Althouse: Joan Rivers has died.

September 4, 2014

Joan Rivers has died.

Goodbye to the great comedienne.

ADDED: "I am an actress — an actress playing the role of a comedian."

55 comments:

Jason said...: Oh, my God. Oh, my God.; 9/4/14, 2:18 PM
MayBee said...: Watch the documentary about her. She worked hard and constantly.

So sad.; 9/4/14, 2:18 PM
Nonapod said...: First Robin Williams, now Joan Rivers. Who's the next comedy to go? Rule of 3?; 9/4/14, 2:19 PM
Rumpletweezer said...: God best be wearing something nice.; 9/4/14, 2:19 PM
S. said...: I flew myself to Vegas 2 years ago to see her perform. Popped for the VIP tickets so I could meet her. She was gracious and charming. A true legend; 9/4/14, 2:21 PM
David said...: Yeah she was funny. Tough too.

And not a flash in the pan. The photo essay that I saw had several pictures of her with Ed Sullivan.; 9/4/14, 2:29 PM
Ipso Fatso said...: RIP Joan. And speaking of died, where's Crack?; 9/4/14, 2:30 PM
Jason said...: She and Liz Taylor have got to be laughing it up.; 9/4/14, 2:36 PM
retired said...: So sad.

My dad, who knew many anesthesiologists, quoted them as saying, "never go under a general anesthesia without an anesthesiologist or outside a hospital." Made me get my wisdom teeth out under a local, wasn't so bad.
A friend had the same procedure as Rivers done recently, in a hospital with an anesthesiologist. Is fine.

Can't say I'm missing Crack.; 9/4/14, 2:36 PM
traditionalguy said...: They don't make many like Joan. She had guts.; 9/4/14, 2:41 PM
David said...: pso Fatso said...
RIP Joan. And speaking of died, where's Crack?

Probably right behind that bush over there. Watch out!; 9/4/14, 2:45 PM
Just asking questions (Jaq) said...: Even Heidi Abromowicz shed a tear.; 9/4/14, 2:53 PM
madAsHell said...: Goodbye, Joan Rivers.

She certainly pushed the limits of plastic surgery.

I think we spent the last several days waiting for her daughter to grieve, and accept the situation.; 9/4/14, 2:54 PM
MadisonMan said...: Can we Talk?; 9/4/14, 2:57 PM
dreams said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 9/4/14, 2:59 PM
dreams said...: I liked her and I liked her even more for standing up for Israel.; 9/4/14, 3:02 PM
Robert Cook said...: @retired:

Even going under genera anesthesia in a hospital with an anesthesiologist present is very dangerous, and the cause of many deaths or impaired health following surgeries.; 9/4/14, 3:07 PM
traditionalguy said...: Joan was a big mouth that knew her style of unfiltered talk was funny when the communicator has a good heart. Her humor healed because of the good heart it expressed.

That takes guts because it violates rules of the cautiously restrained... like Farragut did at New Orleans and Halsey did at Iron Bottom Sound.

She probably was a descendant of the House of King David. Which makes King Jesus her cousin. So a big reunion feast is in order in Heaven where Joan will crack the jokes all night.; 9/4/14, 3:08 PM
Fernandinande said...: ...several weeks after making fun of the Obamas. That's longer than I expected.; 9/4/14, 3:08 PM
FullMoon said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 9/4/14, 3:25 PM
paminwi said...: Saw Joan when she came to Madison for her show. She truly picked on every type of person in her act. She made us laugh the whole show.

Even my husband would watch Fashion Police and would laugh even though he could care less about fashion.

RIP Joan; 9/4/14, 3:38 PM
FullMoon said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 9/4/14, 3:43 PM
FullMoon said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 9/4/14, 3:48 PM
The Crack Emcee said...: The idea of Joan Rivers lingering, of all people, wasn't a good one. If she didn't suffer, and cheated death as she cheated life, then I'm happy she's been let go.

As a class act, done in the least classy way possible, she gave us all she had - a comedian's comedian - right until the end. She didn't steal jokes, and never forgot where she came from, who she was, or what she was doing it for - us. And so we knew her - onstage and off - because she made sure we did.

And, for that, I thank her.

Good cracker,.....; 9/4/14, 4:02 PM
Mikio said...: God best be wearing something nice.

