News : R.I.P Joan Rivers
Comedian Joan Rivers died in a New York hospital Thursday afternoon, a week after suffering cardiac arrest during a medical procedure.
“She passed peacefully at 1:17 p.m. surrounded by family and close friends,” Melissa Rivers said in a written statement.
The funeral for Rivers will be at Temple Emanu-El in Manhattan on Sunday, according to temple spokeswoman Elizabeth Fezrine. Details, including the time and if the public will be allowed to attend, are not yet known, she said.
“My son and I would like to thank the doctors, nurses, and staff of Mount Sinai Hospital for the amazing care they provided for my mother,” her daughter said. “Cooper and I have found ourselves humbled by the outpouring of love, support, and prayers we have received from around the world. They have been heard and appreciated.’
Melissa Rivers and her son Cooper have spent the past week by Rivers’ hospital bedside, rushing there last Thursday when they learned of her illness.
R.I.P Joan Rivers!
Dave
I am very sorry about your moms death I send my love to your whole family your mom was a great women
Bye Joan. You made me laugh when I was going through some rough times personally. You will be missed. May your daughter and grandson find comfort in knowing you gave such happiness to others whom you never even met. The title of your hysterical comedy album may have been “What becomes a semi legend most?” – but lady you are and always will be remembered as a TRUE LEGEND. Love you Joan and goodnight.
Another icon gone. I am very sad to hear that the Queen of Comedy has passed. Always have and will be a huge fan of Joan. I really feel like i lost a family member 🙁
She said a lot of mean stuff that wasn’t funny and acted like it was in good taste.
Joan Rivers thank you for all those years of great sense of humor you will always be in my heart.
Thank you Joan for all the Laughs and Love.
She will be sorely missed. She was a pioneer for women on television. There have been some cruel comments posted on the internet about her. Those people just didn’t understand her type of comedy. She was truly a fine person and loved her family. My sympathy goes out to her daughter and precious grandson, who loved her very much.
RIP Joan Rivers. 🙂
nothing but a big mouth bitch with a dozen face lifts that enjoyed putting everyone down guess she’s down and under now
Joan is a person that I had the pleasure of knowing (a little bit). She was one of the most genuine and down to earth people I have ever met. She was not the CHARACTER that she PLAYED in public.
She was a huge supporter of the gay community, and gave millions of dollars to Gay Rights and causes.
One of her last guests on her web show “In Bed With Joan” was Bianca Del Rio, and her love shined through.
God love you Joan, rest well.
She was a great woman
Controversial, unapologetic and kept me laughing, what more can you ask for? I’ll miss her.
Rest in the Peace of Laughter, Joan!!!
To Mount and John… Fuck you!!! You didn’t know her but I did. She was an amazing comedienne and a class act off stage!!! You will be missed!
Jeez… I’ll never understand people. Joan Rivers was a professional comedienne… she had an “act” that many people found funny (and, obviously, some did not). But she was extremely successful and NEARLY became the host of the Tonight Show.
She was a trailblazer for women in a field once more than just DOMINATED by men. Without Joan (and, admittedly, Phyllis Diller), there would be no Roseanne, no Ellen, no Margaret Cho, no Lisa Lampanelli, no Amy Schumer, no Wanda Sykes… and the list goes on.
Whether you liked her shtick or not, she was a true professional who helped change comedy forever… and she will be missed.
She worked hard at her craft — right up to the day before the surgery that would unexpectedly take her life. Would that today’s comedians worked half as hard!
In my mind, to be successful in life you need to leave behind a positive legacy — one that will cause people who come after you to emulate (or at least look up to) you. By my definition then, Joan was a successful woman, and her legacy will be with women in comedy for a long, long time to come.
Godspeed, Joan Rivers… and thank you for sharing yourself and your talents.
You will be missed Joan. Rest in peace.
Interesting. If the “Moderator” doesn’t AGREE with your position/post, it goes away!!! He doesn’t want OUR comments, he wants us to write HIS comments. I will say again that the writer of this Blog could have said something about Joan River’s relationship with the Gay Community. Instead, we got a re-hash of just the FACTS.
