Kathy Griffin says hard launch of 43-year age gap 'relationship' was a 'sociological experiment'

Kathy Griffin has left fans scratching their heads after sharing, then explaining, a viral Instagram post involving a mystery man three decades her junior.

The 65-year-old comedian and Emmy winner shared a photo on July 9 of herself holding hands with an unidentified younger man as the pair walked down the street in matching black outfits.

She captioned the post: "He's 22. Have at it, internet," followed by a fire emoji, and the reactions came thick and fast.

Fans flooded the comments with a mix of support and side-eye.

One follower wrote: "You only get one go around…have fun while you're doing it!!!!" while another added: "Madonna did it, why can't you." Others were less convinced, with one pointing out that Griffin had previously admitted the age gap in her last marriage "was a bad idea."

Griffin herself seemed thrilled with the chaos, responding to the flood of comments with: "I AM DYING AT THESE COMMENTS."

Then, a day later, she revealed what was really going on. The man in the photo wasn't a new partner at all, he was actually part of her security team during a trip to New York City.

"Thanks to all those who participated in my social media sociological experiment!" she wrote. "No, I'm not dating this 22 year-old. He was helping me with security during my trip to NYC. But...what if I were? The reactions were fascinating."

Why did Kathy Griffin fake dating a 22-year-old?

Griffin explained she'd deliberately set out to see how people would react to an age-gap relationship involving an older woman, and the results split sharply depending on the platform.

On Instagram, she said the response was largely positive, but on Threads she said she was met with far harsher judgement, including accusations of 'grooming' and comments calling the idea 'gross'.

She used the experiment to call out what she sees as a glaring double standard in how ageing is treated in Hollywood, name-checking a string of long-term celebrity couples with significant age gaps, including Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart, and Jay-Z and Beyoncé, while pointing out that similar reactions rarely follow men.

Has Kathy Griffin actually dated younger men before?

Griffin's stunt isn't entirely detached from her real dating history. Her ex-husband, Randy Bick, was 18 years her junior, and she filed for divorce in 2023, with the split finalised in January 2025.

In an essay for The Cut last December, Griffin later revealed she'd 'accidentally' fallen for a 23-year-old following that divorce, writing that he "didn't have the usual sexism, misogyny, and biases that guys my age tend to have" and that he 'seemed to see me'.

She ultimately ended things, saying she felt her own baggage would get in the way.

Griffin wrapped up her reveal post by reassuring fans it was all in good fun, writing: "Relax... just a little harmless fun with you guys with an IG post."

The comedian also had other news to share this week, revealing she's set to appear as a guest judge on Canada's Drag Race: All Stars, telling her followers she'd "had a blast" filming with the cast.