Comedian Kathy Griffin’s Text Prank War with Sharon Stone and Resurfaced Will Smith Anecdote
Known for her playful nature, comedian Kathy Griffin recently revealed her ongoing prank targeting friend Sharon Stone. The actress has become the unsuspecting recipient of Griffin’s mischievous antics, finding herself added to numerous group text conversations with strangers.
Sharon Stone’s Hilarious Reaction to Text Chain Pranks
Griffin, recognized for her role in “Suddenly Susan,” shared with Us Weekly that her playful torment of Stone involves inserting her into “random text chains with people she doesn’t know.”
According to Griffin, the “Basic Instinct” star’s response has been less than thrilled. “Sharon,” she recounted, “keeps side-texting me and says, ‘I’m going to f**king kill you. Stop adding my phone number to people I’m never going to meet.'”
Prank’s Origin Revealed on Jimmy Kimmel Live
The origin of this amusing feud was unveiled during Griffin’s November 2024 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
“My new favorite hobby is that every time Sharon Stone blows me off for a dinner date, I add her to a random text chain,” the comedian confessed to a laughing Kimmel. She added, “Jimmy, she, like, wants to kill me.”
Escalating Text Shenanigans
Kimmel inquired about the frequency of these digital practical jokes.
“Around four,” Griffin responded, specifying the large group size: “And they’re like 17-person text chains.”
Confirming the personal nature of the prank, Kimmel clarified, “And it’ll say, ‘Sharon Stone has been added to the conversation?'”
Griffin confirmed it was indeed Stone’s “real number,” not a professional contact. Kimmel, amused by the idea, admitted, “I’m going to use that, I like that idea.”
Kathy Griffin Revisits Early Encounter with Will Smith on Fresh Prince Set
In a separate anecdote, Kathy Griffin seems to be reigniting a past, perceived slight with Will Smith. The comedian, known for her outspoken nature, claimed Smith gave her a frosty reception decades prior, long before her criticisms of his infamous Oscars slap.
Recalling a ‘Cold Shoulder’ on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
During a recent episode of her “Talk Your Head Off” podcast, Griffin reminisced about her early Hollywood experiences, specifically a guest role on “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” in 1990.
According to Griffin, Smith, then an emerging star, seemingly disregarded her presence until filming commenced.
“This was the first big gig I had,” she stated, adding, “He did not talk to me until show day.”
Griffin clarified that the episode was filmed before “The Fresh Prince” premiered, when Smith was primarily known as a musician.
She suggested that Smith “ignored her all week because he’s launching a gigantic show.”
“When I finally got to talk to him on shooting day, which was Friday, I said, ‘What would you like me to call you, Fresh Prince or Will?’ And he said, ‘You can call me Will,'” she continued.
Griffin expressed feeling “nervous” around Smith, recalling the presence of Jazzy Jeff, which excited the live audience. She speculated, “He may have even DJ’d, if I recall correctly.”
Warming Up as Cameras Rolled
While acknowledging the pressure on Smith as the lead of a new show, Griffin maintained he was aloof throughout the week, only becoming personable when filming began.
“He really took his time to kind of get to know me a little bit,” she recounted. “And he was asking about me and helping me relax.”
Despite not verbally expressing her nervousness, Griffin believes Smith sensed her inexperience with such large productions.
Resurfaced Tension Following Oscars Criticism
This revived recollection of tension between Griffin and Smith arises after years of Griffin publicly criticizing him for the 2022 Oscars incident involving Chris Rock.
Leading up to the 2024 Academy Awards, Griffin amplified her critique by sharing an old clip of Joan Rivers jokingly slapping her, quipping, “Joan and I walked so Chris and Will could run… my jaw still hurts.”