Greg, yeah I post people that have different positions of course, it’s a blog. Where you failed is HOW you wrote your opinion and bashed the text including myself on the way. I repeat for 1001 times, this blog has to stay positive. No hate, no bashing. Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning? And FYI, everybody knows that she started in west village and “the gays” were her first fans. Why repeat again? You can express it in the comment section if you wish, it’s fine, no need to send hate about how I wrote it and how I’m just shooting boring infos that you already knew. It was just a little tribute to say “RIP Joan!”
Thats all!
On behalf of myself and the legions of religiously devout “Joan-Rangers,” we love you and thank you for the many decades of love and laughter. We will miss you funny lady.
John, sounds like you
To complete my initial thought above:
It is absurd to condemn Joan Rivers (or any other professional actor/comedian) because you didn’t like her act. A comedian’s act is just that: an ACT. An ACTOR portraying a PART — in this case, for laughs. It is not necessarily a representation of their true selves, just a persona they project… FOR MONEY.
Mind you, I’m as guilty of sometimes forgetting this as anyone: Ariana Grande is a talented singer/song writer – but I initially wrote her off because I found her character “Cat” on Nickelodeon to be grating and annoying (I have kids: I am neither a pedophile, nor a freak — although the latter may be debatable). Once I realized how absurd it was for me to see her singing talent from the perspective of the “Cat” character, I actually began to appreciate her talent — without the negative bias!
But the same can be said of your favorite porn stars — MANY of whom do things on camera that they do NOT enjoy in their personal lives! For some, they’re “straight” in their personal sex-lives (I’m not saying they ARE straight, only that their personal sex-lives are heterosexual). For some, they top or bottom differently than with their real sex-partners. And for MOST, they don’t actually have sex with different people every 20-minutes!
How do I know?
1) I did porn as a 19 year-old (pre-condom… YOU do the math). I don’t regret it, but I am thankful that I have not (for the past 7 years or so) been able to find any of my “professional” work online 🙂
2) I have dated other porn actors (in the distant past, and more recently). Thus, I know – first hand AND second hand – how hard it can be for these professionals when other people make assumptions about their REAL lives based on the persona presented in their professional lives.
—
So if you didn’t like Joan Rivers’ comedy act, DO NOT assume you wouldn’t like Joan Rivers in person. (And if you recoil at the sound of “Cat” from Nickelodeon, don’t assume the girl behind the character is annoying too!)
Happy Friday people… let’s hope the recent spate of deaths of well-loved performers is at an end (albeit a temporary one — we all die, eventually!)
Thank you Joan for all the laughter and thoughtfulness you shared and shown over the years. Rest in Peace and may God continue to watch over your family and friends.
To Joan,
Every time I saw your act, you made me laugh until I cried out my contacts. One time, you made it “part of your act” in Las Vegas,it was great.You asked me where I was from, I told you Philly, you said” Dirty White Trash” You and Bette Midler were the first to get involved in AIDS fundraising, long before Miss Taylor got involved. I loved all the Elizabeth Taylor jokes. Have fun in heaven!!
Dave-
Thank you for taking the time and effort to to offer tribute to a woman that truly was a comedic genius. I had the opportunity of meeting Joan several times when I worked in Los Angeles and I will never forget her superb wit and precise comedic timing. One incident which still makes me laugh was when I was at the National Cable Television Convention and she, in all her glory and jewels, was there on the floor holding her little dog “spike” (if that tells you how many years ago that was.) Her producer yelled to her “Five seconds until your live with “Crooks & Chase (another element that truly dates me.) In one swift motion she thrust her dog over into my arms and with sincere question said, “Who the fuck is Crooks & Chase?”
Thank you Dave and as you stated to some that were critical of your initial posting just a reminder…….a blog ios just the vehicle by which any person can share their views or thoughts on the subject at hand……so Gregg you should have instead shared with us how Joan was involved in the gay community instead of criticizing. There are many gay youngsters that perhaps don’t know and, hell for that matter, you could probably inform some of us older gay guys on something we DIDN’t know.
Rest in Peace Joan! You will always be remembered as one SOPHISTICATED, CLASSY AND WITTY WOMAN WHO MADE ME LAUGH WHEN I NEEDED ENCOURAGEMENT! And for that ……I will never forget.
