IMHO "Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List" (5.1): Place your Bette

Kathy Griffin returned to Bravo last night with the premiere of season five of My Life on the D-List ... excuse me, I mean the two-time Emmy award-winning My Life on the D-List (I think that's how you're required to say it). While there were changes to the cast and Kathy's star status, the diva remains true to her roots as a snarky icon.

The season premiere focused on Kathy's meeting with Bette Midler, and while that's enough to earn it an up arrow, it was the three-way (phone call!) with a ... certain rock goddess ... that pushed this episode into the "classic" category.

There are two significant changes this season that are addressed immediately. Kathy's long-suffering assistant Jessica has, um ... "moved on" (rumors abound, but officially she's just ... "moved on"), which leaves just bland Tiffany and Tom to do her grunt work.

There's also an attempt to address the elephant in the room that's been growing exponentially each season. Simply put, a woman who has two Emmys and can get a day-long meeting with Bette Midler can hardly be considered "D-List" anymore. Kathy is frankly too famous now to be relying on the "struggling comedian" schtick.

The show seems to realize this, so the tone of this season appears to be Kathy as "A-List-In-Training". Of course, there's still plenty of "D-List" antics (staying at the Holiday Inn Express, kissing up to the Grammy officials, etc.), but a lot of it just rings false.

Having said that, after watching the first episode and seeing Kathy take advice from The Divine Miss M, I think this season could turn out to be one of the best. Kathy seeking wisdom from the Divas of Hollywood is a brilliant idea, and may breathe new life into the show.

As far as Bette is concerned ... when did she become Bette Milder? I'm not complaining ... she'll always be a big, brassy icon, but there were moments when she seemed embarrassed to be in the company of Kathy's potty-mouth. On a side note, Bette looks fabulous for sixty-three!

The absolute highlight of the episode was when Kathy asked Bette for help in trying to win the elusive Grammy Award. Unfortunately it turns out that Bette is not a voting member, but ... might know someone who is.

Bette calls Stevie Nicks, and the three of them have a spirited conversation about the Grammys, Lindsey Buckingham, and how Kathy is Stevie's favorite "lady comedian". By the end of the phone call I was a quivering mess on the floor. Kathy Griffin, Bette Midler, and The Goddess all at one time? This kind of icon convergence happens once in a lifetime.

There were other great moments in the show: Toni Basil barking orders at Kathy (and I'm still fairly certain I'm the only person on the face of the earth who owns two Toni Basil albums), Bette and Kathy chowing down on fried Twinkies, and the two of them singing Happy Birthday to some rowdy tourists as a ... "fan" looks on:

All in all, it was a good opening to what may be the final season. I hope they continue the "A-List-In-Training" theme (and it looks like they will next week with Lily Tomlin) as it seems to bring more cohesion to the show.

What did you think of the season premiere?