Celebrities React to the Death of Joan Rivers
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Timothy White/E!(NEW YORK) — After news broke Thursday of the death of 81-year-old comedy legend Joan Rivers, many celebrities took to Twitter to express their grief, or issued statements regarding Rivers. Here’s a roundup of their comments:
Ellen DeGeneres: “Joan Rivers will always be a pioneer. She paved the way for a lot of comedians. I’m very sad she’s gone.”
Robin Roberts: “So sad that #JoanRivers has passed away. Thinking of her daughter @MelRivers and her family, friends and many fans. #RIPJoanRivers”
Jane Lynch: “@Joan_Rivers Godspeed my sweet. Thanks for all the laughs. Thanks for all the love. I miss you already.”
Ryan Seacrest: “She was trailblazing. Hysterical. Thoughtful. We’ll miss you immensely Joan.”
George Kotsiopoulos: “Rest in peace @Joan_Rivers. Thank you for changing my life. I will miss you so much.”
Lena Dunham: “Watching Joan Rivers do standup at age 81 was incredible: athletic, jaw-dropping, terrifying, essential. It never stopped. Neither will she.”
Roseanne Barr: “RIP GODDESS: Hail Hail, a GENIUS has vacated this realm: Joan Rivers has died.”
Donald Trump: “Joan Rivers @Joan_Rivers was an amazing woman and a great friend. Her energy and talent were boundless. She will be greatly missed.”
Howie Mandel: “She gave me my biggest break and inspired me in life. I can’t believe that heart stopped.”
Katie Couric: “So sorry to hear the news about Joan Rivers. She was one of a kind. My heart goes out to Melissa and Cooper.”
D.L. Hughley: “Keeping the family of @JoanRivers in our thoughts & prayers as they grieve her passing.”
Jenny McCarthy: “RIP to the funniest, most hardworking lady in the biz. You will be missed @Joan_Rivers!”
Dr. Mehmet Oz: “I’m incredibly saddened to learn of the passing of Joan Rivers. She was a one-of-a-kind person, who possessed an incredible ability to entertain the world and make us laugh. I was blessed to have her as a guest on the show, and was always astonished at her energy, sense of humor, and kind nature. While she is gone, her legend will live on in the hearts and minds of all the people that she touched. My thoughts and prayers are with her family.”
Piers Morgan: “‘We don’t apologize for a joke. We are comics. We are here to make you laugh. If you don’t get it, then don’t watch us.’ Joan Rivers. RIP.”
Regina King: “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is God’s gift, that’s why we call it the present- Joan Rivers She was a gift RIP”
Other reactions via statements include:
Rivers’ personal friend, Barbara Walters: “No one loved life, laughter, and a good time more than Joan. We would have dinner and laugh and gossip and I always left the table smiling. She was a brassy, often outrageous and hilarious performer who made millions laugh. In private, she was the picture of elegance and class. I will miss her.”
Amy Poehler: “What a full life. Every woman in comedy is indebted to her. She was there at the beginning and funny to the end. RIP Joan”
Louis CK: “I feel very lucky that I knew Joan Rivers and I feel very sad that she’s gone. She was a great comedian and a wonderful person. I never saw someone attack a stage with so much energy. She was a controlled lightning bolt. She was a prolific and unpredictable, joyful joke writer. She loved comedy. She loved the audience. She was a great actress and should have done that more. She loved living and working. She was kind. She was real. She was brave. She was funny and you just wanted to be around her. I looked up to her. I learned from her. I loved her. I liked her. And I already miss her very much. It really f***ing sucks that she had to die all of a sudden.”
Amy Schumer: “Joan was hilarious and relevant all the way to the end. She inspired every comic I know and we will carry her with us and quote her jokes forever. When I met her at the premiere of her movie, A Piece of Work she was so kind and wanted to make sure all the comics were going to stay so we could all hang out together. I thought that was so cool. Such a pro, such a hard worker. This was a huge loss for us all.”
WE tv, the network that aired her reality show Joan and Melissa: “Joan Rivers was truly one of a kind — a trailblazer, an icon and, above all else, a gracious, thoughtful and candidly funny woman who loved her family, friends and fans dearly across a legendary career that spanned five decades. We were fortunate and honored to have her on WE tv and to allow our viewers to share her life, humor and indefatigable spirit. We send our deepest condolences to her daughter Melissa, grandson Cooper and all her family, friends and fans.”
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