No one will ever compare to Joan Rivers. She was a winner on Celebrity Apprentice and returns as a legend, having filmed the show before her untimely passing in September 2014. She returns as an adviser, but also as an inspiration to the remaining contestants as well as the viewers. Read on for the facts on Joan Rivers’ time on the show, the wake of her death, and how her family and friends have been coping with the loss of the funniest woman on Earth.
1. Ivanka Trump Appeared On the Today Show to Talk About Rivers’ Episode On the Show
Donald Trump’s daughter and show adviser Ivanka Trump stopped by the Today Show to talk about her friendship with Rivers as well as her time on the show. Ivanka went on to say that this episode is her favorite of the season. In addition to having Rivers on the show, this episode is actually dedicated to Ivanka Trump’s own brand as well. Have a look at Ivanka Trump’s interview in the above video.
You can also check out another promo video of Rivers’ appearance on Celebrity Apprentice as a mentor in the above clip.
2. The Yorkville Endoscopy Clinic Is On The Verge Of Losing Their Funding After the Death Of Rivers
(Getty/Google Street View)
Yorkville Endoscopy is where Rivers suffered severe brain damage during an out-patient throat procedure on August 29, 2014. According to CNN, the comedian’s doctor performed an unauthorized biopsy on the star’s vocal cords and was unprofessional, even taking a “selfie” photo while Rivers was under anesthesia. CNN reported:
Investigators believe that Rivers’ vocal cords began to swell during the allegedly unauthorized biopsy, cutting off the flow of oxygen to her lungs, which led to cardiac arrest.
Currently, according to CBS News, the clinic is losing accreditation and is on the verge of receiving federal funds for services from Medicare and Medicaid. The facility released this statement:
We intend to communicate with CMS and appropriate authorities to have the decision reversed. Yorkville continues to be a licensed facility and perform procedures while cooperating with the regulatory process.
The cause of death of Joan Rivers was ultimately classified as a therapeutic complication. Even so, Rivers’ daughter Melissa hired a malpractice attorney in October 2014. Attorney Ben Rubinowitz released this statement on the case:
In order to fully determine the facts and circumstances surrounding the death of Joan Rivers, we confirm that our firm has been engaged by Melissa Rivers and her family.
For more information on Rivers’ death, click on the below link:
3. Rivers’ Fortunate Was Left To Her Daughter, Grandson And Dogs
In her lifetime, Rivers had amassed a net worth of $150 million and left it all to her daughter Melissa Rivers, grandson Cooper Endicott and her four dogs. This fortune included her glamorous ballroom apartment in New York City (worth $35 million) and her yearly $40 million QVC fortune. According to Us Weekly, Rivers’ dogs were moved to the Manhattan condo of her personal assistant Jocelyn Pickett, though it’s undetermined if they found a permanent home there. They may be residing with daughter Melissa. In July 2014, Rivers spoke to the Daily Beast about her will saying:
I’ve left money so the dogs can be taken care of. I’ve said to Melissa, ‘Sell anything and everything you don’t want. Don’t feel beholden to my possessions.’ I feel almost hysterical on that. I don’t want them to have a sense of guilt.
For more information on Rivers’ grandson Cooper, have a look at the below link:
4. Kathy Griffin Carries The Torch For Joan Rivers On Her Show Fashion Police
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Joan Rivers was a legend on the red carpet and made fashion what it is today. She was the first person to ask a celebrity on the red carpet, “Who are you wearing?” This put red carpet fashion on the map. Rivers eventually, with the help of daughter Melissa Rivers, came up with the show Fashion Police, which critiques the style of celebrities. Rivers had no filter and was a pioneer. Upon losing Joan, Melissa Rivers made the executive decision to carry on with the show. Joan Rivers would not want her legacy to die with her. Cast members Giuliana Rancic and Kelly Osbourne stayed on, while George Kotsiopoulos decided to leave the show. Stylist and reality star Brad Goreski replaced George and Kathy Griffin has taken over for beloved Joan Rivers. Griffin has said that she will not hold back because that is not what her dear friend Joan Rivers would have wanted. She hopes the public will accept her as Kathy and not as a replacement for Joan Rivers because Rivers can never be replaced. To check out all the info on the new Fashion Police, have a look at the below article link:
5. Rivers Was Not Afraid Of Death
If there’s one thing Joan Rivers was, it was brave. Throughout her life, she was not afraid to take risks and poke jabs at the biggest celebrities on the planet. She was also not afraid of death. In an interview with the Daily Beast in 2010, Rivers said:
I think about death constantly, you do at this age. Everything is fine and moving but at what point will it all be over? I’ll kill myself if the doctor says my condition is terminal. I would not want to live if I could not perform. It’s in my will. I am not to be revived unless I can do an hour of stand-up. I don’t fear it. With plastic surgery the general anesthetic is like a black-velvety sleep, and that’s what death is—without waking up to someone clapping and going, ‘Joan, wake up, it’s all over and you’re looking pretty’.
The only thing that Rivers feared was how her daughter Melissa would deal with her death, stating:
We’re very close. We have nobody else: she has me and I have her. I think it’s going to be very difficult when I die, very hard for her.
In December 2014, Melissa Rivers spoke out and said she just wants to see her son Cooper laugh again.
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Joan Rivers on ‘Celebrity Apprentice’: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know