"Comedy was her calling", Melissa says. At the age of 8 she collected all the photos of her on the piano in the living room and shipped them all to MGM, frame and all.. Joan spent 50 years in show biz, and 30 of those years was travelling, after getting a degree in literature from Barnard College. When she first appeared on the Johnny Carson show, he told her "you are going to be
a star", and five days later she met and married her husband, Edgar Alfred Rosenberg . To
thank Johnny, on his Birthday, they had the nanny bring 9 - month old Melissa
to Johnny with a note - We want to thank you for everything you have done for us
so we sent you our most prized possession, our daughter, Melissa.
The book reveals charming episodes like this one. A delightful rememberance
was when Joan who liked to eat late told Mellissa "you know who eats dinner early - children, old people, farmhands and prisoners" Joan believed in manners and collected old
Emily Post books. And what about chivalry - " it isn't dead, it's in Argentina.. Joan didn't cook, her signature dish was "takeout", and defrosting was a challenge. She carried almost
20 pounds of stuff in her handbag, and once gave out Joan Rivers bee pins to little girls
in Africa.. . She carried Lysol in her purse and cleaned her hotel room so well, the maids left her tips.
She made fun of Elizabeth Taylor when she was fat and said" her next film will be "Who's Afraid of Virginia Ham" And for up-to date humor she said " about Kris Kardashian - no, Kris, now is not the time to leave Bruce Jenner, just as he's transitioning, you can double your wardrobe"
She wrote a book "I, Hate Everyone...Starting With Me".In her book she said "when I die,
I want paparazzi, I want Meryl Streep sobbing in five different accents, I want
to be buried in a Valentino gown" and when she did die, she had all that and musical interlude with Hugh Jackman, Melissa's son Cooper was the love of her life. We will miss her humor.
