Joan Rivers could certainly talk. When she talked, a lot of us listened. A lot of us laughed. While most of Joan’s younger fans will remember her as the de facto Commissioner of the Hollywood “fashion police”, she was an extremely versatile entertainer. Her recent passing due to complications from elective
surgery came as a shock to everyone. She was seemed so vibrant. …and she could really talk.
Born Joan Alexandra Molinsky, Joan made fun of everyone and everything, including herself. She did a lot of self-deprecating humor. She wasn’t beyond making jokes about her past relationships or her highly publicized cosmetic surgeries. The mysteriousness of her recent passing has made many people wonder if she was getting more cosmetic surgery. Whatever the cause, her passing was met with sadness and a sobering reality that the decades long career of a pop culture icon had passed into the world of memory.
I remember her doing memorable movie voiceovers for ‘Spaceballs’ and ‘Look Who’s Talking 2’. I also remember her brief but very popular turn as host of the “Joan Rivers” show in the late 1980’s. Joan had to take a leave of absence due to a family tragedy. The show kept going with a number of guest hosts with Arsenio Hall being one of the most notable. Arsenio’s turn as guest host on Joans’s show gave him a national platform that would launch him into A-list superstar status as he was eventually offered his own show.
Joan would eventually bounce back. She became a staple of Hollywood red carpets, especially at the Academy Awards. I’m not really sure if anyone took her fashion critiques seriously, but Joan made it into a career. Like many of her other fans, I will miss Joan Rivers. I will miss her talking. …and she could certainly talk. I can only imagine the angels in heaven with a less-than-pristine gown, dusty wings, or a less than balanced halo. It certainly won’t go unnoticed by Joan. …and Joan will surely be talking about it.
Joan Rivers (June 8, 1933 – September 4, 2014)
