When the news shows announced she was in ICU following a throat procedure I was worried. Melissa, her daughter, moved her to a private room where her mother could rest comfortably. She asked that we continue to pray for her mom. On Thursday, September 4th, life support was disconnected and Joan Rivers passed away peacefully.
In her own words, Ms. Rivers was an actress who played a comedienne. She was a talented writer who kept index card copies of all her jokes in metal card catalog file drawers. Whenever she thought of a new joke she would scribble it down on a piece of paper then transfer it to the right file drawer for future use. All jokes were categorized.
I was surprised to learn Ms. Rivers battled with depression. It wasn't something she hid from people. It was something she dealt with quietly with her closest friends and family.
I've watched a few videos on news channels. The one where Melissa and her son, Cooper, watch the casket being loaded into the hearse so that her mother can be cremated for the following day's funeral. I cried. Then there's the who's who attending the invitation only funeral and stories from onlookers who turned out for the funeral.
On Netflix there are two movies:
- Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work 2010 This all-access documentary chronicles a year in the life of legendary comedian Joan Rivers while revisiting the dramatic highs and lows of her past.
- Joan Rivers: Don't Start With Me 2012 At 78, Joan Rivers has no interest in slowing down, and no one's immune from her caustic barbs in this stand-up special.
Ms. Rivers lived a very full life. She did exactly what she set out to do. At age 81 she was still making us laugh with a show she and her daughter co-hosted, "Fashion Police."
Ms. Rivers will be sorely missed. I know I'll miss her.
I'm not the only one.
