiction.
In the video, Griffin told a very personal story in comparison to Masterson’s, about her decision to try and turn her brother in, after being informed about his crimes by his victims.
“Now, I don’t want to hear about Ashton and Mila and Giovanni Ribisi, and people who feel like they have to stick up for Danny Masterson, because he was their bro, he was their buddy” Griffin continued. Ribisi is an actor and fellow Scientologist who also wrote a letter in support of Masterson. “This was my own brother, and two of his girlfriends confessed to me that he physically abused them very violently. I called the LAPD [Los Angeles Police Department] twice, as he was the Super[intendent] of a building, and that’s how he gained access to his victims,”
Griffin went into detail about how a “giant rift” took place within her family who shinned her for speaking out against her brother and for her attempts to have him convicted.
Later in the video, Griffin pointed out further how difficult it is for victims of sexual abuse, especially when it comes to the abuse of children. “When I called LAPD, they actually said ‘we can only go and even do a door knock, like ask one of the victims about this, if your brother personally walks into the station and confesses, or if one of the kids confesses,” Griffin recalled. “Both times, I said ‘you think a 10-year-old is going to walk into the precinct on Bronson or whatever and ask for help? It doesn’t work that way, in this crime.”
Griffin stated that the accusations of child sexual abuse went no further due to this rule, but she continued to be subjected to abuse from relatives for her fight to attain justice. She also revealed that she has been haunted by her inability to do more about her brother’s actions.
“Blood was not thicker than water in my case, and if you know that somebody is committing SA, you should do something, if you can, my God, at least try,” Griffin concluded, directing her story and her anger toward Kunis and Kutcher’s support of the convicted rapist. “[Masterson’s case] brings up so many emotions in me, and it should in all of us, so believe the victims, for people to even go to the police, they don’t do it lightly.”
If you know someone, including a child, who is suffering from sexual violence, contact RAINN or the National Sexual Abuse Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
For advice and support for those suffering from domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline on their website, or at 800-799-SAFE (7233)