Many, many years ago on a Christmas eve, our flight from LAX to NY was delayed for four hours and we waited with her in the lounge. We then sat a row behind her on the 5 hour flight. During that 9 hours, she was nothing but kind, quiet, classy and elegant (and she had her dog, Spike, with her. :-)) She was a genuinely nice person.

I'm sad as well. I got to see her live for the first time last year when she came through Florida. She was so full of life it's hard to believe she's gone. :(

Me too.

I am sad, too. I know she was known somewhat for her "harsh" style, but by all accounts was a loving and nurturing mom,friend, and colleague....I lknow she loved her family and dogs with all her heart and that speaks volumes to me. And she was a true pioneer as well. May she rest in peace.

I am sorry for her family and friends, but don't think she was a great talent or her comedy anything more than obnoxious. Her routines in her early years were so self degrading (criticism of her own appearance, body type, weight, relationship with her husbands who she also trashed) it made me slightly nauseated to hear her when I was a teenager. I always felt very sorry for her that she should make a career out of self loathing. As she got older, with all and the plastic surgery and her shift to filthy mouthed comedy to keep up with the younger comics, I was just repelled by her.

Somehow, although at 81 she certainly had lived a long life, it feels as if Joan Rivers was cut off in mid-sentence so to speak. To be so fully in the world and then suddenly completely gone--it feels very sad and disconcerting to me.

I saw the documentary about her a few years ago. She was a driven person; her comedy came out of a fierce and unrelenting need to perform, to be in front of an audience and to be part of the world.

Also, I keep wondering what exactly HAPPENED to her?!? The news broadcasts keep repeating that same vague 'stopped breathing during elective procedure on her vocal chords' which means exactly what? Any medical folks with an inkling?

Saw the quote below on FB and it's such a wonderful life mantra from her:

Life goes by fast.
Enjoy it.
Calm down
It's all funny.

Ann

Joan Rivers was an amazing broad, a term I use with much respect and admiration. She was a trailblazer for women not only in comedy but across the board. Her 'shtick' may not have appealed to everyone, but it was shtick, not the essence of the woman. She championed many important causes and fought for underdogs, not just giving lip service but time, energy and money. RIP, Joan Rivers.

I will miss her. I was a big fan of Fashion Police. In fact I was the one who came up with the name "Joan Rangers" for what they called the fans...not that it got me anything but bragging rights. Yes, her humor became hard, going for the easy laugh making a sexual reference, but in between, she said some really funny things. She was a pioneer in her own way and in her own time, and she was to be admired for her drive for full catastrophe living, working and staying active up til the very end, rather than retiring to a rocking chair. In the early days, it wasn't easy being accepted as a female comic and self-deprecating humor was an acceptable way to do it, just as Phyllis Diller and Totie Fields did.

I feel so badly for her daughter...I know what it's like to be close to your Mom and then lose her. It's going to take some time for Melissa to put her life back together. Not easy.

Okay Annie, you need to share your Joan Ranger story!

I always liked her too. But these past few years I felt her comedy crossed the line and was very inappropriate and hurtful. I often thought, that is not like her and maybe dementia was setting in.

I agree that it's such a shock. She went in for something that was not life threatening. I guess more will be revealed in the next few weeks.

I too feel sorry for Melissa. They indeed had a special bond and were very close.

Not much to share, ellendi...they had an on-line thing asking for what to call fans of fashion police, like star trek fans were called trekkies. I came up with Joan Rangers, submitted it and it was chosen...most likely by Joan who liked the ego-massage it gave in addition to the pun.

I am sorry for your loss to those who enjoyed Joan Rivers. While I can appreciate the impact she had on the comedy world and the lives of many, I can honestly say I never appreciated her humor. She was bold, crude and at times hurtful. If someones never been on the receiving end of hurtful comments disguised as humor, they don't realize the potential damage.
And I could never understand her overuse of plastic surgery: it didn't look natural.
Her passing following minor surgery goes to show that every surgery has risk.

This sounds terribly morbid, but as I get older and see people around me pass on, I can't help but think that the way Joan Rivers died is about the best way you could go. She is said to have worked a comedy event the night before the procedure, so she did what she loved up the the end. It sounds like she didn't regain consciousness, so her death on the operating table was quick, painless, and unknowing.

