https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/jfuvgm/melissa_final_-_9_5_22_237_PM7x36e.mp3
EPISODE SUMMARY:
An award-winning host, actress, podcaster, best-selling author, and more, Melissa Rivers is a pop culture and reality tv icon. With decades of a prosperous, successful career in her belt, Melissa has made a name for herself in the entertainment and television space. In today’s episode, we sat down with Melissa to discuss the inspiration behind her latest book, Lies My Mother Told Me, what it was like growing up with Joan Rivers, the changes in comedy in recent years, and her experience working alongside her mother on the E! News Red Carpet.
First, we asked Melissa what inspired her to write Lies My Mother Told Me. She explained for her, the idea first came about from conversations with her partner. After contemplating how her mother, the late Joan Rivers, would react to certain life situations, she decided to take those thoughts and turn them into an article. The article then morphed into a retelling of history through Joan River’s eyes, which eventually become the book Melissa ended up creating. She said that were her mother to ever read it, she’d be annoyed that she hadn’t come up with the idea first but would also find it funny. Melissa herself couldn’t stop laughing while writing it, making the project all the more enjoyable to work on. We also asked Melissa about what it was like growing up with Joan. She told us that despite her mother’s comedic presence, she was actually rather traditional when it came to Melissa’s childhood. From a young age, Melissa was taught that they led two lives: “fake” and “real”. The “fake” life was stardom: parties, red carpets and all the wild events that came with fame. Their “real” life, however, was much more simplistic. Sitting at the table for dinner, homework checks, not being allowed to use phones; Melissa grew up fairly normal despite her family’s status. She even mentioned how Melissa’s friends would refer to her mother as “Mrs. Rosenberg” up until she died.
Joan Rivers was a comedic icon, and when discussing her experience working in the entertainment field, Melissa mentioned the differences between how comedy was before versus now. When Joan was starting out, she received a lot of pushback, for sexism ran rampant in the industry. While things have changed over the years, one of the negatives Melissa has noticed is how afraid comedians have become. With the internet and social media as such prominent forces in our society, people are being “cancelled” for things that were said and done over 20 years ago. Melissa argued that by doing this, the public doesn’t give people the opportunity to learn and grow and should approach the issue differently. For the Oscars, Melissa, like the rest of viewers, had many opinions. When it came to the three female hosts, she felt bad that their comedy was watered down and stripped bare, not allowing the hilarious women to truly shine. When asked about the Will Smith situation, Melissa mentioned that while the slap itself was bad, it was also disheartening that so many people just sat and watched. She believes that by simply standing by and then letting Will Smith celebrate his Oscar win after, it allows people to get away with that kind of behavior.
Melissa has been working in the entertainment industry for decades, and even now, has no plans to stop. Currently, she has a new book, podcast, and two new scripted shows about to come out. Along with her career, she’s also experiencing empty nesting for the first time, with her son a junior in college. While some people enjoy empty nesting, Melissa shared that she hates it. She’s found the adjusting of her schedule to be extremely difficult, especially when her son comes and goes between breaks and time off from school. It makes it harder to let him go and find a new normal for herself, a heartbreaking journey many midlife women can relate to. We also talked more about Lies My Mother Told Me, particularly a chapter discussing Melissa’s wedding. In the chapter, Melissa describes how her mother completely took over the planning of her wedding, barely allowing her to have a say. When asked if the portrayal of events in the book is accurate, Melissa confirmed that her mother was, in fact, the self-appointed wedding planner. Melissa essentially just showed up wherever she was told while her mother did the work, much to her chagrin.
Melissa and Joan Rivers worked as a comedic duo on the red carpet for years. While their banter and commentary seamlessly flowed, when it comes to working with family, things can often go awry. When reflecting on the experience, Melissa told us how she was lucky to work with her mother and learn so much about the entertainment industry. However, as most co-workers do, they would have their fair share of disagreements. However, the two women would handle conflict completely differently. While Joan would release all of her frustrations at once and move on, Melissa would hold onto her anger longer, making for some awkward car rides home from work. However, despite any arguments, Melissa and Joan knew each other so well that playing off of each other was easy, making their job much more fun. When Joan passed away, Melissa struggled with how she would continue her career. Having been part of a pair for so many years, she felt lost without her mother by her side. However, eventually, she learned how to adapt and has been thriving in the industry.
Losing a parent is an unfortunate trauma that many midlife women can share, and Melissa offered us some words of advice for coping with such a tragedy. She emphasized that grief looks different for everyone, so it’s important to never let anyone tell you how you should or should not be grieving. She also mentioned how the parent you lost would not want you to be miserable. When you get sad or feel lost, it’s important to remember that your parent would want you to move forward, and by allowing yourself to do so, you’re achieving their wish. Finally, we discussed Melissa’s Podcast, Group Text Podcast. She explained that the idea for the podcast came from rereading text messages between her and her friends. She realized so many of her conversations would make interesting podcast topics, so she used the inspiration to create her own show. As for the most popular episodes, she told us that whenever a reality star comes on, those are always the shows that do the best.
Melissa Rivers
Melissa Rivers is an iconic, award-winning host known for her work in fashion and pop culture news. She’s also a reality TV star, actress, and executive producer, as well as a New York Times bestselling author of numerous books, including her most recent novel, Lies My Mother Told Me: Tall Tales from a Short Woman. Her weekly podcast, Melissa Rivers Group Text, tackles many topics, including celebrity interviews, current events, lifestyle, relationships, parenting, health and wellness, and so much more. The podcast was inspired by her own daily group chats with her friends but delves deeper into the topics they discuss together. Melissa may be more widely known as an architect and creator of the modern Red Carpet Event Brand through her countless interviews and appearances as a co-host on E! Television, including the globally recognized and iconic hit series, “Fashion Police.” As a philanthropist and advocate, Melissa supports several charities and causes including Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services, Our House Grief Support Center, and Center for The Art of Performance UCLA among others.
In this episode, we discuss…
- [0:01] Bossa Bars
- [1:25] Guest Introduction
- [3:58] Start of Interview
- [4:22] What Inspired Melissa to Write a Book
- [6:00] Melissa’s Traditional Upbringing
- [9:47] How Comedy has Changed
- [14:43] Melissa’s Current Involvement in the Industry
- [19:31] Melissa’s Wedding Planning
- [22:37] Working with Her Mother on the Red Carpet
- [28:39] Melissa’s Advice for Grief After Losing a Mother
- [30:58] Group Text Podcast
- [31:55] Closing Thoughts
- [33:41] Outro
Useful Resources:
Melissa’s Website I [https://melissarivers.com/]
Group Text Podcast I [https://melissarivers.com/podcast/]
Melissa’s Facebook I [https://www.facebook.com/OfficialMelissaRivers/]
Melissa’s Twitter I [https://twitter.com/melrivers]
Melissa’s Instagram I [https://www.instagram.com/melissariversofficial/]
Melissa’s TikTok I [https://www.tiktok.com/@melissariversofficial]
Melissa’s YouTube Channel I [https://www.youtube.com/c/MelissaRiversOfficial/featured]
Melissa’s Books
Lies My Mother Told Me I [https://www.amazon.com/Lies-My-Mother-Told-Me/dp/1642937401/]
Joan Rivers Confidential I [https://www.amazon.com/Joan-Rivers-Confidential-Scrapbooks-Everything/dp/1419726730/]
Red Carpet Ready I [https://www.amazon.com/Red-Carpet-Ready-Secrets-Spotlight/dp/0307395324/]
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