When I heard Joan Rivers died yesterday a profound sadness swept over me.
I rarely have this reaction when someone I know well has died. The last time I had such an overwhelming sadness was when my Mother died on September 16, 2010. Of course that was a different kind of sadness.
I never had the good fortune to personally meet Joan Rivers although our paths crossed very close several times during our lifetimes. When I worked at the Hampton Inn in Lionville, Pennsylvania, I would often see Joan's long black stretch limousine whisking her down Route 100 to QVC in West Chester, Pennsylvania where Joan hawked her costume jewelry line for many years.
A few years ago Joan made a personal appearance in the Rehoboth Beach gay community. I could have put aside my personal distaste for the cliquish Rehoboth Beach gay community and attended one of her shows, front seats at $100 a pop. But I didn't.
Even though I never met Joan I had the feeling that she was "jus
folks." There was nothing phony about Joan, aside from her way overdone plastic surgery (oh how I wish she would have stayed the way she was and aged gracefully).
I remember first seeing her on the old "Ed Sullivan Show" on TV. I liked her irreverent brand of humor right off the bat.
Over the years I've seen her as guest host on the "Johnny Carson Show" (I thought she was fabulous, always a new gown every show).
I'm trying to put my finger on exactly what it was that I liked about Joan's attitude and comedy and I think I've figured it out. She said what I was thinking. She was the boy who cried "The king has no clothes!" when all other would look at the naked king and "ooh" and "ah" over his finery, thus perpetuating much of the phoniness that is modern day life. Joan cut through all that BS and said exactly what she thought, no matter who dainty toes she stepped on. Joan always made me laugh.
I liked Joan. With her passing another part of my life has gone.
Little by little, increment by increment, I am slowly dying.
And folks, you just know that if there is a Heaven, she's making a lot of people laugh right now.
Thank you Joan for providing so much happiness to so many during your life. Rest in peace dear lady.
