MattyJam said:

Of course it's sad when anyone dies, but death doesn't cancel out all the horrible things a human being does during their lifetime.

Of course people will now throw around words like "legend" and other OTT superlatives to describe her, but in reality her brand of comedy was all about taking cheap pot-shots at easy targets. Not exactly something to be revered in my opinion.

Still, sad news.

Comedy is never "victimless"; someone is always the brunt of the joke.

Personally, I wouldn't categorize her stuff as "cheap pot-shots" at all. I found them very clever.

Re: "easy targets":

Kathy Griffin and Sandra Bernhard (to name just a couple) also made their bones poking fun at the (usually) absurd behavior of celebrities and the people that worship them. I don't find this style of comedy any less "worthy" than other types of humor. In the end, it's all about making people laugh. And, frankly, I think it does society a service to point out that the emperor has no clothes.

I should also point out that celebrity digs were only a small part of what she did (and, really, that didn't become as much of a focus until very late in her career). She ridiculed herself as much as anyone else.

Ace said:

I should also point out that celebrity digs were only a small part of what she did (and, really, that didn't become as much of a focus until very late in her career). She ridiculed herself as much as anyone else.

That's so true. I remember this joke she told back in the 80's

kpowers said:

Ace said:

I should also point out that celebrity digs were only a small part of what she did (and, really, that didn't become as much of a focus until very late in her career). She ridiculed herself as much as anyone else.

That's so true. I remember this joke she told back in the 80's

My parents hated me. All I ever heard was, “Why can’t you be like your cousin Sheila? Why can’t you be like your cousin Sheila?” Sheila had died at birth.

[Politics belongs in p&r. Due to complaint received snip - luv4u]

Even though I didn't like how she joked about my musical heroe . I adored Joan & followed her career. She was FEARLESS!!!! It will NEVER be another like her EVER!!!!

R.I.P JOAN RIVERS

[Edited 9/4/14 18:59pm]

Joan Rivers - New York Times

RIP Ms. Rivers. One of the very few comedians that made me laugh out loud... until I was in tears. I remember Ms. River early years on The Tonight Show, with Mr. Carson. She was one of the very few comedians that would say what others were thinking; Ms. Rivers's was a one person show -It's Saturday Night Live- before that show even existed. Her humor during those years was more self -deprecating than in latter years and her barbs thrown at celebrities seem to be less brutal. I'll put it this way... most of the folks she "cracked on" knew how to take a joke. I was shocked to learn she was invited to the Princes of Wales wedding reception to his second wife; do you know how many jokes she did about Queen of England / Royal Family? Thousands! For me she was one of those people who had always been around, so much so its sad and strange to realize she's gone.

"Mick Jagger lips are so big, he could give The State of Ohio a hicky." - Rivers

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[Edited 9/4/14 23:13pm]

I know Melissa is taking her mother's death THE hardest.

~*~ ~*~ ~* Rest In Peace Joan Rivers *~ ~*~ ~*~

wwwpinterestcom

[Edited 9/5/14 18:08pm]

RIP Joan Rivers

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

RIP Joan Rivers

No one could give a better eulogy for Joan than Joan--she probably would have turned it into a roast.

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

RIP Joan Rivers

purplethunder3121 said:

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

RIP Joan Rivers

No one could give a better eulogy for Joan than Joan--she probably would have turned it into a roast.

Joan Rivers dead at 81: Comedian’s funeral requests included paparazzi, Valentino dress and Meryl Streep’s tears

The 81-year-old comedian described what she’d like to see at her funeral in her 2012 book ‘I Hate Everyone ... Starting With Me.’ ‘I want it to be Hollywood all the way,’ she said.

BY Kirthana Ramisetti

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Thursday, September 4, 2014, 6:39 PM

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Dan Steinberg/AP Joan Rivers greets the audience at the ‘Comedy Central Roast of Joan Rivers.’ She passed away Thursday at age 81.

With a legend like Joan Rivers, it could be hard to know the best way to pay one’s respects. But in her typically hilarious fashion, she already made her wishes clear.

