joan rivers in seattle

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2 e Journal BetterAfter50 February7,2012 Joan Rivers comes to Seattle By Katherine Luck Over the phone, the unmis- takableNewYorkbrayisundi- minished,evenatage78. “epeopleinParis...they’re sorude,sonasty.Allthejokes you hear —‘ey should take Paris and fill it with English people’ — they’re absolutely right!” isisJoanRivers:comedian, actress, plastic surgery con- sumer bar none and cultural icon. After nearly half a cen- turyinthespotlight,herpull- no-punches brand of snark is unblunted. GrowingupinBrooklyn,be- ing funny was a family affair for Rivers. “My father was a doctor, but so funny.e joke inthefamilywas,‘Hispatients dielaughing,’”shesaid. Her parents, Jewish immi- grants from Russia, discour- aged Rivers from becoming an entertainer, however. ey feltheroldersisterwasonthe right career track when she wounduptheyoungestfemale at the time to graduate from ColumbiaLawSchool. “When I said, ‘I want to go into show business,’ my father and mother both fainted and they didn’t wake up for five years,”Riverssaid. Afterappearingonstageinschoolpro- ductionsatBarnardCollegeinthe1950s, she took a retail job, married the boss’ son, and got divorced six months later. encamesevenyearsspentstrugglingto makeitinNewYorkCityasacomedian andactress.Followingastinton“Candid Camera,” her big break came when she appeared on “e Tonight Show” with Johnny Carson in 1965. Before long, she wasappearinginarangeoflightTVfare, including “e Carol Burnett Show,” “HollywoodSquares”and“eEdSulli- vanShow.” Today Rivers counts herself fortunate that both of her parents lived to see her succeed.“eygottocometotheCarson showandsawthatitwasOK.IwasOK,” shesaid. Unlike her parents, she encouraged her daughter,Melissa,topursuehershowbiz dreams, frequently telling her,“Run your ownrace.Don’tworryaboutwhatothers aredoing.” Motheranddaughterarerunninganen- tertainingrelayracenowadays,starringin arealityTVshowonWE,“Joan&Me- PHOTO COURTESY OF NORTHWEST ASSOCIATED ARTS lissa: Joan Knows Best?” Now in its sec- ondseason,theshowisfilmedinMelissa’s LosAngeleshome,whereRiverstakesup “temporary”residence. “It’s seven months of work for 10 epi- sodes,” Rivers said, adding that there are plentyofshockersthisseason,whichpre- mieredonJan.24.“Ismokemedicalmari- juana, Melissa breaks up with her boy- friendoncamera—myGod,wecaughtit oncamera!Afriendofourswhoisuber- blond and looks like a member of Hitler Youthfindsouthe’sJewish.Hehasabar mitzvah and a circumcision. Who knew thesethingshappen?Andeverybodygets plasticsurgeryinthehouse!” On the reality TV show, Rivers’ guest statusatherdaughter’shouseisostensibly toaccommodatetheshootingschedulefor “Fashion Police” on E!, an outgrowth of Rivers’ famous red carpet confrontations ofcelebritiesovertheirawardsshowfash- ionfauxpas. “Melissa and I started the red carpet [commentary].It’sjustgrownandgrown andgrown....It’sgottensoyoucan’tsay anything.Itbecamebigbusiness,”shesaid. Rivers’stingingcelebritycritiquesstart- ed in 1994 with the Golden Globes and expanded the next year to include the AcademyAwards.oughheroftenbru- tal jibes kept her in the limelight, Rivers Washington State’s 529 Prepaid College Tuition Program Get started today Visit get.wa.gov or call 1.800.955.2318 Enroll November 1 – May 31 Year-round enrollment for newborns Your children are growing fast. College tuition is growing faster. Fortunately there’s GET, Washington’s Guaranteed Education Tuition college savings program. Washington’s 529 Prepaid College Tuition Plan State guarantee Choice of colleges nationwide Tax-free savings and withdrawals Flexible plans GET is guaranteed to keep up with the rising cost of tuition, and it can be used anywhere in the country. Learn the facts and enroll today at get.wa.gov. Because the sooner you enroll, the more you’ll save. decidedtostopdoingin-your-faceceleb- ritymockerywhentheagentsofbigstars began blacklisting her from speaking to anyone on their client list. She became acutelyawarethatshewasbecomingun- popularintheentertainmentindustry. “enicethingis,I’veneverbeeninvited tothegoodparties.Soit’snotlikeI’moff thelist,”Riverssaid. Itwasalsoveryhardforhertobeharsh when she was confronting one of her friendsontheredcarpet. “eminuteyoubecomeareviewer,then your allegiance has to be to the people who are reading you,” she said. “ey’re nottuningintohearpap.” When not filming “Joan & Melissa” or “Fashion Police,” Rivers’ life is all about New York City, where she maintains an apartmentonManhattan’sEastSide.Her days there are consumed by QVC and, “If I’m free, I’ll go to the theater. I’ll see anything.Broadway,off-Broadway,off-off- Broadway, under Broadway — anything,” shesaid. Even after decades as a TV star, Riv- ers still regularly returns to her stand-up comedyrootswithherliveshow, An Eve- ning With Joan Rivers. “My act changes so much because it’s about what’s annoying me,” Rivers said. Nothingisofflimits,herirebeingraised on the rainy day of this telephone inter- viewby“anythingthathappensatanair- portnow,peoplewhothinktheirchildren arebeautiful.”Andmostofall,“thatstupid California culture.ey’re all bone thin. Andtheyhavenohumor.Nohumor!” Shewillbringherstand-upshowtoSe- attlejustthreedaysafterthe84thAcad- emyAwards.Naturally,“It’llbefilledwith Oscarstuff.Let’shopesomebodygetsvery drunk at the Oscars,” she said.“en we cantalkaboutit.” Rivers also has a new book that is due to be on shelves this summer — though she cautions that her publisher may be in for a surprise, because she’s still writ- ing it. It will be an extension of her act, filledwithzingersaboutallthethingsshe doesn’tlike,includingentirecities.Given heropinionofParis,whichhasnettedfive pages and counting, one is almost scared toaskwhatshethinksofSeattle. “Beautifulcity!atNorthwestcorridor isgorgeous.Sostopbitching!” An Evening With Joan Rivers takesplace at8p.m.onFeb.29atBenaroyaHallin Seattle.

