NewlyNested: Joan Rivers Really Is a Piece of Work
Living on the West Coast, Oscar night is like a mini-holiday. While everyone is planning their Oscar viewings I am thinking of the aftermath: Joan Rivers. Growing up Oscar night wasn’t about the award winners, but about the best and worst dressed. Watching Joan and Melissa Rivers critique the A-list celebrities was something I remember watching with my grandmother at a very young age. Now that my grandmother has passed,Joan River holds a nostalgic place in my heart.
My grandmother loved Joan Rivers. Being born in 1982 I didn’t know much of Joan Rivers as a comedian other than what I saw on E! And of course I also knew her as a jewelry designer for QVC. I understand why people make fun of her so much. She has made herself her own running joke, but I always treasured the times watching her with my grandmother.
After my grandmother passed, Joan Rivers also seemed to disappear. She lost her spot on E! and went to the TV Guide Network (who wants to watch programming on a quarter of the screen while the TV schedule is scrolling?). After a few years with TV Guide she was nowhere to be found for years.
When her documentary, Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work came out I couldn’t wait to see it and learn more about a legend that I actually knew very little about. I was surprised how interesting and well done the documentary was. I know you have heard the rave reviews before, but seriously, if you haven’t watched it yet, go to your Netflix instant streaming now and give the movie a chance. It really is worth seeing. After viewing the documentary I understand why my grandmother loved Rivers so much. She and Joan are a lot a like down to their dwellings. Joan Rivers NYC apartment’s styling reminded me of my grandmother’s condo, specifically her Parisian styled ladies-only bathroom — that was my favorite room in her house.
Soon after I saw the documentary I went with a friend to see Joan Rivers in person and now I understand why she is a living legend. She is what Chelsea Handler would have been forty years ago. She was so raunchy that I was actually surprised that this was the kind of comedy my grandmother liked and it made me think of my grandmother differently. I am officially a Joan Rivers fans. This year Joan Rivers has returned to E! for the red carpet critique and weekly Fashion Police on E!. I dare you to give Joan Rivers another chance.