Joan Alexandra Molinsky-Rosenberg, more popularly known as comedy talk show host Joan Rivers, died on September 4, 2014 due to complications that included cardiac arrest while going through surgical procedure on her vocal chords. She was 81.
The official statement from her daughter, Melissa Rivers, confirmed the news in her Twitter account. She said, "It is with great sadness that I announce the death of my mother, Joan Rivers. She passed peacefully at 1:17pm surrounded by family and close friends..." She acknowledged the care and assistance provided to her mother by the doctors and nurses at Mount Sinai Hospital where her mother was taken in coma and died.
While Joan Rivers had her own un-funny laundry exposed for public consumption, such as the suicide of her husband, Edgar Rosenberg after getting axed as show producer by Fox executives, the eulogies posted on line still emphasized her humor more than anything else.
Present generation who hardly know about Joan Rivers should thank Buzzfeed.com for the snippets of the late but very feisty funny host. She introduced a different kind of woman show host, and redefined women in general. Known for her satirical quotes addressed to herself and other celebrities, she made fun of herself, the surgeries she underwent, and her Jewish lineage. She dared namedropped celebrities like Rihanna whom she called dumb, over the singer's liaison with Chris Brown. She did not mince words telling her colleagues not to defend Mel Gibson, saying the Aussie star wasn't a nice man to start with since "he hates women, he hates Jews, he hates everyone."
While her death is certainly not a laughing matter, Melissa, in her message, also said "I know her final wish would be that we return to laughing soon."
E! News, Rivers' home for 20 years, issued a statement that said in part, "Joan has made people laugh, shattered ceilings, and revolutionized comedy...,"and ended it with eyebrow-raising words, "the world is less funny without her."
