Joan Rivers on politics, plastic surgery and her public persona
Joan Rivers’ red-carpet fashion critiques have been deemed too offensive for television, her jokes too dirty, her views on plastic surgery too out there. She even got booted from a British talk-show earlier this year for calling Russell Crowe a f------ piece of s---.
But the 75-year-old doesn’t plan on holding back any time in the future, and she doesn’t care if others don’t approve.
“I think if I had censored myself I wouldn’t have had a 40-year career,” she told us.
Rivers brings her wit to Manhattan’s Cutting Room throughout November and December.
The show starts on Election Day. How much political material will you do?
That’s all we’re thinking about. But it’s not only political. I’m going to give my opinions on the people and then we’ll go from there.
What’s the funniest part of politics to make fun of?
Every day something else annoys me. It’s just what annoys you, never what makes you happy.
What’s annoying you now?
We can’t get my dog to be housebroken, so you know that’ll be discussed. I’m looking at man’s best friend and thinking of dinner. That dog with six potatoes in a stew would be delicious.
Why did you and your daughter Melissa decide to do the new season of “The Celebrity Apprentice”?
I’m very competitive. I thought, ‘What fun will that be to spend a month together in New York working on the same show?’ And it’s exactly how I thought it would be. It’s fabulous.
Why do you and Melissa make a good team?
We know each other’s strengths and we really balance each other’s weaknesses.
What are your weaknesses?
I do things too quickly. I speak too quickly. She thinks things through much better. She’s much more diplomatic than I am.
Will you two ever go back to critiquing red carpet fashions?
I don’t know. We started the carpet and people dressed themselves and it was fun. Now everybody’s such a cookie cutter. It’s become so boring.
Who is the worst dressed celebrity right now?
Bjork, of course, is hall of fame. Della Reese is hall of fame. But most of them have stylists. Even if you’re a real schlep, your stylist is at least braiding the hair under your arms.
Some people were upset about the “Nazi hairdo” comment you made on Hollywood.com during the Emmy’s. Why’d you say it?
Oh for God’s sake. People were upset about that? We said the new look is the Hitler hairdo. They all had these wonderful Nazi slick hairdos. That was the trend.
Your plastic surgery book “Men Are Supid … And They Like Big Boobs” comes out in January. Is there a procedure you wouldn’t get?
If I needed it, absolutely not. If I were married now, I would be talking to you while my vagina was in stitches.
SHOW INFO:
The Cutting Room, 19 W. 24th St., 212-691-1900
Nov. 4, 8 p.m.
Nov. 5, 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
Nov. 6, 9:30 p.m.
Nov. 7, 10:30 p.m.
Nov. 19, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 10,8 p.m.
