Joan Rivers is Dead

Sad news, Joan Rangers, the sheriff, commissioner and chief of the Fashion Police has died. She was 81. In statement, her only child Melissa Rivers said: "It is with great sadness that I announce the death of my mother, Joan Rivers. She passed peacefully at 1:17 p.m. surrounded by family and close friends. 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." Melissa added that she and her son, Cooper, who is Joan's grandson, "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. 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." On Aug. 28, Joan suffered cardiac arrest and was placed on life support after undergoing routine throat surgery at a NYC surgical center. (Perhaps the arrest came about after she was administered propofol, the drug that killed Michael Jackson.) According to the NY Daily News, Melissa made the difficult decision to take her mother off life support. Joan, we will miss you. Funeral is expected to be Sunday at Temple Emanu-El in NYC. As for Fashion Police, E! should just cancel it because no one -- and we mean NO ONE!!! -- can fill's Joan's stilettos.

With all the plastic surgery I've had I'm worried that when I die, God won't recognize me!

— Joan Rivers (@Joan_Rivers) June 17, 2010

Here's one our favorite stand-up performances from Joan.




And let's not forget the time when she read a ho named Jessica Hahn for filth on her talk show in 1992.





Update, Sept 5: The family has announced Joan's funeral will be private. An autopsy has been completed, but more studies will be needed to determine the cause and manner of her death, New York City medical examiner’s office spokeswoman Julie Bolcer said.

Update, Sept 6: After a 20-minute service this morning inside the Frank E. Campbell funeral home, Joan's casket -- covered in white orchids. Melissa is seen fighting back tears and kissing her mother's casket before it was driven away to the Garden State Crematory in Union City, NJ. Her body will be cremated before the funeral tomorrow. Here's the video.