It's been a bad year for Hollywood legends, as we've lost several in just the last few weeks. First came the shocking death of Robin Williams, followed a day later by the death of iconic actress Lauren Bacall. Then just last week, we lost actor and director Richard Attenborough. Now, we have the sad news that razor-tongued comedienne Joan Rivers has passed away. Rivers was 81 years old, and passed away following serious complications - including cardiac arrest - during an elective procedure on her vocal cords. Her daughter Melissa Rivers announced the news herself and released the following statement:
It is with great sadness that I announce the death of my mother, Joan Rivers. She passed peacefully at 1:17pm surrounded by family and close friends. My son and I would like to thank the doctors, nurses, and staff of Mount Sinai Hospital for the amazing care they provided for my mother. Cooper and I have found ourselves humbled by the outpouring of love, support, and prayers we have received from around the world. They have been heard and appreciated. My mothers greatest joy in life was to make people laugh. Although that is difficult to do right now, I know that her final wish would be that we return to laughing soon.
Rivers was a pioneer for female comedians and got her big break in 1965 after a guest appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Our deepest condolences go out to her fans, friends, and family. That's it for this week! What did you think of these stories? Are you happy to hear that Dwayne Johnson is playing Black Adam? How about a Walking Dead spin-off and Supergirl TV series? Sound off in the comments below! James is a mild-mannered reporter who travels the globe in search of the weeks biggest movie and TV news. He does this from the comfort of his own sofa, of course, but regularly documents his travels on Twitter.
James is a 24 year old writer and filmmaker living in Portland, OR. He attended college for graphic design and writes for various sources on the web about film, television, and entertainment.
You can view all of his work on his website, www.thereeljames.wordpress.com
