Another comic hero has left the
room. Today Joan Rivers has died at the age of 81. She was a trail blazer for
women in entertainment and the only woman to host late night TV. We love her
because she dared to say things we were thinking but did not have the courage
to say openly. She had courage and never apologized for saying anything that
came to her mind. A real sassy woman throughout her life. Her most famous recent show was The Fashion
Police where she often gave one liners in critiquing famous people and how they
dressed.
For an old gal she was big on
social media. She had her Twitter page and her profile said that she was a
simple girl with a dream. She fed on ultimate fame all her life. Her career was
very important to her. She has fulfilled 50 years of a brilliant career making
people laugh. She should have copyrighted the question, “Can we Talk? ” because
that is often how she started her stand-up comedy routines. Then she would be viciously funny and brutally
honest.
Ironically it was complications
from throat surgery that was done at an outpatient clinic that was the cause of
her death. She was performing just 8 days ago doing what she did best; making
people laugh. The health department is already holding an investigation into the possibility
of faulty procedures done on her throat at the outpatient clinic. The NYC
medical examiner’s office will also be taking the lead in determining the
actual cause of death. No one should be messing with the throat of America’s
funny woman for over 50 years and get away with it.
The facility that she went to was
known for digestive disorders and not throat ailments. So, why was she there
anyway? Joan was known to use her own list of medical professionals to do
treatments of any kind on her. Why wasn’t her own anesthesiologist present
during the throat procedure? Could it be that Joan didn’t have to die yet? Joan
Rivers could always talk and talk about anything without any reservations.Her
outrageous jokes proved that nothing was off limits. Growing up she always
wanted to be a performer. She joined the iconic Second City Comedy Theater in
1961.
As her comedy career was
progressing she married Edgar Rosenberg in 1964 who would manage her career and
become the focal point of so many of his wife’s jokes. We always hear of male
comics who constantly made fun of everything their wives did. She was a refreshing
reversal at making fun of the husbands for a change and we loved her courage to
do that in the 60’s when there were even few female comics anywhere. It made
her unique and interesting.
The pair had one daughter
together, Melissa. In 1965, Rivers saw her career get a huge boost when she
appeared on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. What is also amazing was her
staying power to be edgy and current throughout the years. We have a generation
of kids who know Joan but who don’t remember Johnny Carson. After 7 years of
struggling since her training at the Second City Comedy Theater, her appearance
on Johnny’s show made her instantly famous.
It was the start of a 21 year professional relationship with Johnny and The
Tonight Show making appearances until eventually becoming the substitute host
in 1983.
Rivers decision to launch her own
show on the brand new Fox network in the fall of 1986 ended her relationship
with Carson and the Tonight Show. The minute she dared to be competition she
was a target and considered an outsider to many male important people in an already male
dominated industry. One of her jokes was that there should be no big deal to
have a woman in the White House since John F. Kennedy has thousands of women
there.
You were no one in Hollywood until
you were insulted by her. She was educated and elegant in style and appearance.
Her Manhattan apartment is decorated like a palace with possessions of
impeccable taste. Good Bye America’s funny lady. Go join Robin Williams
somewhere and give them hell. We miss you already.
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