Melissa Rivers has chosen to talk about her mother for the first time in public since Joan Rivers' passing September 4.
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Melissa, a producer of Fashion Police, delivered a heartfelt speech about Joan at The Hollywood Reporter's 2014 Women in Entertainment breakfast in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Us Weekly reported.
Melissa reportedly joked about how Joan taught her that "shallowness" is next to "godliness" and she should observe everyone's wardrobe accessories at all times.
"My mother was fearless. And I don't mean she didn't have any fears, I mean that even though she was only 5'2, she stood tall and walked through it. And that's what made her such a brilliant performer. She was willing to say what others were thinking and too frightened to admit," the proud daughter explained, according to Us.
"She made fun of herself first and foremost which gave her the right to joke about others. She never apologized for a joke, and no topic was taboo and she was fine with that. Truth be told, my mother never thought of herself as a woman working in a man's world. She thought of herself as a comic that had to be funnier than anyone else... She just wanted to do her job and that was to make people laugh."
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The former Joan & Melissa: Joan Knows Best star said in her speech that her relationship with Joan was extremely special.
"There's been tribute after tribute to my mother" in which she's "been called everything from a legend, to a trailblazer, to a bitch. The bottom line is, she was really just my mother," Melissa noted.
"If my mother were here this morning, she'd not only be grateful and proud, she would be beyond herself. She would be sitting at the table beaming, while very discreetly shoving croissants and silverware into her purse. On behalf of my mother -- thank you so, so much. It's an honor."
Joan died at the age of 81 after going into cardiac arrest and suffering brain damage due to lack of oxygen during a throat procedure at an outpatient clinic in Manhattan. According to reports, Melissa was left in charge of Joan's $150 million estate.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski