Doing Joan justice! Some of Joan Rivers' closest friends and confidants paid tribute to the comedy legend in a 90-minute Fashion Police special on Friday, Sept. 19.
The special began with a message from Joan's daughter Melissa Rivers, who began by saying, "The last four years this set has been home to the funniest, most outrageous voice in comedy. This chair was the place a woman spoke the truth about celebrities and fashion in a way that was hilarious and absolutely 100 percent original. Tonight we want to say goodbye the only way my mom would want us to, by remembering the incredible jokes, the unbelievable guests, and all the moments on set and behind-the-scenes that made Fashion Police must-see television around the globe."
Joan's E! costars Giuliana Rancic, Kelly Osbourne, and George Kotsiopoulos all spoke about the beloved TV personality, also airing old clips and jokes from previous episodes with celebrity guest stars.
"There were so many different types of jokes. Joan went everywhere. She went where no one else would dare to go," Rancic remembered, later recounting the time she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011. "I came to the set for the first time, she said, 'You got breast cancer, I heard. You're gonna be fine. You know that, right? You're having the surgery. You're with a great doctor, at a great hospital.' And you know what, she was right."
"And didn't she finish with, 'You're gonna get perfect new tits'?" Osbourne added laughing.
The lavender-haired co-host got choked up while recalling her favorite moments with the comedienne, who served as a second mother to her.
"It just clicked, and I felt like for the first time in my life, I knew what I was doing," Osbourne said of the first episode of Fashion Police. "I knew where I was going, and I had the opportunity to not only work with one of my idols, but to work with one of the greatest legends this world has ever seen."
The Brit also noted how much of an impact Rivers had on the fashion community as a whole.
"It's not just because she was a comedian. She put them on the map," Osbourne said of top fashion designers. "She was the first person on the red carpet to ever ask the question, 'Who are you wearing?' With one question, she changed the entire fashion industry."
Stepping out from her behind-the-scenes spot as a Fashion Police producer, Melissa spoke about her mother's impact, revealing that President Obama and First Lady Michelle had sent her their condolences.
"I received a hand-written note saying 'Not only did she make us laugh, she made us think,'" the proud daughter said smiling.
The producer on the hit E! style show revealed that Fashion Police will continue after a brief hiatus before bringing the entire crew on stage to do a final "Joan Rangers" salute.
Rivers died on Sept. 4 at the age of 81 after suffering complications from a minor throat procedure. She leaves behind her daughter Melissa and grandson Cooper.