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Interview with Joan Rivers in Seattle.

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Page 1: Joan Rivers in Seattle

2 The Journal� Better�After�50� •� February�7,�2012

Joan Rivers comes to SeattleBy Katherine Luck

Over� the� phone,� the� unmis-takable�New�York�bray�is�undi-minished,�even�at�age�78.�“The�people�in�Paris�...�they’re�

so�rude,�so�nasty.�All� the� jokes�you�hear�—� ‘They� should� take�Paris� and� fill� it� with� English�people’� —� they’re� absolutely�right!”This�is�Joan�Rivers:�comedian,�

actress,� plastic� surgery� con-sumer� bar� none� and� cultural�icon.� After� nearly� half� a� cen-tury� in� the� spotlight,�her�pull-no-punches� brand� of� snark� is�unblunted.Growing�up�in�Brooklyn,�be-

ing� funny� was� a� family� affair�for� Rivers.� “My� father� was� a�doctor,� but� so� funny.�The� joke�in�the�family�was,�‘His�patients�die�laughing,’”�she�said.�Her� parents,� Jewish� immi-

grants� from� Russia,� discour-aged� Rivers� from� becoming�an� entertainer,� however.� They�felt�her�older�sister�was�on�the�right� career� track� when� she�wound�up�the�youngest�female�at� the� time� to� graduate� from�Columbia�Law�School.“When� I� said,� ‘I� want� to� go� into� show�

business,’� my� father� and� mother� both�fainted� and� they� didn’t� wake� up� for� five�years,”�Rivers�said.�After�appearing�on�stage� in�school�pro-

ductions�at�Barnard�College�in�the�1950s,�she� took� a� retail� job,� married� the� boss’�son,� and� got� divorced� six� months� later.�Then�came�seven�years�spent�struggling�to�make� it� in�New�York�City�as�a�comedian�and�actress.�Following�a�stint�on�“Candid�Camera,”� her� big� break� came� when� she�appeared� on� “The� Tonight� Show”� with�Johnny�Carson� in� 1965.�Before� long,� she�was�appearing�in�a�range�of�light�TV�fare,�including� “The� Carol� Burnett� Show,”�“Hollywood�Squares”� and�“The�Ed�Sulli-van�Show.”Today� Rivers� counts� herself� fortunate�

that� both� of� her� parents� lived� to� see� her�succeed.�“They�got�to�come�to�the�Carson�show�and�saw�that�it�was�OK.�I�was�OK,”�she�said.Unlike� her� parents,� she� encouraged� her�

daughter,�Melissa,�to�pursue�her�show�biz�dreams,� frequently� telling�her,� “Run� your�own� race.�Don’t�worry�about�what�others�are�doing.”�Mother�and�daughter�are�running�an�en-

tertaining�relay�race�nowadays,�starring�in�a� reality�TV� show�on�WE,�“Joan�&�Me-

