I’ll never forget the first time I saw Joan Rivers. I was maybe 8 or 9 years old and she was hosting an Oscar’s red carpet special on E!. Clad in a sparkly champagne colored gown that revealed some cleavage, Joan with microphone in hand, flagged down every A-lister that walked by. Some would stop and do an impromptu interview with the comedienne. They would uncomfortably laugh at her jokes about them, while others passed her by – either ignoring her or even giving her the finger as they did. She had a reputation for being a ball buster, and she was. At the 2004 Grammys, fellow comedienne Margaret Cho walked the red carpet in a peacocked feathered gown in which Joan Rivers chagrined: “It looks like 22 gay Robin Hoods took a shot at her”.
Love or hate her, you couldn’t deny that Joan Rivers was entertaining.
At 81, Joan Rivers pretty much did everything in showbiz. She was a pioneering female comic who became a frequent guest and later cohost of the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. After, there was a brief stint as a late night host and then a daytime talk show, in which she won a Daytime Emmy. She appeared on Celebrity Apprentice a bunch of times, even winning; was a regular on Hollywood Squares, was the author of 12 bestselling memoirs, and last but not least, was the host of E!’s Fashion Police.
In a few words, she was thee consummate entertainer.
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Above all, her work ethic was unreal. In fact, she inspired me to start this here blog. I’ll never forget watching her 2010 documentary, Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work , and admiring her ambition. Amid adversity – she was an aging female comic who at the time many considered “washed up” – she eagerly plugged along booking late night appearances, TV guest spots, and even a performance act on a cruise. Nothing was too good for her, because…she had to eat. It wasn’t that money was tight; it was that so many people relied on her, not just financially but emotionally. She was a mother, grandmother, and friend and wanted to help everyone out.
She was a smart businesswoman, who taught us that power of perseverance, being witty and to keep hustling until the end.
Joan, was the epitome of ‘can’t stop, won’t stop’ and for that we owe her everything.
Rest in Power, Joan Rivers.
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