Old (wo)man Rivers

One does not see assorted identities in their celebrity role on television and think in terms of meeting them. But sometimes it happens, as it has just done with America's anarchical comedienne, Joan Rivers , who has been touring Australia with her cabaret show. Whatever vague opinion I had of the plastic surgeon's number one specimen has been given a furious rattle by the personal encounters with Miss Rivers - because she turns out to be a gracious star of the old school. By this I mean that she has the old showbiz grace and generosity of spirit. Not only does she "give" when performing her well-worn comic shtick on stage, but she gives to the people around her. It is unprecedented in my ahem years of journalism that someone one has interviewed by phone goes to extra lengths to ensure that you also get to meet them in the flesh. Only Miss Rivers. She listed the people who had helped in publicising her tour and had her PR collect us after the show and bring us to the Green Room for a "meet and greet". Patiently she identified us all, exchanged pleasantries and posed for photos.
She is a tiny woman. Trim and taut. But tres petite. Her hair was rather like the stage wig she had worn, but shorter and thinner, of course. Her teeth are like piano keys but white upon white. Dazzlingly white. Disconcertingly so. Her skin is taut and smooth and, quite frankly, she looks great. The interesting thing is that, having had a personal encounter with her, she has become very beautiful indeed. For all her irreverence and political incorrectness, the wicked bitchery on stage which has been her bread and butter, the woman beneath is all class. And meeting her has proved to be a special pleasure - even for a jaded journo.

entertainment and Joan Rivers