You contrast that with the long, drawn out deaths of people fighting and losing to disease. It's sad when anyone dies, but she lived a long and rich life and passed easily.

My favorite memories of Joan Rivers are those times she was on QVC with Kathy Levine. The two together were hysterically funny, but kept within the bounds of propriety. Her pups were always with her and you could see how much she cared for them. I loved the stories she told about what inspired her to design a piece of jewelry as they were always stories from her life.

I, too, saw the documentary about her and it made me admire all the more, even while engaging my sympathies for the events in her life that drove her to be who she was. RIP, Joan Rivers.

Someone said on one of the morning shows just now, paraphrasing here, "Political correctness is the death of comedy." I agree. IMO, Joan said what most people were thinking, and if they made her list of jokes, it was a compliment to them.

She was no different than being spoofed on SNL, or being the butt of late night talk show hosts, but IMO, they are much crueler. David Letterman especially, whom I used to watch all the time, seems mean when he makes a joke about someone, Joan always laughed because we knew she said everything in jest.

And she made fun of her plastic surgery all the time, she knew what she looked like.

I heard she was one of the most gracious people when she wasn't doing comedy.

I'll miss her big time. Whenever I'd see her on TV, I'd stop what I was doing. When she substituted for Carson, I'd sneak out of my bed and watch while my parents were asleep.

She was one of a kind, just like Robin Williams. And George Carlin. lol.

Graywings, that was my thought too. I thought how much I would prefer to be full of life to the end and go quickly than to slowly deteriorate over time.

I'm with graywings and tishtosh...do what you love doing, right to the end, then go to sleep. Considering that probably 95% of all creatures on earth die in horrifying terror, it's really a gracious way to go.

I feel sad about Joan, too. I watched her on QVC (and bought a lot of her jewelry) and I watched her reality show with Melissa. The procedure was apparently elective, and I think, if she hadn't done that, she might have lived for another 10 years! Of course, one never knows. I do wonder about the safety of having someone over 80 years old have general anesthesia in an out-patient facility. I think at that age, it should be done in a hospital.

And bravo to Melissa. She made sure that her mother's last days in the hospital were done with dignity and love. I read that her mother's room was decorated with flowers, plants and ribbons by a wedding planner, there was a white faux mink blanket on the bed, and Joan was in full makeup and her hair was done. Her friends were with her at the end and were able to pay their last respects.

I was not a fan of her comedy but I had a lot of respect for her career. She did what no female comedian had ever done, to make it in a male-dominated field. She pursued her dreams despite her parents forbidding her to do so and pushing her towards a more traditional lifesytle.

It made me feel good knowing that she felt she lived a good life, based on clips I heard on the Today show. There are some of the other quotes here.

Here is a link that might be useful: Joan's quotes

I thought she was hysterical. I just read gsciencechick's link. Again, hysterical! I do feel bad for her daughter. They had a lot of love for each other.

I read with interest everyone's comments. My husband thought she was obnoxious and rude. Yes, she was but I for some reason really liked her.

I remember clicking through the TV one night and I landed on the show she did with Melissa. In this episode, Joan went to her dr. and said she was feeling really anxious blah blah and he gave her a prescription for medical marijuana and she and her assistant went to a dispensary and then got high. It was actually very funny because she had never smoked pot before and her reaction was priceless.

I feel bad that her life ended so abruptly, but agree with others that sometimes that would be for the best. I don't think she'd want to live not being able to travel and work as she had.

Everyone thinks I'm nuts, but what happened to her is one reason I will not have anesthesia in a doctor's or dentist's office. They are not equipped to treat someone who stops breathing during a procedure. They basically had to call 911. If it's an OP surgery center, that's different, but it was my understanding she was in a doctor's office having a procedure on her vocal cords and had a light anesthesia the same as if you were getting your wisdom teeth out. I had 4 impacted wisdom teeth extracted while awake - I had some Demerol to relax me and novocaine!!

A couple of my favorite lines from Fashion Police...just recently, that Heidi Klum's dress looks like she belongs in a car wash...

And I believe it was about one of the princesses at the royal wedding....
{{gwi:1521907}}

Didn't someone tell that poor girl that the IUD is supposed to go on the inside?!?

She was witty and often OTT, and sometimes I didn't laugh. Aside from the public persona, though, she gave of herself and her treasure generously, and was refined and elegant in her off-camera life. I am stunned and saddened by her death.

