Kathy Griffin appears to be having the time of her life celebrating her recovery from lung cancer. In a sun-drenched video the Search Party star shared on social media, she’s taking in a glorious ocean view from the calm waters of an infinity pool. Oh, and she’s nude. Alongside this clip, the comedian shared some exciting news: “6 month lung cancer scan is CLEAN!!! No more #cancer,” she wrote on Instagram and Twitter. “And yes, i’m skinny dipping in the pool while shaking my boobs and butt. SO WHAT?”
The joyful video, viewed nearly 700,000 times across her social media accounts at press time, received a stream of encouraging comments from actors including Adam Devine, Debra Messing, and Ben Stiller. Some of her fans also took to the comments section to share the various ways in which they celebrated being cancer-free, with some of them also including a bit of nudity. We get it, being cancer-free is liberating. Being nude? Also very liberating.
The 61-year-old comedian and actor revealed back in August that she had been diagnosed with lung cancer. “I’ve got to tell you guys something. I have cancer. I’m about to go into surgery to have half of my left lung removed,” Griffin said on Twitter. “Yes, I have lung cancer even though I’ve never smoked! The doctors are very optimistic as it is stage one and contained to my left lung. Hopefully no chemo or radiation after this and I should have normal function with my breathing.”
It makes sense that Griffin would bring smoking into the conversation. According to the Mayo Clinic, smoking causes the majority of lung cancer cases, a fact that has been observed in both smokers and in people who have been exposed to secondhand smoke. Those who smoke cigarettes are 15 to 30 times more likely to develop lung cancer or to die from lung cancer than those who do not smoke at all, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But the CDC has also found that between 10% to 20% of lung cancer cases, or 20,000 to 40,000 each year, occur in nonsmokers. Which was the case for Griffin.
Griffin first announced that her cancer had gone into remission in November 2021 during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Since having surgery to remove half of one of her lungs, she has shared regular public updates of her journey, including her first coastal walks after the operation as well as updates that her voice had become “really hoarse” as a result of the surgery. “It will heal, but I’m sort of enjoying it. I’m a good two octaves higher, I think,” she said at the time. “It’s higher than Mariah Carey, I know that.”
Related:
- Why Kathy Griffin Had Half Her Lung Removed
- 5 Things No One Tells You About Living With Lung Cancer
- 5 Early Signs of Lung Cancer You Need to Know