Posted on 09/05/2014 2:33:47 PM PDT by Kaslin
We met by accident. How else could it have been with two people who are so different? Or are we?
It was the early 1980s when a tabloid called me. They were doing a story on Joan Rivers and thought I, a conservative, would give them a quote critical of her. I said, "I won't speak to you and I don't want to be quoted as saying I won't speak to you."
They made up a quote, claiming I thought she was a terrible person.
I wrote her a letter in care of "The Tonight Show" where at the time she was substitute host for Johnny Carson. I said I hoped it wasn't necessary to deny something I didn't say and that I actually liked some of her work. She replied with a gracious handwritten note on pink stationery and included a "Can We Talk" button, which was her signature saying.
Sometime later her husband, Edgar Rosenberg, took his life. I wrote her expressing condolences. We subsequently met on several occasions and after one performance she introduced me to people backstage as "the man who wrote me a wonderful letter after Edgar died."
Joan Molinsky was born in Brooklyn, New York. Though her father was a doctor, no one made much money during the Depression and the war years that followed. In her autobiography (with Richard Meryman), "Enter Talking," Joan says her mother thought MD should stand for "making dollars."
Her parents thought she was throwing away her college education -- and financial security -- by her interest in show business, but while Joan worked as a department store sales girl, earning what would be pocket change today, she had her eyes on the stage as early as her teen years.
Whatever a "family values" person might think of her act, which often included coarse language, they should appreciate her work ethic. Joan Rivers played burlesque houses and other dives that today would be shut down by the health department. She never quit, but persevered until success found her.
Insecure over money, Joan embraced her greatest asset. In her book, Joan wrote: "If I was obscenely pushy, that is what drive is -- wanting the impossible, wanting it all, never knuckling under to an obstacle, pushing till you get what you want. I wanted to be a star. ... If I ever become somebody who stops fighting for my place in the spotlight, I will be finished. Let us not be sentimental about this. This is what reaching the top and staying there means in this business -- and in the automobile business and the garment business and in politics."
One might argue whether having it "all" when you can't take it all, or any part of all with you is worth it, but if success is your vehicle and drive the fuel, then Joan succeeded by any standard and for far longer than most entertainers.
We too often judge people by labels and what we see on the outside. Reading Joan's book and knowing her just a little showed me the woman behind the facade, which was quite different from her public personae.
In the inscription to "Enter Talking" she wrote, "To Cal, thank you for being so terrific over the years. -- Joan Rivers."
No, Joan, you were the terrific one.
Here I go, being a downer again. After what she said about Christians, Cal? Somehow death automatically makes one a saint these days.
One of my closest relatives was a writer for Joan in the late 60s-early 70s. He wrote a lovely tribute to her on Facebook today - remembering her kindness to young comedy writers and her vivacious and generous spirit. He lost touch with her as their careers went in two different directions. He went with Carson and she went on her own...
Wonderful article. Thanks for posting it!
I admired her work ethic and her love of her family.
I saw video on Fox last night of some libtard reporter asking her “are you a republican?!” and she proudly said YES, I make a lot of money and I want to keep as much as I can. Her comments on Israel recently were much appreciated and added to my admiration of her work ethic. I was frequently disgusted by some unnecessary crude jokes on Fashion Police, yet like a train wreck, I did tune into the show a lot over the years for the other laughs.
God Bless Her, she made me laugh and she loved her family and Israel and she spoke her mind. She loved America.
Rest in Peace, Joan.
I remember her radio talk show, she was pretty much a Giuliani Republican, but hated Liddy Dole for some reason.
Well, Cal pulled out only one ethic to attrubute to Joan Rivers, that of her work ethic. On her actual work, he said only “some of her work”, he liked and which he did not quantify, nor describe.
Probably that was only her entrance and her exit from the stage.
Joan was “on” to Liddy in pink.
“I won’t speak to you and I don’t want to be quoted as saying I won’t speak to you.”
What did she say about Christians that she didn’t say about JEWS??
I read another short biography on Joan Rivers today. She was a persistent hard worker, and kept trying and trying in spite of failures, until she found her style and success. I wouldn’t be surprised if she really was a Reagan supporter.
Born in Brooklyn.. Wow.
A true New Yawker.
God Bless and don’t sweat the new garb, Joan.
Must have been an interesting show.
She pretty much insulted everybody in One way, shape fashion or form,, that’s what ‘good’ comedians do.
Getting a break here and there doesn’t hurt either..
She survived Nixon, Clinton, and almost Obama,, not bad.
Reminds me of a quote by the NBA star Cedric "Cornbread" Maxwell (Celtic, Conf. Finals MVP): "I'm a Republican 'cause most guys don't make the jack I do."
("Jack" was slang for money way back in the 80's)
Oh yeah, I remember “jack”. I remember big 80’s hair too, and huge brick sized cell phones (a pompous jerk I worked for had one of those).
And a star she was... what a blessing for the rest of us... Thanks Joan Rivers... Heaven's a great gig... enjoy.
Okay, I’ll bite. What did she say about Christians?
Joan also wisecracked against fellow Republican, Bo Derek. I think she said some along the lines of Bo Derek is dumb. The most beautiful woman in the world is so stupid that she studies for her pap test or somping. When Bo Derek appeared on a show with Joan Rivers as the host, Bo had a bog roll of tape to tape up Joan Rivers mouth if she said something offensive. 
Amen! I lived thru her life time and never gave her a thought but looking back at all her performances, she was brilliant...........compare her to the likes of today's so-called commedianes such as Barr, Goldberg and Behar, they're nothing but trash compared to Joan Rivers.........There will never be another Joan!
God bless you Joan, you were a treasure.......
Charles Barkley, also N.B.A.. His grandma asked him why he was a republican, republicans are for the rich. His answer was, grandma, we are the rich.
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