Kathy Griffin has revealed that she recently underwent a third facelift, along with an upper eyelid procedure and chin work, performed by Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Ben Talei. The comedian, 64, shared the news during a latest episode of her Talk Your Head Off podcast on August 5, explaining that her cosmetic journey now includes multiple surgeries.
“It’s my third. I know that’s so vain! I’m so vain for no reason. No one has ever gone to a Kathy Griffin show to see her beautiful, youthful face,” she quipped, adding that audiences come to hear her jokes, not to scrutinize her appearance. “I don’t want you to come to care what I look like. I’m in Lululemons today for God’s sake. I’m in my fat pants.”
Griffin described the eye work as an upper blepharoplasty, noting the addition of a “cat eye stitch” to lift the corners of her eyes, while also confirming chin work. “There’s a stitch in my chin, which you’re probably not going to see unless you’re under me, but not in that way,” she joked.
The star also pushed back against the notion that plastic surgery is painless. “I’m going to be honest. It’s painful. So these bitches that are like, ‘It’s like getting a tooth filled! It’s nothing!’ No, it’s painful,” she said.
For recovery, Griffin said she stayed at a “rich lady recovery place” and was sent home with a nurse. She described the first days after surgery as “disgusting,” recalling drains that came out of her chin and the overall, unglamorous side of healing, all while noting that vanity ultimately dominates during recovery.
This episode isn’t Griffin’s first time opening up about her appearance. In her 2009 memoir, Official Book Club Selection: A Memoir According to Kathy Griffin, she revealed that she had a nose job at 26 due to Hollywood pressures, describing the experience candidly and reflecting on how external judgments influenced her decisions.
Griffin’s latest disclosures underscore a broader conversation about aging, cosmetic procedures, and the pressures faced by public figures in Hollywood. By sharing her experiences so openly, she joins a growing list of celebrities who speak frankly about the realities and trade-offs of cosmetic surgery, while reaffirming her commitment to delivering her comedy and keeping audiences engaged.
Summary for readers: Kathy Griffin has publicly detailed her third facelift, blepharoplasty, and chin work, performed by Dr. Ben Talei, along with the painful and imperfect aspects of recovery. She has long discussed her relationship with appearance, including a nose job at age 26, and her openness continues to fuel conversations about beauty standards in show business. A hopeful note is that she remains focused on making people laugh while navigating the realities of aging in the public eye.