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What Did Joan Rivers Say This Time? Lightning-Rod Comedian Draws Fire for Jokes About Kidnap Victims

Apr 24, 2014  •  Post A Comment

No stranger to controversy, veteran comedian Joan Rivers is under fire again over her choice of material to joke about. Fox News reports that Rivers joked about two women who were held captive in a house in Cleveland for a decade, and now attorneys for the women say Rivers should apologize.

“Rivers first mentioned the victims when she and her daughter were discussing their reality show Tuesday on NBC’s ‘Today’ show,” the story reports. “During the appearance, she complained about her living arrangements in her daughter’s guest bedroom, saying, ‘Those women in the basement in Cleveland had more space.'”

Attorneys for Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus issued a statement Wednesday calling Rivers’ comment hurtful and shocking, the story reports, adding: “The attorneys say the women have endured painful media attention and the comment is ‘a new low’ that warrants an apology.”

Rivers, rarely one to yield to pressure, appears to be standing by her remark, reportedly telling TMZ: “They got to live rent free for more than a decade.”

The Fox News report adds: “Rivers also stood by her joke when reached by The Plain Dealer for comment on Wednesday, telling the Cleveland newspaper, ‘I know what those girls went through. It was a little, stupid joke. There is nothing to apologize for. I made a joke. That’s what I do. Calm down.'”

UPDATE: Sept. 5, 2014. To read an insightful essay by TVWeek Open Mike Blogger Chuck Ross titled “A Tribute to Joan Rivers, Who Proved That the Human Spirit Is Indomitable, and That Life is Funny as Hell,” please click here.

joan rivers.jpgJoan Rivers

19 Comments

  1. Mejorate Joan River . !Grande Joan!

  2. Que se recupere lo mas pronto animo a sus medicos

  3. How sad, what a wonderful woman. My condolences to her family.

  4. I will miss her so much she was such a funny person. love you joan.

  5. So sad to lose a funny tell-it-like-it-is lady always dressed to the 9’s!!

  6. RIP Joan, a wonderful American icon of humor. Thank you for 50 years of laughter.

  7. WOW!!
    I thought she died about 5 years ago and her family was bringing her body around to the comedy clubs for money.
    Maybe it was a very bad face lift.??
    My bad!!

    • Your a sick person John W Hope you have a family and at there passing someone can make a remark like you did … Joan was a great lady something you would never have the class to know a lady.. yes it is your bad God can come back to bite you .. AS far as Joan Rivers RIP my prayers for the family

    • Well played, John. Sounds like something Joan would have said about herself. No topic was ever off limits to Joan, no matter how offensive it was.

  8. RIP to 1 of Hollywood greatest. As a young African American woman l liked Joan Rivers she was funny as h..l LOL she always keep it 100

  9. You always made me laugh lady rivers xxx RIP or just be yrself lol.xx

  10. You loved her as much as you hated her ..she will live on forever in our memory. River of tears ..laugh or cry.

  11. I loved her so
    She was so funny
    RIP Joan !!!!

  12. Joan Rivers was one of the best.She made me laugh so much. She will always be remember for ever. She as alway bought a smile.

    RIP a lovely lady

  13. Miss you Girl – You were fearless X

  14. My prayers condolence goes out to the family. We remember her with beautiful smile and laughter. No offense to the person that made humane statement about her it’s sad that you have no dignity respect for others! I lost my mom a year ago to sudden illness. I pray that she was here today. Rest in peace Joan we all have to follow that same path. We don’t know the day or the hour. Walking in favor!

  15. John just made a joke like Joan would have! I am a very sensitive person who believes we should all respect each other but even I thought her joke about having less space than the kidnapped girls was funny. We just have to realize its a joke and not meant personal against the girls. Just as John did. Joan looked pretty darn freaky!

  16. Pensée affectueuse et triste pour une personne extrêmement drôle… au revoir Joan !

  17. Her sarcastic sense of humor was a disguise for a sweet classy woman, with a heart of gold. A philanthropist and a great comedian, fearless, strong, spoke her mind. Respect – we’ll miss the laughs.

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