Remembering Joan Rivers

I had a crush on her in the '60s.

She was a Brooklyn girl who wasn't afraid to tell it like it was. I used to watch her on the Ed Sullivan Show. I'm told that she was a guest on the Tonight Show, as far back as the Jack Paar era. Rivers said that she learned from Johnny Carson. Maybe, but she also learned from Lenny Bruce. She often joked about celebrities. Sometimes her humor was accepted as being rude or cruel. Perhaps. When this would happen, she'd admit that it was a stupid joke or gag. What she would never do is apologize. Political correctness was a concept that she never embraced. This is why I respected her.

 Like her or hate her, she was very good in several areas. She wrote jokes, movie scripts and books. She acted on TV and in the movies. She did stand up comedy. She was a TV and radio host and interviewer. Her longevity was impressive as was her ability to do so many things, so well. 

She was the first real comedienne that I ever remember seeing.  All comics owe her a debt and if they're smart, they can watch some of her routines and learn something.

Like her or hate her, she was unique. The woman needed no introduction.

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