And that does belong in a car wash.

I think she had an endoscopy done to check her vocal cords. It sounds like it may have been necessary even though it was selective. Who wants to have a tube put down your throat if you don't need it?

The way she died was awful, IMO. Yeah, she may have been 81, but she had the energy of a teenager. Who wants to go during the happiest time of your life? Melissa has to be shell shocked.

KSWL, I think she only had one husband, Edgar, whom I believe managed her career until he died. She made fun of herself because she said outloud what other women felt about themselves. Women could relate to her.

It's nice that she's been getting accolades from the press. She would be thrilled, I bet!

Awesome, Annie. I gotta admit those are pretty good.

Another great quote I heard, see link below.

In a 2012 episode of "Joan & Melissa," viewers got a heartfelt look into just how close that bond between mother and daughter grew over the years.

"If anything happens, Melissa," Joan Rivers told her daughter just before another plastic surgery procedure, "I've had a great life. If I died this morning, nobody would say 'so young.' You're a terrific person, Cooper's fine. ... I've had an amazing life, if it ended right now -- amazing life! You've been wonderful and we've had a great ride together."

I hope this can help give Melissa some peace.

Here is a link that might be useful: More Joan Rivers

Sad, but is it karma? Can you imagine the quip she would have spun about a star dying from an EGD.

An EGD always seemed like such a mundane procedure...
~bgj

Caroloh, I feel the same way about that stuff. I also can't understand anyone wanting to give birth at home. Even in this day and age, pregnancy and birth can be a medical emergency- I would want doctors and a hospital! I have a history of falling into the one percent chance of bad things happening, so I will take no chances.

I saw that clip with her daughter on her reality show and it was touching. I didn't always appreciate her humor either, but I feel she should at least be respected for the pioneer she was, and her amazing work ethic. I am glad to seen so much praise for by the celebrity community too. I wish we could have heard her take on the recent nude selfie scandal!

That was a typo, Oak, I knew she had only one husband. Doesn't change anything, she wasn't very kind to him in her act. And I don't know who could relate to the self loathing humor....no woman I know :-( She was a sad case.

I often thought her jokes crossed the line but since her death I am struck that I have not read one negative thing about her personal interactions. Nothing from a disgruntled housekeeper, production assistant, waiter, etc.

She was friends with Prince Charles and Camilla. Attended their wedding, visited, exchanged Christmas gifts. I assume she was welcomed and knew not to drop f bombs or make fun of people at the palace.

I put her in the same entertainment category as Rush Limbaugh. The act is a persona, not the person.

Still very cool, Annie :)

Actually Rivers was married twice, the first one to someone she met while working in a retail store and it lasted only 6 months. Her marriage to Edgar lasted 22 years until his suicide in 1987. Edgar was Melissa's father.

According to Wikipedia, she wrote 12 books, was in 26 movies, lots of TV including an Emmy win, and some theatre as well. Not bad.

kswl, maybe you don't know many women
;)

No one was more self deprecating or made more fun of her husband than Phyllis Diller and I found her hilarious, and so did many other people.

As one who found herself in many male predominant or male only situations throughout my career, believe me, self-depricating humor was definitely a critical tool for gaining acceptance which was essential if I was to be heard at all.

graywings, I really hope Joan Rivers died as you described, "quick, painless and unknowing." This brings back such sad memories for me, about my father's passing, this past February. He too died following the insertion of a tube down his throat, in an almost identical sequence. He was fully conscious, and apparently his throat got a spasm during the procedure, causing it to seize. We found out he lost consciousness and went into cardiac arrest due to lack of oxygen, before they could get his airway clear.

He too was put on life support while they piled drugs into him to try and get him conscious again, but it didn't work. My dad was a very lively 80 year old when this happened. I truly hope that perhaps Joan was under general anesthesia and unaware of anything amiss, unlike my Dad, who fought for his life to get a breath, before losing consciousness.

I love Joan immensely too, but don't get history wrong with saying " She did what no female comedian had ever done, to make it in a male-dominated field." That is simply not historically correct. Phyllis Diller (whom we lost recently also) was on the Jack Paar Show in 1958 doing standup comedy, much like Joan's, and Joan got her start writing jokes for Phyllis after Phyllis had already been on the Jack Paar Show many, many, many times. Totie Fields was another early pioneer. Joan had many firsts, for which she deserves credit, but I think she would want us to honor the true trail blazing female stand-up comedians who came before her. You may not be old enough, but I remember 1958.

