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4 Sep 2014

Comedian Joan Rivers dies age 81

Joan Rivers, the American comedian, has died in New York. Her death comes a week after suffering a cardiac arrest during an outpatient medical procedure.

Joan Rivers

A statement released by her daughter, Melissa Rivers, said: “It is with great sadness that I announce the death of my mother, Joan Rivers. She passed peacefully at 1.17 pm surrounded by family and close friends.

“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,” she added.

The comedian, actress and television host was best known for her stand-up comedy. She first appeared on TV as a guest host on The Tonight Show in 1965.

In Britain, Rivers performed at the Royal Variety Show in 2007, in front of both Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. She was also invited to the wedding of the Prince of Wales and Camilla Parker Bowles in 2005.

Rivers was well known for her racy comedy and razor-sharp wit. To her, no topic was off limits. Here are some of her best one liners:

"I've had so much plastic surgery, when I die they will donate my body to Tupperware."

"My husband killed himself. And it was my fault. We were making love and I took the bag off my head."

"Looking 50 is great - if you're 60."

"I knew I was an unwanted baby when I saw that my bath toys were a toaster and a radio."

"All my mother told me about sex was that the man goes on top and the woman on the bottom. For three years, my husband and I slept in bunk beds."