The 81-year-old comedian, who died Thursday from surgery complications following an outpatient medical procedure, never shied away from about joking about death.

"I've had so much plastic surgery, when I die they will donate my body to Tupperware," she told The New York Times in 2008.

Just as she was forthright with her comedy, she reserved the same hilarious honesty when discussing what she’d like to see happen after she died.

I want my funeral to be a huge showbiz affair with lights, cameras, action ... I want craft services, I want paparazzi and I want publicists making a scene!

In her 2012 book "I Hate Everyone ... Starting With Me," the star envisioned her own funeral, which she hoped would be a big showbiz extravaganza.

“When I die (and yes, Melissa, that day will come; and yes, Melissa, everything’s in your name), I want my funeral to be a huge showbiz affair with lights, cameras, action ... I want craft services, I want paparazzi and I want publicists making a scene!”

“I want it to be Hollywood all the way,” she continued. “I don’t want some rabbi rambling on; I want Meryl Streep crying, in five different accents. I don’t want a eulogy; I want Bobby Vinton to pick up my head and sing ‘Mr. Lonely.’”

Julien M. Hekimian/Getty Images

‘I want Meryl Streep crying, in five different accents,’ Joan Rivers requested for her funeral.

Enlarge Brian Jones/AP

Joan Rivers also joked that she wanted singer Bobby Vinton perform ‘Mr. Lonely’ at her funeral.

Enlarge

The “Fashion Police” host also had detailed instructions about her appearance.

“I want to look gorgeous, better dead than I do alive,” she wrote. “I want to be buried in a Valentino gown and I want Harry Winston to make me a toe tag.”

“And I want a wind machine so that even in the casket my hair is blowing just like Beyoncé’s.”

Some of her humor could be considered cruel, but she was damned funny! I'll miss her. Bless her heart.

When she broke in, she was a mean, mean, vile woman. I quit following her because she was just disgustingly mean.

I hope she changed her ways at some point.

MattyJam said:

Of course it's sad when anyone dies, but death doesn't cancel out all the horrible things a human being does during their lifetime.

Of course people will now throw around words like "legend" and other OTT superlatives to describe her, but in reality her brand of comedy was all about taking cheap pot-shots at easy targets. Not exactly something to be revered in my opinion.

Still, sad news.

ah contrar!

Romans 6:23 says otherwise

"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

so basically when someone dies, their death pays for their sins

My oldest memories of Joan

are watching her on "Hollywoods Squares"

always a wisecrack about her Hubby

Edgar

see Joan at 1:50

MattyJam said:

Of course it's sad when anyone dies, but death doesn't cancel out all the horrible things a human being does during their lifetime.

Of course people will now throw around words like "legend" and other OTT superlatives to describe her, but in reality her brand of comedy was all about taking cheap pot-shots at easy targets. Not exactly something to be revered in my opinion.

Still, sad news.

"Oh grow up!" as Joan herself would tell you. Her life's work was to tell jokes and make people laugh. And for the record, her easiest target was herself and she could take it, just as well as she dished it out on anyone else.

Joan Rivers: The Lost Rolling Stone Interview

Read it here.

[Edited 9/7/14 7:05am]

chriss said:

MattyJam said:

Of course it's sad when anyone dies, but death doesn't cancel out all the horrible things a human being does during their lifetime.

Of course people will now throw around words like "legend" and other OTT superlatives to describe her, but in reality her brand of comedy was all about taking cheap pot-shots at easy targets. Not exactly something to be revered in my opinion.

Still, sad news.

ah contrar!

Romans 6:23 says otherwise

"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

so basically when someone dies, their death pays for their sins

You've got it all backwards: Jesus' death and resurrection paid for our sins.

Time Magazine Tribute to Ms. Joan Rivers

TD3 said:

Ms. Rivers said, a lot of people couldn't take women saying anything that hurt others folks feelings. There have been a lot of profane comedians that have come down the pike... most of them have been men. I don't recall them being described as mean. Don Rickel, could be brutal.

That's an interesting perspective. Makes you wonder about the underlying sexism in the entertainment business which I'm sure she had more than her fair share of during her rise to the top.

This whole discussion......