I became very verklempt the moment I learned of Joan's passing. I thought she was so full of life, and Fashion Police was #1 on my DVR record list. I never missed any show that she was on, but never saw her in person, although I did see Phyllis Diller.

I will miss her. I thought she was hilarious. She said those things out loud that most of us were thinking and wished we had the guts to say,

I thought Fashion Police was a great show - I happen to think that some of the stuff that people wear is hideous and she had the chatzpah to say it out loud.

The Red Carpet won't be the same without her.

Pickyshopper, I'm so sorry about your dad's death, and how he died. A doctor on TV said that could have been what happened to Joan.

Last year I saw a P.A. for what I thought (and was correct) was heartburn. She immediately said I should have an endoscopy done. I flat out told her no. I thought I should try pills first. lol. They worked and no more heartburn.

Publikman, you're correct. Tony Fields was around when I was little, but I barely remember her. Phyllis Diller I do remember but never found her all that funny. I think Joan is being credited with paving the way for other women because so many of them succeeded during my generation, mostly thanks to Joan.

I heard she was Phi Beta Kappa. I had no idea. And I too got verklempt several times. :(

I heard yesterday she was just getting her throat CHECKED for a raspy voice--(probably looking for a polyp.) SOOOO sad.

She had a rich, full life ... and was committed to making people laugh all along the way.

RIP Joan ...

She was a paradox of elegance and vulgarity and although shocking at times, she made me laugh , as much for her audacity than her "in your face" wit.

publickman, I think her pioneering was that she was the first woman to host a late night talk show first as a guest host for Johnny Carson and later she got one of her own...

Kswl wrote: "Oak, I knew she had only one husband. Doesn't change anything, she wasn't very kind to him in her act."

During the 20-20 retrospective last night, they showed a 1980's interview (before Edger's death) with Barbara Walters. She asked Joan about her jokes that weren't kind to her husband.

Joan quickly pointed out that she never made fun of her husband, that whenever her husband was mentioned it was to put herself down.

Example; "Edger asked, can I help you unbutton your dress? Joan answered, I'm naked." that sort of thing.

In more recent interviews she has mentioned how angry she still was at him for taking his own life - did not sound like she was joking, she was really mad.

She'll be missed, I have been a fan of hers for many years.

ML

Thanks for your thoughts oakley. Although I didn't care for Joan Rivers as a comedian, I had nothing against her in general and wouldn't wish anyone to die in a state of panic, like what happened to my Dad. I really hope we find out she was already totally sedated when she stopped breathing, or at least became unconscious immediately and never struggled. It somehow seems even harder to absorb the finality of someone who dies so unexpectedly.

Maddielee, I remember her saying she wasn't going to cook for her husband because she didn't want him telling his hooker that his wife made him cakes, or something like that. Not a very nice thing to say about your husband!

Kswl, I just saws aclip where Joan explained that all the jokes that included her husband actually made fun of her, never him.

I saw her on several occasions on tv, and if that was her intention it certainly did not come across that way. And yes, I realize this is a tribute thread to Joan Rivers, but her humor got more grating with every year, and I think it's a shame that she aged so meanly.

Like you said, this is a tribute thread, you don't have to participate here.

She actually married twice. Interesting read below. I loved her and feel sad also.

Here is a link that might be useful: Joan Rivers

I listened to a Terry Gross interview with Joan Rivers, and besides being married twice, she lived with a man named Orin for 9 years.

She said "The loss is horrific and when I go upstairs at night - this sounds so stupid. I always turn to my living room and I say, goodnight Orin. He was the man I lived with for nine years. Goodnight, Orin. Goodnight, Edgar. Goodnight, Uncle Tommy, who was my best friend."

Here is a link that might be useful: Joan Rivers interview

It's funny how much her death is still bothering me. I think it's because I lost my Mom too when she was 81 and I was close to her like Melissa was with Joan, and I know how big a hole has been torn in her heart...

((Annie)) If only memories were enough to fill the hole. They help but I do not think one is ever whole again after losing a loved one.

Here is a good story about Joan Rivers and her life from four years ago.

Here is a link that might be useful: Joan Rivers Always Knew She Was Funny

Thanks LucyStar...it was an interesting read.