Margaret Cho mocks Lindsey Graham hours after senator’s death

Comedian Margaret Cho mocked Sen. Lindsey Graham in a social media video posted hours after the South Carolina Republican died on July 11 at age 71.

According to the District of Columbia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Graham died from an aortic dissection related to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Cho’s remarks referenced longstanding rumors about Graham’s sexuality before alluding to Sen. Mitch McConnell and the superstition that deaths come in threes.

With the caption, “Bye gurl,” Cho posted the video on both TikTok and Instagram, saying, “Bye Lindsey, bye Lindsey Graham. From the closet to the coffin. Real seamless. Real seamless.” She continued, “Also, yeah, Mitch McConnell. So it’s Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham. It does happen in threes. Hope.”

The phrase “from the closet to the coffin” referenced longstanding speculation about Graham’s sexuality that circulated throughout his political career. Graham never publicly identified as LGBTQ+. An openly bisexual comedian, Cho has spent decades advocating for LGBTQ+ rights and has often incorporated political commentary, including criticism of conservative lawmakers, into her stand-up and public appearances.

Cho’s reference to McConnell came as the 84-year-old Kentucky Republican remained away from the Senate while recovering from injuries sustained in a fall and a bout of pneumonia. Cho did not identify a third person.

In the comments section, many users either praised the comedian or celebrated Graham’s death. Among the responses were, “It’s been a good week,” “It’s a great day,” “What a brilliant way to end the weekend” and “Love your humor.”

Several commenters echoed Cho’s political sarcasm. One user wrote, “I will grieve this loss with my concepts of thoughts and prayers,” while another responded, “Hope core.” Others posted, “What a joyous day!” and “I have a little extra pep in my step today!”

Critics objected to mocking Graham so soon after his death. One commenter wrote, “I don’t hope or wish bad on anyone.” Another said, “A video tells a lot about a person. I do not like MANY people but never celebrated a death or more deaths.” A third added, “I feel very sorry for you, I hope you find it in yourself to get rid of the hate. Life is too short.”

Graham served more than 30 years in Congress, winning election to the U.S. House in 1994 before joining the Senate in 2003. He became one of the Republican Party’s leading voices on foreign policy, supporting military intervention abroad and advocating continued U.S. assistance for Israel and Ukraine. Just days before his death, he visited Ukraine while promoting legislation that would impose additional sanctions on Russia.

During the 2016 Republican presidential primary, Graham was one of Donald Trump’s most outspoken critics. He called Trump “a race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot” and argued that he did not represent the Republican Party’s values. After Trump won the presidency, Graham forged a close relationship with him, eventually chairing the Senate Judiciary Committee and overseeing confirmation hearings for several of Trump’s judicial nominees, including Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett.

Graham briefly distanced himself from Trump after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, declaring on the Senate floor, “Trump and I, we’ve had a hell of a journey… All I can say is, count me out. Enough is enough.” The split proved temporary. Graham later campaigned with Trump during the 2024 election cycle and secured Trump’s endorsement in his successful bid for a fifth Senate term. Following Graham’s death, Trump called him “one of the finest people I’ve ever known” and praised his decades of public service.