Joan Rivers, Was She Right To Walk Away From Interview?

SeaBreeze

SeaBreeze

Endlessly Groovin'
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I've been seeing news about this interview on CNN, where Joan Rivers became angry and walked off. It did seem to me that the interviewer was passively attacking Joan, and probably never even knew of her history as a stand up comedian.

We may not all like Joan's style of humor, but she's been around for a long, long time and one of the first successful women comedians. I still catch her sometimes on Fashion Police, and get a few chuckles from her off-color reviews. She's had a lot of plastic surgery over the years, which she jokes about, and she's 81 years old now.

Following the televised CNN airing on Saturday, Rivers, through her publicist, clarified to The Hollywood Reporter why she stormed off the set.
"I do not do, and never have done, PR 'stunts,' " Rivers said in a statement to THR.

"The CNN interviewer was a news reporter and not an entertainment reporter. She did not seem to understand we were talking about a comedy book and not the transcripts from the Nuremberg Trial.

Every question was an accusatory one designed to put me on the defensive. She seemed to miss the point that "Diary of a Mad Diva" is simply a very funny book and as Winston Churchill said, if you can make one person laugh, even for a minute, it's like giving them a little vacation."
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On Ed Sullivan show 1967

 

"I do not do, and never have done, PR 'stunts,' " Rivers said in a statement to THR.

LOL...yea right, I think Rivers is getting senile and should hang it up.
 
I too like Joan, but she definitely over reacted. Yes, the girl was asking some pointed questions, but I don't think they were "accusatory" or self-righteous as Rivers claims.

Can her comedy sometimes be described as "mean"? Yes.

Is there anything wrong with that? Not usually. Depends on who the butt of the jokes are. Overpaid Hollywood movie stars are legitimate targets for any verbal abuse anyone wants to zing at them.
 
I say "Good for Joan." She was supposed to be interviewed for her book, and I don't remember that subject even talked about...it was all about attacking her for things she had said that the interviewer said were mean. If Joan would have known she was not going to be interviewed about her book, there would probably not have been an interview.
 
Yes, Misty I think you are correct about that. The interviewer was not being faithful to the agreed interview plan IMO.
I've seen walkouts before and Joan departed with a lot of dignity.

On the other hand, she makes her money by being mean and her book was probably more of the same. I just think the interviewer had probably failed to read it on this occasion. Not professional.
 
Dame Warrigal said:
Yes, Misty I think you are correct about that. The interviewer was not being faithful to the agreed interview plan IMO.
I've seen walkouts before and Joan departed with a lot of dignity.

On the other hand, she makes her money by being mean and her book was probably more of the same. I just think the interviewer had probably failed to read it on this occasion. Not professional.
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You make Very Good points, Damewarrigal. :) Normally I'm not a Joan Rivers defender, but in this case I think she was right to walk out.
 
I agree with Misty, Joan Rivers was certainly never my favorite comedian, but I grew up knowing her and she has had a very successful career. She critical of many people in her jokes, even of herself and her daughter Melissa. This style of comedy is practiced by many other stand-up comedians.

But, in this case, I feel that she had the right to walk out and did it in a good way. She can take it as well as dish it out when it comes to critical comedy, you'll see that if you've seen any of her "roasts". I won't post them on here, because the language and content is X-rated.
 
SeaBreeze said:
I agree with Misty, Joan Rivers was certainly never my favorite comedian, but I grew up knowing her and she has had a very successful career. She critical of many people in her jokes, even of herself and her daughter Melissa. This style of comedy is practiced by many other stand-up comedians.

But, in this case, I feel that she had the right to walk out and did it in a good way. She can take it as well as dish it out when it comes to critical comedy, you'll see that if you've seen any of her "roasts". I won't post them on here, because the language and content is X-rated.
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:thumbsup1:I have never seen her roasts, Seabreeze, I imagine they are very interesting. :) To veer off topic a bit, you mentioned that she is 81. She has a quick mind. As forgetful as I get at times, if I live to 81, I'll have to wear a name tag to remember who I am. :)
 
I agree, she was born in 1933, so at the age of 81, I give her kudos for all she is still doing. Like the rock and roll artists from the '60s who still perform their old songs, I admire them for not giving up as they age. I hope I'm that together in my 80s, or at least don't need a name tag. :p http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Rivers
 
It sounded to me like the interviewer was just trying to make a point about the public's perception of her.
 
lol she can dish it out but she can't take it. I like Joan Rivers "sometimes" but she has made money out of being rude and mean when she jokes about other people so, this was the time for her to explain herself, to talk about her humor and she bailed out. She was expecting some rear-end kissing and did not like the confrontational tone of the interview. Booooo to Joan for not taking it like a champ but hiding her head in the sand.
 
I have mixed emotions about "walking away"-abruptly. For starters it shows lack of respect and discipline just totally caving in to your personal opinions and emotions. In some respects it's a child like tantrum. It shows lack of control and patience to see if time can change things(the interview in this case). But in the day and age of instant gratification and sound bytes with the walk off being their 'statement' one shouldn't be surprised. I guess it's a person's boundaries for getting physical-physically and abruptly walking away is 'physical'. I was told always be polite, sticks and stones etc. Some people value and/or tolerate raw honesty more than disciplined courtesy. I guess it depends on your personal standards.
 
I think people in the public eye are just sick of the negativity of the media and the paparazzi, many times they're nasty just to get a reaction.
 
misty said:
i say "good for joan." she was supposed to be interviewed for her book, and i don't remember that subject even talked about...it was all about attacking her for things she had said that the interviewer said were mean. If joan would have known she was not going to be interviewed about her book, there would probably not have been an interview.
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amen!!
 

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