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2014 Larger Than Life Gala

Legendary comedian/entertainer Joan Rivers has died at the age of 81.

Rivers died today (September 4) in New York City. Her death comes a week after suffering cardiac arrest during a medical procedure for throat surgery. Rivers had been on life support before she passed.

Joan’s daughter Melissa Rivers released the following statement:

Joan Rivers death statement

 

Joan was known for paving the way for comediennes. She was raw, honest, incredibly insightful and obviously hilarious. Her raspy voice and often offensive and foul-mouthed humor is what made her a star and beloved to us all. While many comedians make you squirm in your seats with their words, Joan had the power to make you want to get up and hide under said seat.

“I mock everybody, regardless of race, creed or color,” she told the Toronto Star in July. “Every joke I make, no matter how tasteless, is there to draw attention to something I really care about.”

Nothing was off limits: Jews, Blacks, whatever, she tackled it. Her best jokes were often about herself. She was the first to mock her own facelifts and various other plastic surgeries. Her grandson Cooper often made an appearance in those jokes. She says he called her “Nana New Face” and that he’s never seen her without bandages on.

Joan proved that jokes were therapeutic, often allowing her to deal with life’s ills with a laugh. While on an interview on the Today Show with Lester Holt, Rivers said with a chuckle, “I’d rather be a good looking corpse, than in my casket looking like someone from my class reunion.”

Joan was one of the hardest working women in the business. She was 81 when she died, but she was nowhere near retirement age! She’s one of the fabulous co-hosts of E!’s “Fashion Police,” she hosts red carpets from MTV VMAs to the Emmys, she’s the star of the reality series, “Joan & Melissa” Joan Knows Best” and hosted two online shows “In Bed With Joan” (one of my personal faves) and “Drunken Celebrity Phone Calls.”

We will miss you, Joan!

SOURCE

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