Vagina Tattoo

Watching Kathy Griffin on Bravo TV's “My Life on the D-List” is about as uncomfortable as a pap smear. You hope the two-time Emmy and one-time Grammy nominated comedian doesn't say anything over the top but then burst out laughing when she does. You hope she's not going to be inappropriate when meeting people who don't quite get her humor, but you have to chuckle at how she doesn't seem to give a damn. Even when she has more sympathetic moments like replacing her dog Chance who died during the filming of the show, she perks up quickly to talk about the next dog she'll get and makes all kinds of fun of the dog trainer who brings over two dogs who “walk themselves.” But when Kathy Griffin decided to battle cervical cancer by doing a public pap smear, that's when this show went from an A to an A+ on my list.

Her mother was stunned, told her some things need to be private, asked to not be invited and told her a public pap smear was a terrible idea. What'd she do? She turned around, formed her legs into a V-shape and tried to hold a regular conversation with her. That is Kathy for you. She's probably the only person who can make Chelsea Lately seem classy in comparison to her. Politically correct, she is not. She said she's a “strong, black woman” and walked around with a shower cap because she was “not messing up my hair.” That was definitely a sista moment that I'd absolutely do. She told Chelsea Lately she'd “do” her in order to get to Chelsea Lately's brother. She's got jokes times a million, especially when it comes to Snookie from “Jersey Shore.” But even when she's funny, she knows when to be serious.

The public pap smear may seem like it's in poor taste to a more prudish group. But as soon as I watched that episode of “My Life on the D-List,” it made me wonder about the last time I got a full physical. There was an Iranian girl who said her parents never talked about anything like pap smears and she didn't even know what it was. Yes, Kathy Griffin got a bikini wax and her vagina Vajazzled with small stars. Yes, she managed to talk her assistant into getting a bikini wax on his testicles. I, for one, have had a bikini wax before and that is not a fun appointment. Although I didn't scream the way Kathy did, I think it was more out of shock than being aware of my surroundings. Between that and tattoo laser surgery, I still haven't decided which one is more painful. The waxing takes way longer though.

But she got her waxing and Vajazzle like a trooper, although it had nothing to do with getting a pap smear besides being entertaining to watch. She strolled into the pool area of a hotel in stilettos and a bikini, managed to find a gynecologist who would do the public pap smear and followed through, waving to the camera the whole time. Pap smears are uncomfortable but not painful so I could see posing for the camera. But posing with over 100 eyeballs looking at her is all Kathy. Classy or not, I'm willing to bet somebody went home and made a pap smear appointment.

Sometimes taking the taboo out of a topic makes people more willing to talk about it. And why should a medical procedure meant to help fight cancer and infections be treated like something to be ashamed about? Go Kathy, you and your Vejazzled vagina.