Woman May Sue Comedian Eddie Griffin Over Pleasanton Heckling
PLEASANTON (CBS 5) -- A Bay Area woman is threatening to sue comedian Eddie Griffin, saying he crossed the line when he recently heckled her at a Pleasanton comedy club.
It was a chaotic scene as a woman throws her drink at Griffin at Tommy T's. Fiona Walshe said she was taunted by Griffin for being a lesbian.
Attorney Ruben Ruiz, who is representing Walshe, said she wants an apology or she will file suit.
"She was publicly humiliated. She felt like she couldn't leave and she was scared," Ruiz said.
Walshe, a CEO from San Jose, was sitting near the stage when her partner put her arm on her. Ruiz said Griffin was drunk at the time.
"When he spoke to her, he made eye contact with her. He told her he wanted to sleep with her and used very graphic sexual motions with his hips toward her face," Ruiz said.
Ruiz said Griffin threw water bottles at Walshe when she left.
Griffin's spokesperson Ann Flagella issued a statement to the media saying, "He was doing his job and making the audience laugh .... ALL races, religions, genders and stereotypes are considered EQUAL on stage and are all open for material."
Ruiz said Walshe was ready to let the incident go, but hired a lawyer after seeing Griffin's expletive-laden defense on his Facebook page.
"She was targeted primarily for her sexual orientation," Ruiz said.
Gayle Thomas, the owner of Tommy T's, is standing by Griffin, saying, "My apology goes out to everyone else. They got an ending that wasn't supposed to happen."
Walshe's attorney said she wants an apology that includes monetary compensation, but won't say how much.
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