Joan Rivers laid to rest in New York
Joan Rivers was given a spectacular send off in New York yesterday, when the 81-year-old comedian was laid to rest in a star-studded funeral.
On Sunday morning, celebrity friends and family turned out at New York’s Temple Emanu-El to remember Joan, who died on Thursday at Mount Sinai Hospital, after she stopped breathing during an in-office throat procedure the previous week (Aug. 28) at Yorkville Endoscopy.
Fellow comedian Kathy Griffin, Kelly Osbourne, Sarah Jessica Parker, Whoopi Goldberg and Howard Stern attended alongside theater stars Bernadette Peters, Alan Cumming and Tommy Tune.
Record producer Clive Davis, fashion designers Carolina Herrera and Michael Kors, TV’s Barbara Walters, Geraldo Rivera, Diane Sawyer, Kathie Lee, Hoda Kotb and Andy Cohen all came to give Joan a Broadway send off, led by parade of bagpipes, playing ‘New York New York’.
Inside Temple Emanu-El, the stars were treated to a performance by the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus singing ‘irreverent, fun songs,’ reports the Daily Mail.
Howard Stern opened proceedings with jokes about the effects of aging on parts of Rivers’ body then grew serious as he spoke of his affection for Rivers, describing her as his “hero.”
He called Rivers the “best friend in the world,” a “big sister” and the “crazy aunt at a Bar Mitzvah,” People reported.
Hugh Jackman delivered a moving tribute, singing Peter Allen’s ‘Quiet Please, There’s a Lady on Stage.’
Audra McDonald, of Broadway fame, left mourners in tears as she also sang.
Rivers’ only daughter Melissa was the last speaker, reading a light-hearted letter to her mother.
