It took me forever to find these all, & someone else asked if Kathy had made any comments re: Joan - yes!
Kathy Levine
Many of you have written to say you enjoyed the pony gift from Joan that someone graciously kept on video.
Some of you have questioned a memory about a sheep as part of my barnyard gift collection. Unfortunately I do not have access to that momentous occasion in my life, but I can explain:
I believe it was our 7th anniversary together, and wool is the gift for that year. As we wrapped up the show, Joan said she wanted to buy me something symbolic for our seventh, so she thought of buying me a sweater. Then she thought better of it and decided I should knit my own sweater from my very own sheep. Out from backstage walked a person with a LIVE sheep.
I am an animal lover, particularly dogs, but definitely farm animals as well.
I saw this wooly beauty and went crazy. I screamed, I laughed, and I ran over like a shot to pet it, leaving Joan alone on the other side.
What no one knew or saw at first was that Joan had her microphone battery pack wrapped around the chair instead of attached to her waistline.
She was basically tethered to her chair, a prisoner.
Instead of being a prima donna, typical of most celebrities calling attention to their dilemma and taking away from the perfect moment, Joan sucked it up and grabbed her chair right to her butt and waddled on over slowly. When I turned around and saw her schlepping herself with this big heavy chair stuck to her aszs, it absolutely doubled me in half and I lost it for 5 minutes. It was one of the funniest moments of my TV life.
Back in the Green Room afterwards, I made Joan watch the tape and we both stood there with tears running down our faces.
Only Joan. They broke the mold after her.
Baaaaaaaaah
Kathy Levine, September 4, 2014
Remembering Joan
I met Joan Rivers 23 years ago. Her husband had recently committed suicide at the Four Seasons Hotel in Philadelphia, and the emotional wounds were fresh.
Joan believed her extensive collection of fine antique jewels might do well replicated as costume pieces. The execs at QVC agreed and invited her to the studio for a visit.
I was selected to meet her, as the likelihood of two Jewish broads who love jewelry might be a winning combination. In the course of our general conversation, she asked me what hotel someone might stay in while working in the West Chester area. I answered that ordinarily a visitor would stay locally at one of the average chain properties, but since she was Joan Rivers, the biggest star we had entertained to that date, I blurted out loud and clear, "oh you definitely would want to stay at the Four Seasons."
There was a two ton silence all around the executive laden room, followed by my heart jumping into my throat, my skin blanching, and visions of unemployment dancing in my head. Joan looked straight at me, giggled, and said "that's very funny". Only Joan could laugh in the face of adversity.
Joan made her QVC debut on September 8, 1991. We shared nine years of joy together, longer than many marriages, and clearly more fun. She went on approximately six times a year, each visit usually encompassing a Friday night, a Saturday morning, a Saturday night and a Sunday morning. Each of her visits totalled about 9 - 10 hours of live TV sales. If you do the math, we shared about 540 hours on camera together. That's a lot of jewelry and a lot of laughs.
I have worked with them all, and frankly, most celebrities are nervous on live camera, cannot ad lib, and definitely come unglued without a sales script. Joan was a duck to water. She was brilliant, quick witted, but willing to take advice, to listen and not interrupt. She knew to back off when I thought I could sell it better. She learned her craft well, she mastered the fine line between sales and entertainment and she worked like a dog.
No one was ever better to work with, EVER!
Joan was gracious, always inviting me into her private green room, making sure I ate something from her beautifully catered buffet, and always ALWAYS asking about my Mom. She would say "take a piece of jewelry for your Mom." I would answer that my Mom was quite well wardrobed and didn't need to take from Joan's inventory. She would yell "take a piece of jewelry or I'm not going on!" I can honestly tell you that when my Mom passed away and I went through her things, there were more than 100 pieces of Joan's jewelry, all thoroughly enjoyed over the years.
I could go on about Joan's antics on air, the birthday gifts of live farm animals, boy toys, our all night slumber parties. (I fell asleep, she continued on her own). She joked about everyone, took no prisoners, and we laughed so long and hard that I was convinced every visit would be her last.... and mine.
One of the most treasured letters I ever received was from a woman whose mother was terminally ill and in great pain. She wrote:
My mother used a morphine pump all the time, but when you and Joan were on, she laughed so hard, her pain disappeared.
We did a lot of good for a lot of people, beyond pretty jewelry and were both very proud of that. I know there will never be another experience for me as joyous or funny or classy as Joan.
