After her divorce from Randy Bick, Kathy Griffin found herself unexpectedly stepping into what she jokingly describes as her “cougar era.”
In a recent personal essay, the 65-year-old comedian revealed that while rebuilding her life after the split, she developed strong feelings for a 23-year-old man — a connection she never anticipated.
Griffin, who separated from Bick in 2023 and finalized their divorce earlier this year, wrote that the relationship caught her off guard. She described how the younger man’s outlook felt refreshingly different from that of men her own age.
“Because of his age, he didn’t have the usual sexism, misogyny, and biases that guys my age tend to have,” she explained. “He seemed to see me. I know that sounds corny — and honestly, kind of lame — but I felt really comfortable with him. I was content just hanging out.”
She admitted that the relationship affected her deeply, even though she knew it wasn’t destined to last.
“I really was in love with him,” Griffin wrote. “He touched my heart.”
What stayed with her most, she said, was the reminder that emotional connection and vulnerability don’t disappear with age. The experience reassured her that she was still capable of falling in love in her 60s.
“It was nice to know that my heart could still feel like that,” she reflected. “And it was nice for the universe to show me someone I genuinely enjoyed and respected.”
Griffin described the man as intelligent, adaptable, and thoughtful — someone who could move easily through different social worlds. She acknowledged that their bond felt rare.
“We just clicked,” she said. “And that kind of click doesn’t happen very often.”
Despite his insistence that he didn’t want children and could imagine being with her long-term, Griffin ultimately felt the age gap made the future uncertain. She explained that people in their early 20s often believe they know exactly what they want — a perspective she recognizes from her own youth.
“I wouldn’t do that to him,” she wrote. “When I was 23, I thought I knew everything, but I didn’t. So I had to let him go.”
Though the relationship eventually ended, Griffin said she doesn’t regret giving it a chance.
“We went with it for a while,” she concluded. “And then it was time to move on.”
Griffin married Randy Bick in 2020 after dating on and off for several years. She was previously married to Matt Moline, with that marriage ending in divorce in 2006.