You guys have us atheists so beat in this area. I'm touched. That's just... yeah, He'd better.; 9/4/14, 4:03 PM
xdoc said...: "never go under a general anesthesia without an anesthesiologist or outside a hospital."

That depends on lots of factors. I agree that an 81 y/o is more of a risk than much younger healthy adults, but in most cases general anesthesia/sedation is quite safe in a clinic or hospital with or without an anesthesiologist. I did surgery for many years in hospitals and clinics with CRNAs or doing the sedation myself and had no anesthesia related deaths. We don't even know if Joan Rivers death is anesthesia related. Broad sweeping statements like yours are never true ;); 9/4/14, 4:15 PM
George M. Spencer said...: You, hockey pucks! We still have Rickles!; 9/4/14, 4:19 PM
Titus said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 9/4/14, 4:20 PM
Titus said...: She was nice to the gay before it was cool.

She was funny too.; 9/4/14, 4:20 PM
Fandor said...: She was among the very BEST.
Outside of Jackie Mason, Jerry Lewis and Bill Cosby, I don't know who's left from that fabulous era (1960s).

Of course Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner and Woody Allen are still with us, but Joan was always current and edgy.(Woody IS a great filmmaker and always original).

Best recent crack by Joan was, "Michelle is a tranny. Come on, everybody knows."; 9/4/14, 4:32 PM
rcocean said...: No very smart to have surgery at 81, unless its mandatory.; 9/4/14, 4:56 PM
pm317 said...: A few days ago when she fell into coma, something got into me and I started to read about her, a lot and then stumbled on Celebrity Apprentice. I went from episode to episode all night and went to bed at 5 AM that morning. I highly recommend it -- all episodes are available on youtube. She was the star and I fell in love with the person she was.

There is also that video of her slapping Carson (looks playful but I think it had a certain meaning), so hard that he fell off the stool he was sitting on.; 9/4/14, 4:57 PM
rcocean said...: Thought she was very courageous and stood up to Leftism in Hollywood.

Only found her funny in small doses though.; 9/4/14, 4:57 PM
pm317 said...: Rule of 3?

you missed Lauren Bacall..Joan is 3.; 9/4/14, 4:58 PM
pm317 said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 9/4/14, 5:06 PM
Ann Althouse said...: My "ADDED" links to an old post of mine that's about the documentary. I agree that it's excellent.; 9/4/14, 6:02 PM
pm317 said...: I would love to watch the documentary but it is not on youtube (yeah, I am cheap).; 9/4/14, 6:13 PM
david7134 said...: There is more to this story that will effect everyone. As doctors, we are told by CMS that we can not put people into the hospital for procedures. Thus, endoscopy clinics such as in the case have sprung up to provide the procedure. These places are not good at all for sudden reversals in health as we see with Ms. Rivers. Best medical care would mean putting anyone who is elderly in a hospital setting where they would have access to the best in CPR. But, Medicare has stopped this process and many others that most are unaware of. The result is increasing issues such as we see here.; 9/4/14, 6:17 PM
FullMoon said...: xdoc says
Broad sweeping statements like yours are never true ;)

There is nothing worse than a broad sweeping statement; 9/4/14, 6:36 PM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 9/4/14, 6:52 PM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: You could tell she was just awesome. Imagine having a mother in her late 70s like this.

Irreplaceable.; 9/4/14, 6:53 PM
Bob R said...: Joan Rivers did more for women's rights than all the Women's Studies departments in the country put together. She could put more interesting, funny, insightful points about relations between men and women in a five minute monolog than most people could put in a 500-page book. She will be missed.; 9/4/14, 6:54 PM
Quaestor said...: There is nothing worse than a broad sweeping statement

I can think of many things worse than my monthly maid service bill.; 9/4/14, 6:55 PM
Quaestor said...: Woody IS a great filmmaker and always original.

Original? Allen has been trying to be Ingmar Bergman for generations... Oh, I get it! It's a joke.; 9/4/14, 7:01 PM
Fandor said...: Quaestor said...
Woody IS a great filmmaker and always original.

Original? Allen has been trying to be Ingmar Bergman for generations... Oh, I get it! It's a joke.

NO JOKE, Quaestor. Woody Allen is a GREAT filmmaker.
He puts his own spin on current sensibilities, perhaps with an accent of Ingmar Bergman, and who doesn't pay homage to those they admire. It still is Woody's take on what's what, and original in the sense that no one has done it like he has. Questor, thanks for your opinion. Go FYS.
Just kidding, pal. I love you.

