POSTED September 4 2014
Joan Rivers 1931– 2014
“God always comes up with a third-act twist — and we don’t know til it’s over whether it was a tragedy or a comedy.” — Joan Rivers
She made us laugh, squirm, convulse, wince and choke. From the beginning, she saw how the world was tilted against women.
The first time I heard her she kidded, “A girl, unmarried, 30 years old — an old maid. A man, unmarried, 90 — a catch.”
After a set about how men were too blinded by beauty to appreciate brains, Johnny Carson tried to reassure that, indeed, men liked brainy women. Rivers looked at him askance and said, “Did you ever know a man who put his hand up a woman’s dress looking for her library card?
Here’s my adieu to her. What’s yours?
Joan, the feminist. RT @CarrieRickey Joan Rivers 1931– 2014 – http://t.co/CSwZCpqWyU
So sad to hear this. “@evewrites: Joan, the feminist. RT @CarrieRickey Joan Rivers 1931– 2014 – http://t.co/FT7ncP2CAu”
She was just so very funny, iconoclastic and, naturally, unpretentious. She really had it all. We’re terribly sad at our house.
@CarrieRickey You nailed it! What a wonderful tribute to a trailblazer, who will be greatly missed!
She made me laugh in spite of myself, because her humor was rooted in the familiar, if painful, truth. But I have to wonder, Carrie, why four of the five verbs you use to characterize “our” reactions to her are pejorative. Not saying I disagree, but still, I can think of more than just the positive one–laugh–for which you give her credit. How about sympathize, empathize, recognize ourselves, reflect, see, understand? As obnoxious as she was, Joan Rivers made herself the butt of her jokes as much as she targeted others. She was an equal-opportunity offender.
I convulse with humor and choke with laughs (as one chokes with tears.) Not pejorative to me.
Once again, a definitive appreciation by Carrie. Bravo!
I do like the manner in which you have framed this difficulty and it does give us some fodder for thought. However, from just what I have observed, I only hope as the remarks pile on that individuals remain on issue and not embark upon a tirade regarding the news du jour. All the same, thank you for this fantastic point and even though I can not go along with this in totality, I value your standpoint.