Live updates as legendary comic is laid to rest in New York
Legendary comic Joan Rivers will be laid to rest today in a rather glamorous Hollywood ceremony.
Stars are expected to pack out Temple Emanu El synagogue in New York for the funeral of the acid tongued comic, who died on September 4, eight days after being admitted to hospital.
Tributes for the witty self confessed plastic surgery addict flooded the internet, with more than 40,000 people calling on President Barack Obama to make September 4 an inaugural Joan Rivers Day.
Brassy Joan leaves behind a daughter, Melissa Rivers, adidas running shoes and 13 year old grandson, Cooper.
Mourners may be unsure what to expect today as Joan already revealed her ideal funeral plan in her 2012 book, I Hate Everyone . Starting With Me. I don’t want some rabbi rambling on; I want Meryl Streep crying, in five different accents. I don’t want a eulogy; I want Bobby Vinton to pick up my head and adidas stan smith sing ‘Mr. Lonely.'”
She continued: “I want to look gorgeous, better dead than I do alive. I want to be buried in a Valentino gown and I want Harry Winston to make me a toe tag. And I want a wind machine so that even in the casket my hair is blowing just like Beyonce’s.”
To recap:
The acid tongued telly personalitywas rushed to hospital on August 29 after she stopped breathing during routine throat surgery
In a heartbreaking statement just eight days later, Joan’s daughter Melissa said: “It is with great sadness that I announce the death of my mother. She passed peacefully at 1:17pm surrounded by family and close friends.”
Twitter has been awash with tributes to the star since her death was announced
Andy Cohen wrote: “Heaven just got a whole lot funnier”
TV co host Kelly Osbourne described the comic, who she had known since she was six years old as: “Not only my boss, she was and will always be my teacher, adidas philippines store therapist, closest friend, inspiration and the only grandmother I ever knew.”
Today’s service is thought to begin at 11am New York Time or 4pm UK time
As the first and to date only woman to ever host a late night network talk show in America, she was utterly fearless in taking on the biggest egos, the most controversial subjects and insulting prissy celebrities right to their faces.
Check out some of her best moments below:
From telling Oprah Winfrey that she ‘must lose the weight’ to taking on some of the gobbiest reality stars in America on The Celebrity Apprentice (spoiler alert: she won), Joan was unstoppable.
Her ‘accidental’ swearing on Loose Women when she called Russell Crowe ‘a piece of fing s’ got her kicked off the show, live, but it was probably her jokes that made her one of the most outrageous comedians out there.
Thefuneral of American comedianJoanRiverstakes place today, with the star having given strict instructions on who not to let in, according to the last interview she did before she died.
Tributes have poured out for the 81 year old, including from celebrities and fellow comics as well as the Prince of Wales, whose wedding she attended in 2005.
In an interview published in today’s Sunday Times Style magazine,Riversspoke about preparing her daughter Melissa for her death by telling her: “It’s comi i i ing! It’s inevitable.”
This is the heartbreaking moment Melissa Rivers said a final goodbye to her late mother Joan.
Melissa followed the pall bearers carrying her mother’s coffin from it’s resting place into a busy New York street and stood in silence as it was loaded into a black hearse.
The E! presented then walked over to the flower adorned casket with her 13 year old son Cooper, and planted a tender kiss on it.
Melissa then held her hand over her mouth and fought back her tears as the hearse pulled away and transported her mother’s body to a New Jersey Crematorium.
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Celebrities including Kathy Griffin, Whoopi Goldberg and Sarah Jessica Parker have arrived at what is set to be the biggest showbiz send off for Joan.
Other stars including US King of Media Howard Stern are attending the ceremony at Temple Emanu El on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan and thousands of fans have gathered to bid farewell to the comedienne.