RIP Palestinian kids. She probably could overcome that Israel stopped slaughtering civilians.
Joan Rivers was a class act. She made me laugh many times, and I even cried because I would be laughing so hard while she was cracking jokes. Joan, you will be missed, but you will not be forgotten. Prayers for the family, and her friends. The one thing I will say however is that I do not think it would be appropriate to have the public come to the funeral. This isn’t a movie, or one of her shows. This is the time for her family and friends to say goodbye, and grieve privately.
I agree with Lukusmukus 100% Shame on you Mount and John!!
“Can we talk?”. Can we cry? SmJoan was one of a kind with a quick, incisive intelligence and an incredible work ethic — and she weathered many storms. Even her critics have to respect her for the way she always persevered.
I remember watching Joan Rivers from the time she was Johnny Carson’s guest host almost every Monday.
She always made me laugh, even when I wasn’t in a laughing mood. Some people loved her and some just didn’t understand her humor, but that was true about any comedian. (I still don’t think Steven Wright is funny, but whatever.)
I’ll bet that the angels in Heaven are laughing hysterically right now!
We’ll miss you, sweetie!
An adoring fan
its amazing how nasty some gay men can be. it will come back to haunt you some day.
who care’s she died
all news about that bitch, horrible comedian
good riddance!
Dear Blog,
Today’s youth may not know what Joan did for gay men. I remember watching the Joan Rivers Show and seeing drag queens and the club kids for the first time. This showed me that there were others out there like me. Why do you always leave out these peoples lasting legacy? I get that on a hook up site most people won’t care but why not write the article from out community’s side? Like the fact that she starred and a off-Broadway play as a lesbian couple with little-known Barbra Streisand.
It’s a sad day for anyone who enjoys comedy. Joan Rivers has always been pretty edgy on the comedy circuit. From clubs, to late night TV she made us laugh, even when she may have crossed the line of good taste. I will miss that voice. Anytime you have a procedure done in a Hospital, anything can happen, I’am sure she knew the risks. I have been in that situation many times over the years, so I’am very grateful for a positive outcome. Let us not morn, but remember.
RIP Funny lady
I respectfully disagree with this blog’s author. While you are absolutely right, twisting a comment about your blog into an attack about you personally is wrong and unkind. We were not able to see Greg’s original comment, so I we’ll trust that you felt it rose to that level in not clearing it.
It is, however, completely disingenuous to claim that your moderating of this blog’s comments is aimed at not allowing negativity and to “stay positive. no hate.” when you allowed completely inappropriate, unkind and unproductive comment’s like “John’s” to remain.
I also agree with what I presume was Greg’s original post, because he’s right. Sadly this blog, while rightly acknowledging in a positive way Joan’s passing, reads like a cut and paste of an official press release/death announcement when it could and should have included deeper research for content and information about Joan and the impact she had on our community — information that likely not be published as widely everywhere….and that is sad not only because of Joan Rivers’ death, but because it is a missed opportunity.
I absolutely reject the idea presented in your response that “And FYI, everybody knows that she started in west village and “the gays” were her first fans. Why repeat again?”…because, I’m sorry, I believe it to be patently false. It may be common knowledge in some circles of more mature LGBTQ person…especially in more urban settings (I’d argue mainly in the NYC area)…..but that isn’t the sum total of people who use a4a or read these blog posts. I certainly don’t know the google analytics stats for this site but I’d wager approaching 50% or more of registered users are under the age of 30. And they represent a geographical diversity that is emormous—-not to mention crossing lines of gender experience/expression, race, class, ability, etc. I’d wager a guess if you were a 19 year old bisexual guy in middle america who had only ever met a handful or less other actual queer people in your life, not only do you know about Joan Rivers’ early beginnings. You many not even know she exists. I that’s probably what people like Greg are trying, perhaps too emotionally,
And yes, I did intentionally use the present tense—-she exists. Because I hope that, even through exchanges like this, she and so many heroes, icons, trailblazers and LGBTQ community members who have come and, sadly, gone before her (and will do so after, as well) CAN continue to exist within our culture and community. I mourn a future where fewer queer men know about the impact of icons like Joan Rivers than know about a porn star top who decides to take PrEP (Truvada) and film his first public bareback bottoming scene; and not because one is better or worse than they other. They are BOTH important for us as queer people because they are our past & present.