Photo courtesy of Northwest AssociAted Arts

lissa:� Joan�Knows�Best?”�Now� in� its� sec-ond�season,�the�show�is�filmed�in�Melissa’s�Los�Angeles�home,�where�Rivers�takes�up�“temporary”�residence.“It’s� seven�months� of� work� for� 10� epi-

sodes,”�Rivers� said,� adding� that� there� are�plenty�of�shockers�this�season,�which�pre-miered�on�Jan.�24.�“I�smoke�medical�mari-juana,� Melissa� breaks� up� with� her� boy-friend�on�camera�—�my�God,�we�caught�it�on�camera!�A�friend�of�ours�who�is�uber-blond� and� looks� like� a�member�of�Hitler�Youth�finds�out�he’s�Jewish.�He�has�a�bar�mitzvah� and� a� circumcision.� Who� knew�these�things�happen?�And�everybody�gets�plastic�surgery�in�the�house!”On� the� reality� TV� show,� Rivers’� guest�

status�at�her�daughter’s�house�is�ostensibly�to�accommodate�the�shooting�schedule�for�“Fashion� Police”� on� E!,� an� outgrowth� of�Rivers’� famous� red� carpet� confrontations�of�celebrities�over�their�awards�show�fash-ion�faux�pas.“Melissa� and� I� started� the� red� carpet�

[commentary].� It’s� just�grown�and�grown�and�grown.� ...� It’s� gotten� so� you� can’t� say�anything.�It�became�big�business,”�she�said.�Rivers’� stinging�celebrity�critiques�start-

ed� in� 1994�with� the�Golden�Globes� and�expanded� the� next� year� to� include� the�Academy�Awards.�Though�her�often�bru-tal� jibes� kept�her� in� the� limelight,�Rivers�

Washington State’s 529 Prepaid College Tuition Program

Get started today • Visit get.wa.gov or call 1.800.955.2318

Enroll November 1 – May 31Year-round enrollment for newborns

Your children are growing fast. College tuition is growing faster.Fortunately there’s GET, Washington’s Guaranteed Education Tuition college savings program.

Washington’s 529 Prepaid College Tuition Plan

State guarantee

Choice of colleges nationwide

Tax-free savings and withdrawals

Flexible plans

GET is guaranteed to keep up with the rising cost of tuition, and it can be used anywhere in the country. Learn the facts and enroll today at get.wa.gov. Because the sooner you enroll, the more you’ll save.

decided�to�stop�doing�in-your-face�celeb-rity�mockery�when�the�agents�of�big�stars�began� blacklisting� her� from� speaking� to�anyone� on� their� client� list.� She� became�acutely�aware� that�she�was�becoming�un-popular�in�the�entertainment�industry.�“The�nice�thing�is,�I’ve�never�been�invited�

to�the�good�parties.�So�it’s�not�like�I’m�off�the�list,”�Rivers�said.�It�was�also�very�hard�for�her�to�be�harsh�

when� she� was� confronting� one� of� her�friends�on�the�red�carpet.�“The�minute�you�become�a�reviewer,�then�

your� allegiance� has� to� be� to� the� people�who� are� reading� you,”� she� said.� “They’re�not�tuning�in�to�hear�pap.”���When� not� filming� “Joan� &� Melissa”� or�

“Fashion� Police,”� Rivers’� life� is� all� about�New� York� City,� where� she� maintains� an�apartment�on�Manhattan’s�East�Side.�Her�days� there� are� consumed� by� QVC� and,�“If� I’m� free,� I’ll� go� to� the� theater.� I’ll� see�anything.�Broadway,�off-Broadway,�off-off-Broadway,� under� Broadway�—� anything,”�she�said.Even� after� decades� as� a� TV� star,� Riv-

ers� still� regularly� returns� to� her� stand-up�comedy�roots�with�her�live�show,�An Eve-ning With Joan Rivers.“My� act� changes� so� much� because� it’s�

about� what’s� annoying� me,”� Rivers� said.�Nothing� is�off� limits,�her� ire�being�raised�on� the� rainy� day� of� this� telephone� inter-view�by�“anything�that�happens�at�an�air-port�now,�people�who�think�their�children�are�beautiful.”�And�most�of�all,�“that�stupid�California� culture.�They’re� all� bone� thin.�And�they�have�no�humor.�No�humor!”She�will�bring�her�stand-up�show�to�Se-

attle� just� three�days�after� the�84th�Acad-emy�Awards.�Naturally,�“It’ll�be�filled�with�Oscar�stuff.�Let’s�hope�somebody�gets�very�drunk� at� the�Oscars,”� she� said.� “Then�we�can�talk�about�it.”Rivers� also� has� a� new� book� that� is� due�

to� be� on� shelves� this� summer�—� though�she� cautions� that� her� publisher� may� be�in� for� a� surprise,� because� she’s� still� writ-ing� it.� It� will� be� an� extension� of� her� act,�filled�with�zingers�about�all�the�things�she�doesn’t� like,� including�entire�cities.�Given�her�opinion�of�Paris,�which�has�netted�five�pages� and� counting,� one� is� almost� scared�to�ask�what�she�thinks�of�Seattle.“Beautiful�city!�That�Northwest�corridor�

is�gorgeous.�So�stop�bitching!”An Evening With Joan Rivers takes�place�

at�8�p.m.�on�Feb.�29�at�Benaroya�Hall�in�Seattle.��