Remembering Joan Rivers: Quotes From The Legendary Comedian On Success, Life, Fashion

American comedian Joan Rivers was born Joan Molinsky in Brooklyn on June 8, 1933. Rivers was one of the first female comedians to break the glass ceiling of light night shows, which were dominated by male hosts.

Born to Russian-immigrant parents Dr. Meyer and Beatrice Molinsk, Rivers started her performance career in clubs, showrooms, and Greenwich Village cabarets. Her strong work ethic allowed her to grow as a comedian in the local and later, in the national and international circuit.

After headlining shows in the U.S., Australia, Canada, and Ireland, her fame catapulted in 1968, when she first performed on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.”

Later, she went on to host one of the first daytime talks shows – “That Show with Joan Rivers,” and was the permanent guest host of “The Tonight Show.”

At “The Tonight Show,” she coined the famous catchphrase, “Can we talk?”

She won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show Host for “The Joan Rivers Show.” Rivers was awarded the Grammy Award posthumously for “Diary of a Mad Diva” in the Best Spoken World Album category. Apart from her celebrated comedy performance and TV career, Rivers also wrote 12 books, including “Murder at the Academy Award: A Red Carpet Murder Mystery,” and “I Hate Everyone… Starting with me.”

Joan Rivers quotes on life, success, hope and more

• “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift, and that's why we call it the present.”
• “The best four-letter word is hope.”
• “I never dwell on what happened you can’t change it. Move forward.”
• “Don’t waste your energy on being angry at something that somebody did six months ago It’s over. Done. Move forward.”
• “My dress is by Calvin Klein and my body is by Frito-Lay.”
• “Life is so difficult, and I cope with it by making jokes about absolutely everything.”
• “The fashion magazines are suggesting that women wear clothes that are ‘age-appropriate.’ For me, that would be a shroud.”
• “Remember, life is short. Treat yourself right, and go for the glamour!”
• “I have to tell you that it’s not going to be easy. Take every chance and every opportunity that you can. Don’t say that ‘I can’t’ or ‘I shouldn’t,’ or I’m too tired.”
• “To my eye, a jewel never sparkles the way it sparkles when worn by a confident woman.”