We are living our community’s history right now…but if we don’t do a better job of celebrating, discussing and documenting it, generations of queers who come after us may never know it.
Erik
RIP very sad
I had this love/hate with Madame Rivers, but at the end of the day – always sad when someone is gone, especially to the ones they leave behind – a grandson. But I THANK you Joan, for the 1990’s where you were the only talk show host to give the Club Kids of NYC the exposure – freaking out the straight world with those outfits and different way of living ones life. You really embraced them – I wish the media would give more and expose what she did. Google it, dudes!
THIS IS TO MOUNT JOHN VIC AND ME. SERIOUSLY A KIND FUNNY HUMAN BEING PASSED HOW MUCH HATE IS YOUR PATHETIC HEARTS THAT YOU HAVE TO BE SO RUDE AND CRUDE AND DIRESPECTFUL. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE NO ONE WILL MISS ANY OF YOU WHEN YOUR GONE.
YOU GIVE THE GAY COMMUNITY A BAD NAME.
RIP JOAN AND FORGIVE THESE IGNORANT FAGS FOR THEIR COMMENTS.
True , Joan wasn’t like by everybody but the hilarious thing was she didn’t give a fuck . She made a very strong statement in fashion, she supported the gay community . Joan had a VERY strong personality . I adored her and will miss her much ! R.I.P. Diva .
We will miss you Joan, we love you…
I’m sorry that Joan has passed, for her families sake,as I’m sure they will miss their loved one. How-ever I think she was a very loud, brash, and very vulgar woman. And for anyone to talk like she did should be a ashamed, man or woman. One does not have to talk trash to be funny, and she had a mouth worse than any trucker could ever have. I’d hate to be her now, and meet my maker………..RIP! I hope?
My condolences to her friends and family. She was a great comedian. I really enjoyed her performances.
Dear Joan, thank you so much for making us always think and laugh! You will be missed. Much love!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I LOVED Joan Rivers. Joan came to New Orleans one Mardi Gras and rode in a parade. When she returned to NY, she was interviewed and said she was in New Orleans for Fat Tuesday and Penicillin Wednesday!
Once Lucille Ball pointed at a pair of pearls Joan was wearing and asked, “Is that real?” Joan quipped, “no’…”point anywhere on my body and the answer is the same!”
I could just hear Joan say now about her burial…”They wiped off all my makeup and there was nothing left to bury!”
I hope you are at peace and happy Joan!
There was nobody else like her. She was one of a kind and though there will be other funny ladies, she was special. I won’t ever forget her. Thanks Joan, I will miss you but we have your performances on video that will live on with us. We are all going where you are now some day. Rest in peace.
My prayers goes out to Joan Rivers Family and Friends. She will be sorley missed,but will always be remembered. Rest in Peace Joan. And don’t make God laugh too hard.
Remember Joan’s high school girl friend Heidi Abromowitz? Remember all the Liz Taylor fat jokes. Thanks Joanie for the hours upon hours of hysterical, original and unabashed social commentary.
Thank you for leaving a legacy of a gay embracing Mid-town manhattan stand up comic of the late 60’s. Thanks for welcoming us gays with open arms on stage and acknowledging our presence in your audience for the past 40 years, even when it WAS NOT financially profitable for you to do so. That took guts and gusto.
Hugs, we’ll all see your up there evenutally and embrace your vivacious spirit.
Thanks indeed for your hours upon hours of laughter that made me feel so very very happy to be alive.
She knew how humor helped her to survive horrific times in her life. Every entertainer wants to evoke a reaction You need only read the comments you don’t always have to love every joke I loved that Joan would go anywhere to get her audience to laugh. One of the greatest!
She was quoted as saying, “I succeed by saying what everyone else is thinking”… This one’s for you Joan!
“Joan Rivers legacy and impact will be felt for many, many years to come… with all that plastic it should take about 1000 years for her to biodegrade!”
