Legendary comedian Joan Rivers got a star-studded send-off on the Upper East Side Sunday. NY1′s Tara Lynn Wagner filed the following report.
NYPD bagpipers left temple Emanu-El on the Upper East Side playing “New York, New York” to honor a true New Yorker.
The memorial service for comedian Joan Rivers was held just blocks away from her home and proved to be a star-studded affair. There was no red carpet, but plenty of media snapping pics as the rich and famous arrived.
While they mostly wore black—a choice Rivers probably would have criticized as being safe—friends say the service was exactly right.
“It ran the gamut of emotions. It was hilarious and so, so painfully sad,” said comedian Judy Gold.
“It was irreverent and funny and loving and all about the right things. It was her,” playwright Denis Markell said.
Audra McDonald and Hugh Jackman sang as did the New York City Gay Men’s chorus. Howard Stern spoke, along with Cindy Adams and Deborah Norville and, of course, Joan’s daughter Melissa, who left with her son Cooper at her side.
“Mellissa did a fantastic job. Gave her mother a great send off,” said friend Louis Tana.
Not everyone inside was a star. Vinny Tannazzo served as Rivers’ bodyguard for 25 years—a job he says she made difficult.
“She never refused a fan an autograph or a photo, and most times she would say, ‘take two’ in case one didn’t come out,” Tannazzo said.
Those fans certainly came out in droves, crowding the sidewalk, talking pictures and sharing their memories.
“They were pushing her to get into the car and she said, ‘No i want to speak to her,’ and she took her time. A lovely lady,” one fan recalled.
“We’re just paying our respects to an icon and a legend,” another said.
Wagner: “Do you think Joan would have liked this hat?”
Fan: “Of course! I would have made her list!”
The program for the service included the quote from her book in which she said she wanted a wind machine to blow her hair like Beyoncé.
She didn’t have that, but friends say she would have been very pleased with the service nonetheless.
“It was gorgeous. The room was beautiful. It looked like something you would expect out of Joan Rivers’ fantasy,” said comedian Jeff Ross.
“It was show biz all the way. And very touching and very honest and straight forward and just very moving,” singer Judy Collins said.
Rivers died on Thursday. She was 81 years old.
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