Joan Rivers was 81

[Mojo2]

Joan Rivers was 81

Joan Rivers
LIONEL CIRONNEAU/AP
BY STEPHEN M. SILVERMAN

@stephenmsilverm
09/04/2014 AT 03:00 PM EDT

Joan Rivers, a raucous and often-ubiquitous comedic presence on TV and nightclubs since the 1960s, has died. She was 81.

"It is with great sadness that I announce the death of my mother, Joan Rivers," daughter Melissa said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE.

"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 mother’s greatest joy in life was to make people laugh. Although that is difficult to do right now, I know her final wish would be that we return to laughing soon."

Rivers stopped breathing during a surgical procedure on her vocal cords last week and had to be rushed from the clinic to Mount Sinai Hospital.

Her daughter, Melissa immediately flew from Los Angeles to the Manhattan medical facility, where Joan reportedly had been placed in a medically induced coma.

In a statement over the weekend, Melissa Rivers said, "We are keeping our fingers crossed," and thanked those who expressed their support as her mother fought for her life.

Smart, Driven – and Funny
Merciless with her material, shrewd with her tireless work ethic and highly successful in a world dominated by men, the Brooklyn-born Joan Alexandra Molinsky graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Barnard in 1954, then graduated to the Garment District of Manhattan, where she worked as the fashion coordinator for a clothing firm. It was there that she met and married the boss's son, James Sanger, though the union only lasted six months.

Comedy beckoned – her agent, Tony Rivers suggested she change her name, so she took his – and her fierce desire to make it big, after years of struggling in comedy clubs and landing the occasional TV guest spot, caused her and her second husband and manager Edgar Rosenberg to mortgage their home so she could write and direct her first film, 1978's Rabbit Test. It was about a man (a young Billy Crystal) who got pregnant. It flopped, but Rivers soldiered on.

It took late-night king Johnny Carson to make her – and then break her, but only for so long.

RELATED: Joan Rivers: Her Life in Photos

Joan Rivers Dead People.com

She was great!

Making em laugh to the very end.

And not just chuckles, either.

I mean BIG laughs.

Grab a box of Kleenex cuz you are crying with laughter.

No one else is like her.

God bless you, Joan!

 

[Moonglow]

One of my favorite comedians has gone to the great beyond. She is one of the persona's I copied during my life in comedy performance and writing style...
Thank you Joan for the laughs..

 

[ricechickie]

Funny lady. At 81 years old, she never lost her edge.

Bless her.

 

[deltex1]

Another one dead at the hands of the healers.

 

[Mr. H.]

Yup.

 

[Moonglow]

The other great comedian I copied was Groucho Marx...

 

[Moonglow]

When you are elderly and have operations there is great risk of cardiac failure. When my grandma had her triple bypass she had a stroke.

 

[JohnA]

The other great comedian I copied was Groucho Marx...

 

[deltex1]

The other great comedian I copied was Groucho Marx...

You always reminded me of a Barack Obama. Hahahaha!

 

[Moonglow]

The other great comedian I copied was Groucho Marx...

You always reminded me of a Barack Obama. Hahahaha!

And you remind me of a the piss boy

 

[Mr. H.]

Yup.

 

[September]

I never heard of her
​

 

[deltex1]

The other great comedian I copied was Groucho Marx...

You always reminded me of a Barack Obama. Hahahaha!

And you remind me of a the piss boy

That's a whole lot better than being Barack.

 

[deltex1]

I never heard of her
​

What did you say...the lights were in my eyes.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

Another one dead at the hands of the healers.

And you have a link that proves that?

 

[Luddly Neddite]

When you are elderly and have operations there is great risk of cardiac failure. When my grandma had her triple bypass she had a stroke.

And, you don't really have to be "elderly".

Yes, medical professionals make mistakes but to accuse the "healers" out of hand is just plain wrong.

 

[skookerasbil]

She went into that procedure in perfect health................

Who couldnt see this coming? She outed the Obama's 2 months ago...........


Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh........................just a coincidence

 

[Valerie]

She went into that procedure in perfect health................

Who couldnt see this coming? She outed the Obama's 2 months ago...........

what are you implying? and how did she 'out' them...?

 

[deltex1]

Another one dead at the hands of the healers.

And you have a link that proves that?

Do you have a link that you are not a schmekel?

 

[shart_attack]

God rest her precious soul.