Melissa Rivers On “The Book Of Joan” And Milk Dud Boxes
Melissa Rivers’ new memoir remembering her mother, the legendary Joan Rivers is out Tuesday. In “The Book of Joan: Tales of Mirth, Mischief, and Manipulation”, Melissa recalls those moments that made her mom unique both on and off the stage.
She talked to People Magazine about some of the things she’s missed most about Joan since she her mother passed away in September of last year. Melissa said, “I never let myself imagine life without her.” Melissa said it hurts most when she’s traveling. She said, “Who do you call and say you got there safely? Even if it’s the middle of the night? That’s when it really hits me. Getting in the car at the airport, and, you know, ‘Who do I call?'”
Melissa’s son Cooper, Joan’s only grandchild, is also having difficulty adjusting. She said he “has lost his partner in crime”. She added, “He would get away with everything and she would indulge him. I would say to her, ‘Are you really trying to undermine all my authority?’ And she’d say, ‘Yeah, pretty much. Being a grandparent is the best because it’s all of the fun and none of the crap.'”
Then there’s the general quirkiness of Joan Rivers that Melissa misses everyday and is reminding more of as she prepares to sell Joan’s Manhattan apartment and auction off some of her belongings. She said Joan used to hide money all over the house, so she’s learned to be very thorough going through everything. She said, “Then I was told she used Milk Duds boxes as her travel wallets. And we’ve been throwing things out!”
According to Melissa, her new book could have had an alternate title, “Cheaper than Therapy!” She added, “It was very, very cathartic to write.”
“The Book of Joan: Tales of Mirth, Mischief, and Manipulation” by Melissa River is available at bookstores and Amazon.com on Tuesday, May 5th.
