By Katie Nelson, Contra Costa Times –
PLEASANTON, Calif. — A San Jose, Calif., CEO who claims she was assaulted by comedian Eddie Griffin because she is a lesbian, says she will file suit against the comedian and the club he was performing at if she doesn’t get apologies.
In an interview Tuesday, Fiona Walshe, 39, said she and her partner, Leslie Champlin, were sitting near the front of the stage at Tommy T’s Comedy Club in Pleasanton, Calif., on July 13 when Griffin stepped out, telling the audience he was already drunk and had been drinking for nearly a week.
Walshe said Griffin noticed she was not laughing and singled her out, calling her “rigid” and taunting her by saying she looked like a “librarian.”
“I get that you could get heckled about your hair or what you are wearing,” she said. “But when he saw (Champlin’s) hand on my shoulder, you could see his facial expression change. It was like that action gave him the green light.”
Walshe said Griffin escalated his teasing, shouting to the entire audience about her sexuality and volunteered to have sex with the women to “show them a good time” before proceeding to pump and grind his hips in Walshe’s face.
Messages to Griffin’s agent asking for a response were not returned Tuesday. But, in an earlier statement, Ann Flagella said Griffin was just doing his job, making people laugh, and that “all races, genders, religions and stereotypes . . . are open for material.”
A grainy video posted on Youtube by another person attending the performance revealed loud heckling inside the club after Walshe, unamused, grabbed her glass and threw her drink in Griffin’s face.
“I was like a deer caught in headlights,” Walshe said. “I felt violated and stunned. I wasn’t expecting it to be so harsh and derogatory . . . . That’s when I threw my drink at him, because I didn’t think he was going to stop. He was thrusting his genitals at my face, and it felt like it was the only defense I had — to throw my drink at him to stop.”
Walshe said she and Champlin were attacked by Griffin as they left the club. Walshe later learned that in addition to Griffin throwing water bottles from patron’s tables at them, she was also hit with salt and pepper shakers.
Walshe added that club staff did not help escort the women from the club.
Gayle Thomas, Tommy T’s’ owner, said Tuesday: “We don’t have a comment right now. It’s over and done with.”
Ruben Ruiz, Walshe’s attorney, said Tuesday that Walshe plans to sue if the comedian and club owners do not apologize.
“Anybody can say ‘I’m sorry,’ ” Walshe said. “A child can say it a thousand times. But unless there is a monetary factor here, (their apologies) will not make a statement.”
