Joan Rivers has died at 81
Joan Rivers has died at 81, her daughter Melissa confirmed to The Associated Press.
Rivers died Thursday after going into cardiac arrest during vocal chord surgery on Aug. 28. Melissa Rivers announced that her mother had been placed on life support and was in critical condition at New York's Mount Sinai hospital on Sept. 2.
Rivers was renowned for her raunchy and blunt comedy, which began with a standup career in New York City and led to her occasionally guest hosting The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. More recently, Rivers channeled her acerbic wit into critiquing celebrities' red carpet style on E!'s Fashion Police.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The edgy Rivers was never one to bite her tongue, at one point calling Michelle Obama "transgender" and suggesting that Lena Dunham encouraged young women to "stay fat" and get diabetes. But no matter what the opinion of her controversial remarks, Rivers is widely respected for inspiring female standup comedians in a field that was dominated by men. Variety notes that "prior to Rivers, women performers rarely, if ever, discussed sex." But for Rivers, honest routines, including those with references to her own sexuality, were the norm.
"My mother's greatest joy in life was to make people laugh," Melissa Rivers said in a statement. "Although that is difficult to do right now, I know her final wish would be that we return to laughing soon."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Meghan DeMaria is a staff writer at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked for USA Today and Marie Claire.
-
Harriet Tubman made a general 161 years after raid
Speed Read She was the first woman to oversee an American military action during a time of war
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Chappell Roan is a new kind of boundary-setting celebrity
In the Spotlight She's calling out fans and the media for invasive behavior
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
Saudi crown prince slams Israeli 'genocide' in Gaza
Speed Read Mohammed bin Salman has condemned Israel’s actions
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditions
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billion
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on record
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homes
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creature
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published