Naptown Diva: Who are you wearing?

Two of my favorites. Joan and Lucille Ball. This was a #TBT Joan posted.

I would like to write a tribute to Joan Rivers. As you know last week she passed away at the age of 81. I was driving home to Ohio for the labor day weekend when I heard the news on the radio. Joan was on life support after a minor surgery. Over the weekend I checked the news regularly to see how she was doing. I kept thinking....she will pull through. When I heard she had been moved to a private room and made comfortable, I knew that was it. As my Mom says, this is the best possible way she could go. Hopefully she didn't know what was happening. Joan just couldn't have handled a long term illness or being a burden on anyone. She was just too full of life.

I didn't realize how much I admired and respected her until she was gone. I watched her on all her shows (Joan and Melissa: Joan Knows Best, Fashion Police, Joan in Bed) I rooted for Joan to win Celebrity Appreciate in 2009. (Which she did!) I remember watching her and Melissa in the earlier days working the red carpets. She coined the phrase, "Who are you wearing?" Joan always, always, always dressed to the nines every time she left the house. She was a fashion icon.

It sure says something about Joan that we are shocked an 81 year old woman passed away. She lived a very full life. But she had so much more to do. She was not even close to retiring or slowing down. She built an empire with her QVC fashion and jewelry line. She didn't send someone else to sell her line on air. She was at QVC each and every single time. Day or night. She worked hard at everything she did.

Joan was an amazing comedienne. She paved the way for many other female comediennes who dared to follow in her path. She was a co-host with Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show. After her 'falling out' with Johnny, she was banned from the Tonight Show. That didn't stop Joan. She had her own talk show that was pretty successful and last for several years. But after her husband Edgar's tragic death, her show ended. She coped with the tragedy of losing her husband with laughter. It is how she was able to bounce back. Her sense of humor isn't for everyone. She said exactly what she thought and made no apologies. Her favorite person to target in her jokes was herself.

On the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson

Joan on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. On his first night, she made an appearance lifting her 25 year ban from the show. Jimmy, I always knew you were a classy guy.

Joan surrounded herself with an amazing group of family and friends. I cannot even imagine what her daughter Melissa and grandson Cooper are going through. They were very close. Each summer she took Cooper on a 'Grandma Trip'. They would take a vacation together. This year they went to Italy.

Grandma week in Italy

Joan was also an animal lover. About a year ago she lost her beloved rescue dog Max. I'm telling you she did everything in her power to heal this pup. She was heart broken at his passing.

Her dogs Samantha and Teegan riding in the limo with her earlier this year. They are dressed for the NYC winter.

I last saw Joan on Fashion Police as she reviewed the Emmy and MTV Video Music Awards red carpet outfits. It is just so hard to believe that just a week later she was gone.