Melissa Rivers has spoken publicly for the first time since the passing of her mother, Joan Rivers.
While speaking at a breakfast in Los Angeles for The Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Entertainment, Rivers talked about the legacy that her mother left behind after her death at the age of 81, People reported.
Rivers said of her mother, “She was willing to say what others were thinking. She thought of herself as a comic and had to be funnier than everyone else. She just wanted to do her job and that was to make people laugh.”
Joan Rivers was an honoree at the event and Melissa said her mother would “not only be grateful and proud but she would be beyond herself. On behalf of my mother, thank you so, so much for this wonderful honor.”
Us Weekly reported other people at the dinner included showrunner Shonda Rhimes and actress Angelina Jolie.
Melissa also said that in regards to her mother, while she was called many names, both good and bad, that for her, “the bottom line is, she was really just my mother.”
The Hollywood Reporter also noted that when Melissa ended her speech, she said her mother would be “sitting at the table, beaming. While very discreetly shoving croissants and silverware into her purse.”
Comedienne Sarah Silverman made a touching tribute to Rivers before she introduced a video that was made for Joan. She said that Joan “left us unfinished” and that the only thing that stood in Joan’s way was death. Silverman said, “touché death. And f*** you very much.”
Image courtesy of Roger Wong/INFphoto.com