Melissa Rivers Says Mom Joan Rivers Would Have ‘So Much Material’ to Do ‘Fashion Police’ Today
Melissa Rivers knows Fashion Police was must-see TV when her mom, Joan Rivers, was at the helm — but she doesn’t think it would work in today’s social climate.
“[You] couldn't do that anymore,” Melissa, 56, exclusively told Us Weekly while promoting the upcoming November event Dead Funny: A Living Tribute to Joan Rivers Benefiting God’s Love We Deliver honoring her late mother.
Melissa noted that Joan, who passed away in 2014 at the age of 81 “would have so much material making fun of what was going on [today].”
While Melissa didn’t reveal which trend that she thinks Joan would’ve torn to shreds, she told Us she’s thought on several occasions, “How could we redo this?” and bring back the show. Ultimately, Melissa confessed “there’s no way” to make it happen because of how societal climates have changed over the years.
“You would have to qualify everything,” Melissa said of a new show format, joking that the fashion correspondent would say, “Now, I don't think it's my favorite dress. But that's not saying that the actress wearing it isn't beautiful and body positive and a good person and stops and pets all animals on the street, and is such a wonderful, caring person. I'm not sure that this is necessarily the dress I would've picked, but that's not saying it's not beautiful.”
She quipped that in order to spare people’s feelings, the journalist would have to point out, “And the designer is a genius and also a wonderful human being. And they go and feed children in another country and give so much back and are very inclusive with their body positivity. ... I think the dress is a work of art, but I'm not sure this is the match I would make.”
Melissa laughed, asking, “How long would you watch that for? You just can't do it.”
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Prior to her death in September 2014, Joan gave her unfiltered opinions on the latest trends, red carpet looks and celebrity outfits on E!’s Fashion Police. Joan hosted the show from 2010 until her death, and never apologized for speaking her truth.
Looking back, Melissa told Us that she thinks “we did need to have some sort of a reckoning” because “people were being mean and not funny.”
She noted there is a “fine line” with criticism and people need to know where to stop. That being said, Melissa believes the politically correctness has gone a little overboard.
“I think there had to be a step towards inclusivity and sensitivity, but it went too far,” Melissa said, pointing out that Joan was “the most sensitive and the most inclusive.”
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While Melissa thinks “it would’ve been very hard” for Joan to bite her tongue on occasion while hosting Fashion Police, she said, “I don’t think she would’ve backed down.”
Melissa, who is engaged to Steve Mitchel, revealed that her mom’s strong opinions weren’t only shared on TV. In fact, when it comes to her wedding planning, she said Joan would approve only of her “Save the date” cards so far.
“They were funny,” Melissa shared. “They just said, ‘Hell freezes over,’ the date and the location. So I think she would like those. Everything else would have to be the perfect card stock.”
Even without her mom there to witness the occasion, Melissa told Us Joan will be there in spirit. “There'll always be little touches and this and that and the other. Everything is little touches of hers, especially being an only child and a daughter,” she shared.
Outside of her wedding, Melissa is honoring Joan’s legacy with several upcoming events. The Dead Funny: A Living Tribute to Joan Rivers Benefiting God’s Love We Deliver event will take place on Thursday, November 7, at the Apollo Theater as the opening night of the 20th Annual New York Comedy Festival.
“[I want] fun, levity that’s tipping our hats to a groundbreaker at a groundbreaking institution,” Melissa said of the event.
Benefits from the evening will go to God’s Love We Deliver, which is an organization that cooks and delivers nutritious and medically tailored meals to those who are too sick to do it themselves. Joan sat on the board of the nonprofit for decades.
For those located in Southern California, the play Joan will be coming to the South Coast Repertory theater in Costa Mesa, California, from Sunday, October 27, to Sunday, November 24.
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi
