God to Joan Rivers: Whose face are you wearing?

[FindingNamo]

And I would say that her jokes about her own looks were PARTICULARLY feminist because they were criticizing the unrealistic standards that our culture held women to, and still holds women to.

I would say her going after other women, particularly the super-cruel stuff and even more particularly (as even many of her admirers have said in tributes) people she perceived as younger, prettier and more successful than she, was the antithesis of feminism. And when some of the women telling her they were hurt by her and she responded "Oh they aren't HURT" that's a complete reflection of mainstream culture telling women that their honest reactions don't matter.

The main thing that happened in the years when Joan started doing more of the latter than the former was the Reaganization of America and her campaign to redo her face, which I still don't know whether that was her white flag moment or a statement of some sort I will never understand.

I want to say, in the clip of her interviewing theatrical rockers GWAR on one of her shows, the first question she asked was "What is the philosophy behind what you do?"

I do not think looking at Joan's work and asking questions like that is a bad thing, and a testament to its sheer volume and longevity.

With that, i want you to know that I love you but I am off to a rock and roll show so I will be thinking about these things only in my own head for the next few hours.

[PalJoey]

people she perceived as younger, prettier and more successful than she

That's false.

That's a lie.

That's an untruth you made up.

She was GENEROUS toward younger talent. Everyone knows that.

Ask Sarah Silverman.

[FindingNamo]

I was paraphrasing Rob Sheffield's appreciation of her in Rolling Stone.

And again, I am talking about the act.

[PalJoey]

Well, he was WRONG.

[finebydesign]

Just re-watching Piece of Work on Netflix. Her line about her career "ask a nun why she's a nun,,, she has no choice." If I had one iota of her chutzpah.