As young children we all dream of being astronauts, teachers, and famous athletes, though we know for sure; few actually did it, and even fewer did it on their own. Well Joan Rivers did, and after a hit screening at the Tribeca Film Festival, her story is coming to big screens with the new documentary “Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work.”
In the 1960s, Rivers was performing her stand up routine on the “Ed Sullivan Show,” when she was in her 30s. “I was pregnant on ‘Sullivan’ and couldn't say I was pregnant—that’s insane!” says Rivers during our conversation in New York, in late May.
“Standing there eight months gone and saying, ‘Mr. Sullivan, soon your going to hear the pitter patter of feet.’ That’s what I had to say." It would prove to be both a sign of the times as well as motivation for Rivers, who has become famous for speaking her mind throughout her career.
Her career has been defined by pushing the comedic envelope, leaving some put-off by her frank comments about the formerly quiet aspects of the female experience. For example, fellow comedic icon Jack Lemon even called some of her humor “disgusting,” and when show businesses managers explained to her that "women should not be talking about these things," Joan fired back "this is exactly what we should be talking about." When I asked her why, that lifelong instinct came to life with all the vitality one would expect from a zealous youngster, "I don't know why. I knew he was wrong, I just knew he was wrong!"
Today Rivers hasn't let up one bit. In fact she is still pushing the envelope. She can be gritty and sometimes even a bit vile. When reminded that she is edgy even by today's standards, she proudly snaps back "your damn right!"
The new documentary reveals that where she may irk with belligerence, she balances with a disarming honesty. One doesn’t have to dissect a person who is that honest. What you see is what you get.