She will be forever in my heart, and in all of the hearts of those who loved her. I know Melissa has lost the grand champion of her life; but I hope she and son Cooper will bank all of the amazing memories Joan created with them, and continue to enjoy life as she would have wanted for them.
There is a TV commercial featuring a woman having lunch with friends. When the bill comes it says "Your heart attack will happen today."
I firmly believe that if Joan had known which day was hers, she would have put on her most glam necklace, her fluffiest fur and her trampiest stilettos, and she would have said "It's show time baby, let's go."
Rest in style Funny Lady.
Kathy
From Kathy Levine:
I thought I had been there, seen it all, gotten the tee shirt.
I was wrong. Today was a Broadway show, a comedy routine, a celebrity
extravaganza and an extraordinary tribute all in one to a one and only.
It's hard to capture the mood of the room. Over 1,000 people filled the
exquisite Temple Emanu-el on 5th ave. in NY.
Security was high, the paparazzi numbered in the hundreds, along with
fans lining the street from all sides. It was highly organized chaos.
The inside of the Temple had more white flowers than I have ever seen at
any royal wedding EVER, a magnificent tribute to Joan's love of all things
beautiful.
The Gay Mens Chorus of NY started off with songs Joan loved like "Big
Spender", and uplifting Broadway tunes that made us all smile.
Then the Rabbi welcomed everyone and promised to honor Joan's request
of not "blabbering" on.
The gorgeous and uber talented Audra MacDonald sang "Smile" and was
so lovely.
Howard Stern absolutely adored Joan and showed a very tender and soft
side in his words about the funniest, smartest, wildest woman who ever
ruled the comedy world. He told stories that had people shaking their
heads saying "I can just hear her saying that".
It broke the ice and gave everyone permission to do as Joan had
requested,... laugh. And I mean belly laugh. He was masterful.
Deborah Norville was one of Joan's closest friends for 25 years and she
told the warmest stories of the crazy things she and Joan used to do.
Joan's BFF, Margie had the room cracking up with story after story of the
places they traveled and the things Joan would do to start trouble. I
promise you the things you heard her say on air were nothing compared to
some of the hilarious things she did. And I believed every word knowing
Joan as I did.
What fun she had wherever she went. What luck to be her friend.
Joan's long time accountant spoke of how Joan and husband Edgar hired
him right out of school and believed in him and hung in with him when he
was a bit green. He said she sure loved to spend it but she worked
tirelessly to make sure everyone who needed her help received it. She
provided for so many, quietly and charitably.
Cindy Adams, the gossip columnist for the NY Post and a dear long time
friend of Joan's said they had a bet as to who would go first.
It was story after story, laugh after laugh, respectfully given as a tribute to
how wonderful people felt in Joan's presence. Everyone agreed she was
the warmest, most generous, most accessible celebrity ever.
Hugh Jackman,... OMG. I almost wet myself when I saw him. He sang a
great song from one of his performances and he got the entire crowd on
their feet, singing and clapping. I could almost see Joan smiling and
singing along, loving every minute of this awesome tribute. Mr. Jackman is
just A+.
And finally Melissa. Instead of a teary eyed tribute to her Mom, she read a
letter she had written to her mom as the "tenant" in Melissa's L.A. house.
Obviously Joan had slipped a note under Melissa's door recently,
addressed to the "Landlord, complaining about the lack of space, and
other funny grievances!. Joan suggested (obviously tongue in cheek), they
put Cooper in the laundry room so she could have more room. You know
how someone says "you had to be there". This is one of those stories
that's hard to reiterate. In essence, the letter was Melissa's reply to her
"tenant". It answered each of the complaints and ended by telling Joan she
was late with the rent! It was the perfect way for Melissa to pay tribute to
the joy and fun she and her Mom shared without falling apart. She
delivered her tribute flawlessly and with a smile, winning everyone's heart.
The day ended with the NYPD Bagpipe Brigade playing Amazing Grace
followed by "New York, New York", and walking out to the street. We all
followed and it was a love fest. All who loved Joan were there, and there
was a keen sense of comfort, joy and peace knowing Joan was given
exactly the kind of send off she wanted and earned....loving, funny,
respectful, and completely, unabashedly Joan.
I was honored to be included, and grateful to share it with Rick, Jill, Jane,
Lisa and Mary Beth.
What a day. Lots of tears, but so much joy about a life well lived.
There's a full moon out tonight, and you must know the heavens are a little brighter with their newest arrival.
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