Oh, and Crack...Joan Rivers "good cracker".

What if I said, Bill Crosby, good negro.

Hey Crack, Go FYS.

I love you brother.

We are living in Obama's post racial age.

"Oh, I get it. It's a joke."; 9/4/14, 7:19 PM
Fandor said...: Oh, and Ann, you are always EXCELLENT.

Thanks for letting us all "mix it up".; 9/4/14, 7:24 PM
John henry said...: In the fall of 67 I was in navy boot camp at Great Lakes. About halfway through we got a Cinderella liberty to go to the big city of Chicago.

I went in, walked around downtown a few hours, had a steak at a Tads. Not knowing what else to do, I went to the USO to hang out til it was time to go back.

That night Joan Rivers put on a show for a dozen or so of us. She put as much energy into it as if she were in a big room in Vegas. Afterward she came around and said hello to each of us.

She was pregnant with Melissa at the time and there were a couple jokes about that.

I have always had a soft spot in my heart for her for taking the time to come entertain us.

Like Ace said, I thought she would outlive everyone yet here we are.

Rest in Peace, Joan. You've certainly earned it. I'll miss you

John Henry; 9/4/14, 7:56 PM
John henry said...: I hope she gets the funeral she wanted:

When I die (and yes, Melissa, that day will come; and yes, Melissa, everything’s in your name), I want my funeral to be a huge showbiz affair with lights, cameras, action…I want Craft services, I want paparazzi and I want publicists making a scene! I want it to be Hollywood all the way. I don’t want some rabbi rambling on; I want Meryl Streep crying, in five different accents. I don’t want a eulogy; I want Bobby Vinton to pick up my head and sing “Mr. Lonely.” I want to look gorgeous, better dead than I do alive. I want to be buried in a Valentino gown and I want Harry Winston to make me a toe tag. And I want a wind machine so that even in the casket my hair is blowing just like Beyoncé’s.

John Henry; 9/4/14, 8:11 PM
pm317 said...: It is touching to see her with her grandson. Yeah, it is a show but somehow she can't be that different when the cameras are gone. It is hilarious with the rock climbing wall at around 30+.; 9/4/14, 8:12 PM
traditionalguy said...: Joan was a gentle spirit who blew through life like a wind storm leaving us laughing.

She did her part and set a standard of wit few have met. She confronted misogynists with a flair that I deeply admired.
.
What more could she do?; 9/4/14, 9:01 PM
William said...: I'm reminded of the old joke about the curate's egg. The curate said it was very good in parts.......Joan Rivers, on occasion, was very funny, and she certainly had an indomitable spirit. But, of course, indomitable spirit is another way of describing compulsive behavior. All that plastic surgery, selling jewelry, going on the road, and the endless, driven search for something she didn't want and had long since realized didn't exist.. She was in on the joke, but there was something disquieting about it.......I dont mean this as a slam. It's very rare that someone so driven can retain control of he wheel. She really seemed to be n charge of her demons,; 9/4/14, 10:28 PM
Alex said...: Stop looking up my can.; 9/5/14, 12:23 AM
Anesthesiologist said...: I am an anesthesiologist and have performed this procedure. sedation is likely to blame here although no specific details have been released. When surgery is preformed with a licensed anesthesiologist, the anesthesia is the safest part of the surgery in healthy patients and bad outcomes are rare. Elderly patients or those with severe medical illness are told in advance that there risks are increased and sometimes surgery is not recommended for this reason.

There are many unanswered questions here, but if excess sedation was used, the next question would be who was providing it. Based on the reports, paramedics intubated her but this would have been done by the anesthesiologist if they were present so it is not clear if they were. Propofol is the most common drug used in anesthesia and is generally very safe but the FDA states that an anesthetist must be present because we are trained in dealing with common side effects. With Michael Jackson, the doctor was not trained or allowed to use the drug so was prescribing illegally. It is interesting to find out what happened here but who knows if the real details will every be released.; 9/5/14, 7:34 AM
Fat Bastardo said...: CLICK HERE:A Doctor Screw Up Killed Joan Rivers Medical errors are rampant in the US.

Doctor in the US are more deadly than cancer.; 9/5/14, 12:47 PM
eddie willers said...: She and Liz Taylor have got to be laughing it up.

From memory:

"Liz had her ears pierced....and gravy ran out".; 9/5/14, 12:48 PM