#RIP #JoanRivers
Good riddance to her–she was a Zionist. She wished death on all of the Palestinians, when it is the “Israeli”‘s that stole that land from them. It’s too bad she didn’t die sooner.
“Israel” will be dismantled. What a joy it will be for the Palestinians to get their land back. I’m not Muslim, but I will rejoice when that happens.
For all the readers overseas that think the U.S. is for “Israel”, not all of us are. There are even Jewish rabbis here in the U.S. that call for the end of the Zionist state.
In my opinion, the “Queen of Comedy” is gone. There will never be anyone like her. I believe that this is the first time that I have been so heartbroken over the passing of a celebrity icon. Her courage to joke about any subject, even herself at times, is what really made her the special, one of a kind, woman that she was. Melissa and family, my hearts go out to you during this great loss. Your mother brought joy to all she touched and I hope that those wonderful memories will pave the road through the healing process. R.I.P. Joan
R.I.P. Joan… I thought she was crazy, loud, rude, funny beyond belief, and I loved every word of it!! Humor with a bent slant to it.
But she always backed it up with heart. She talked about the obvious, and in my mind, made the “Pink Elephant” in the room something that we all could dare to mention… and then talk about!
I found Joan Rivers to be charming, and even more so as the years went by.
I will truly miss her viewpoint of everything and everyone in her field of vision!
Joan you will be missed she was a great comedian i know some people didn’t get her sense of humor but she was unique always a huge supporter of the gay community rest in peace dear Joan.
Is “Fuck you!!!” acceptable here now here as a general rule? Or is it only acceptable in response to posts that do not agree with the moderator?
Not of favor of it at any time. Blog, could you please clarify the rules? Thank you.
John dont talk ill of the dead…..your day is coming too….
RIP Joan, one absolutely hilarious woman who has never failed to make me laugh and I credit her for a lot of my own humour nowdays, I’ll always remember you when I’m being mean to my friends and we all crack up laughing
Love ya! xxxxx
I dont think many people appreciate how hard it is to make someone laugh, or how rough and lonely the life of a comedian is. The fact that she ENDURED for so long, is reason enough to celebrate her.
She often pissed me off, and I often though she was quite frankly a bitch. But when I think of how she was treated by her industry of choice, I may not condone it, but I can understand it. She became hardened. Life does that to you.
Yet despite it all she was freaking FUNNY. At her age, to have a wit that sharp and that fast is amazing. I think a lot of her haters were just jealous that she was indefatigable and unapologetic.
To the haters here posting mean comments: shame on you. You didn’t have to like her, but this isn’t the time to spit on her grave. Didn’t your mothers ever tell you that if you don’t have anything good to say, don’t say anything at all? No class, no class at all.
RIP Joan Rivers, in my eyes you are irreplaceable, and for all the laughs, I will always be grateful and never forget you .
There’s being a comic and there’s being a bully. Act or no act, this woman was the latter.
Its un-real how some of you speak of the deceased. To wish a person dead and be happy sbout it says so much more about you than you are about Joan. She pissed you off? then she was doing her job. Her style went over your heads and was meant to probably piss you off. Understanding the time for which she got started in show buisness is really an important part of history for women comics. A pioneer…truly!! Its too bad you guys cant see thru the “tackiness” “rude” “mean spirited” and “crude” act , because thats all it was, just an act, a long, brillant one!!!
Its funny to me how she made some of you haters really hate her!
good job Rivers!!!
Joan was the BEST! When I was down, she could make me laugh.
I will MOST certainly miss her. We LOVE you Joan!!!!
She was the best, the first celebrity that I was deeply sadden to see her pass. She will be deeply missed.
Hey-I just wanted to thank you for doing this blog. I know you get paid to do it but you always seem to strike a balance between having fun and being serious and always treat topics like this one with compassion and kindness. Keep your humanity and your joi-de-vivre man. I would have sent you a personal note but have no idea what your profile is on a4a!
Derek, I never old it to anyone…
Can we talk?! To all the haters: Oh grow up people!
Another icon of my youth is gone many, like the great Joan Rivers, are simply irreplaceable. Yes, she said some outrageous things that may have hurt or offended, but I think in her case the good she did outweighed any bad. She will be missed.