Emmy winning comedian Joan Rivers has passed away after being taken off life support at a New York hospital.
“She passed peacefully at 1:17 p.m. surrounded by family and close friends,” said daughter Melissa Rivers in a written statement. “My son and I would like to thank the doctors, nurses, and staff of Mount Sinai Hospital for the amazing care they provided for my mother.”
Rivers was rushed to Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan after she suffered cardiac arrest during a minor throat surgery on Aug 28. The hospital was located a mile from where the operation was being done.
“Cooper and I have found ourselves humbled by the outpouring of love, support, and prayers we have received from around the world. They have been heard and appreciated,” said Melissa.
She was 81-years-old.
Joan Rivers was born Joan Molinsky on June 8, 1933 in Brooklyn, New York.
She made her first appearance on ‘The Tonight Show’ with Johnny Carson in 1965 and became a permanent guest host in 1983. However, in 1986 she was offered her own talk show on Fox which would be a competitor to Carson. After she accepted the job, Carson banned her from the Tonight Show and the two never spoke again.
Her late night talk show was cancelled after one year, and Rivers fell onto hard times as her husband Edgar Rosenberg committed suicide.
Things turned around in 1989 when she launched her daytime talk show ‘The Joan Rivers Show’ which ran until 1993 and won two Daytime Emmys for Best Outstanding Talk/Service Show Host.
She also began doing award show coverage for the E! Network which led to the creation of Fashion Police in 2010 which she was a co-host.
Rivers has also written 12 books and starred in her own reality TV show with her daughter Melissa for WE TV.
‘My mother’s greatest joy in life was to make people laugh. Although that is difficult to do right now, I know her final wish would be that we return to laughing soon,” said Melissa Rivers.
