Melissa Rivers: From Leno Grudge To Authoring Joan Rivers Memoir, Melissa Channels Joan’s Spirit
Melissa Rivers is channeling her inner Joan Rivers, whether it’s dishing on that Jay Leno feud to authoring a book about her beloved mother. The producer and reality TV star is making it clear that she’s determined to carry on in Joan’s spirit in every way. As part of that, she follows her mother’s habit of getting real about everything that happens, including what she perceives as a grudge on the part of Jay Leno, reported the New York Daily News.
The occasion for that snub occurred at the Hollywood Reporter Women in Entertainment breakfast, just two months after her 81-year-old mother died.
“I walk in, and I’m standing, having a coffee in the reception area, and Jay looks right at me, and looks away,” recalled Melissa in a broadcast interview with Howard Stern.
“I sort of wrestled with this. Don’t you think you still walk over and say, ‘I’m so sorry about your loss, how are you doing?’ Or, ‘I know there was an issue, but please accept my condolences?’ It would have been closure, and it would have been the right thing to do.”
Why did Jay seemingly snub her? It appears to be carried over from his decision to avoid inviting Joan to appear on his show, which in turn stemmed from Johnny Carson’s feud with Joan after she jumped to Fox to start her own show.
And that’s not the only snub. As the Inquisitr reported, Joan Rivers’ family, friends, and fans were shocked when she was snubbed by the Oscars executives and not included in the annual memorial tribute to those who had passed away that year in the entertainment industry.
The Academy defended its decision in a statement.
“Joan Rivers is among the many worthy artists and filmmakers we were unfortunately unable to feature in the In Memoriam segment of this year’s Oscar show. She is, however, included in our In Memoriam gallery on Oscar.com.”
But Melissa isn’t spending too much time obsessing about the past. Now she’s got a new mission, and that’s to share with the world the fact that she treasures every aspect of her mother’s life, reported Atlantic City Press.
It’s been nine months since Melissa paid tribute to Joan at her funeral. Now, she’s penned a book that honors the essence of the comedienne, from laughter to mischief. With essays and tales that are woven together with wit and warmth, The Book of Joan: Tales of Mirth, Mischief, and Manipulation is both personal and historical in preserving Joan’s life.
You’ll learn about Joan’s driven desire to work constantly, her love of the best in life, from shoes to chauffeur, and her candid approach to cosmetic surgery. But Rivers also was a devoted mother and grandmother. The book includes personal notes from Joan to her daughter.
“Sometimes it’s very hard to grow up, to learn to be independent, to become totally your own self,” wrote Joan in a note to Melissa when she was a teenager. “I love and adore you. P.S. You’re still grounded!”
[Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images]
