Joan Rivers Goes Mama Bear Defending Melissa

NEW YORK — Think twice before crossing Melissa Rivers _ her mother might just step in and chew you out.

Joan Rivers unleashed an earful of insults after Donald Trump fired her daughter on "The Celebrity Apprentice."

Rivers' targets: poker champ Annie Duke and Playboy pinup Brande (BRAND-ee) Roderick.

Melissa Rivers, who appeared with her mom on the NBC show, claimed the two formed an alliance against her. She called them "pit vipers."

Joan Rivers launched into mama-bear mode, calling Roderick a "stupid blonde" and Duke a "white trash" poker player. She called the duo "a Nazi and a follower."

NBC representative Amanda Ruisi didn't immediately return phone and e-mail messages seeking comment. Donald Trump could not immediately be reached.

Comments

[LiberTLover]

I used to like Joan Rivers but man, I thought she was going to pop thoose old stitches and her face would fall off!

[JaneDoeHere]

Joan Rivers is still alive?

[cactusgal]

Just her mouth. The rest of her appears to have been cryogenically frozen.

[VOTER]

ROFL

[derrickhoyle]

Classic ratings ploy.

[Archivist1000]

You mean that stupid show is STILL on?

[texastrixie]

Joan is 74. Melissa has worked in the past, but she is crazy if she thinks that she will simply take over Joan's career once her mother can no longer perform. I think Melissa is a talentless spoiled brat, and many people in "the business!" seem to agree. If she wants a career once her mother can no longer perform, she should stop being her mother's sidekick and branch out into real work of her own. Because of her mother, her financial status is assured, but if she wants meaning in her life over the long run, she needs to get a life of her own.

[bluguy8]

Joan is at least funny. Mellisa is one hot mess--no talent. just a big mouth

[lmvd3]

Joan is vulgar and Melissa is a dolt.

[AurigaRa]

people actually WATCH this drivel??? Oh, people with NO brains. Ok.

[LLisaLL]

Does that also include people who READ about this drivel??? I'm sure you just stopped by to let everyone know how much better/smarter you are. Ok.

[cocolola]

Melissa may have overacted, but the two chicks were out to get her. Joan was classic. It was an interesting show and I'm ashamed to admit that I was highly amused.

[Orphie]

Remember?

Remember when celebrity status was the by-product of some kind of actual talent, accomplishment or ability?

Remember when celebrities actually performed to fulfill their need for attention?

Remember when television audiences used to prefer professional productions to circus freak side shows?

Remember when the premise of the film "Network" seemed like an outrageous dark satire?

The future of television has arrived. It's coarse, ugly, unsophisticated and appeals to the lowest common denominator. And nobody seems to notice the difference.

[Pippen]

Could not have said it better. I'm a new fan Orphie !!

[Lulu-1]

Annie is way too coniving for my taste - anything to win. Joan was a blast, and I won't be bothering to watch anymore - only good one left is Jesse, and I can just read about who wins down the road - not worth watching the show anymore.

Joan's line to Clint Black's self-absorption - "he'd give himself a hickey" -- was a classic.

Joan WAS the show !

[Truth4Voters]

Agreed. Duke is shamelessly manipulative. I am surprised more viewers aren't picking up on it. I am stunned at Annie's comfort with manipulation. Yuck.

[LEX MOSHER]

Joan's face froze long ago.

[keysbreezin]

It wouldn't surprise me to see Joan back next week at the behest of the Donald. He loves her,it would make GREAT TV and how else would she be able to get true revenge, and avenge her daughter, than to beat them at their own game!

[megabucks89]

I watched that episode and I was embarassed for the Rivers family - to me that was the worst display of poor sportmanship I have ever witnessed (from both). Talk about sore losers demonstrating bad behaviour - wow !!

http://www.shopfreetrials.com

[CAMBEL]

Melissa Rivers is not old, and yet with all the lip filler and botox she has become very disturbing to look at. she is looking one or two steps away from that Cat Woman in New York Jocelyin Wildenstein. I never knew how somebody could be in such a little cocoon that they didn't realize what they were doing to themselves until I saw Melissa's reaction upon being fired.

This is a competition and they are all playing for charity. She wasn't REALLY fired from her job AND she said that she wasn't going to do an exit interview even though they are contracted to. What a spoiled isolated odd person she turned out to be.

[lmvd3]

My guess is that Joan has always made sure that Melissa always "won", and Melissa now expects that she will just win, because she is the center of the universe. Money bought success in the past, and River's late husband had a boat-load of it. Co-dependency is sickening to witness, and Joan Rivers knows Melissa has no personality or talent, but drags her along and forces everyone to deal with the untalented spoiled adult child who must win at all costs. Melissa needs to find a hobby and get off television.

[westreal]

You call that Mama Bear defense? I call it disparaging, hateful, jealous attacks. These ladies (Joan and Melissa) have been attacking Annie for no reason for weeks. And Melissa's tantrum really showed how spoiled she is. It appears if they are not the center of attention they will attack the person who is.

[cocolola]

Sorry, but Annie is a bytch. And since when did gamblers become celebrities?

[PallinAround]

And Melissa Rivers is a celebrity???? Her "talent" is being Joan Rivers' daughter. Doesn't get much more ludicrous than that.

IMO, the shows have been edited very deliberately to make Annie out in a certain light. I'm sure she IS manipulative (she's also very bright and competitive, all part of what makes her very successful in high stakes poker)... but this is a COMPETITION and people are out to win for charity! It's not like they didn't understand what they were getting in to. Melissa's reaction was just beyond over the top embarrassing to watch. And Joan's was every bit as bad. Melissa was accusing Annie and Brande of being "mean girls in high school" and yet she is the one who came out looking like she belonged in high school!

[VOTER]

Winning gamblers are and have always been celebrities.

[PDXTransplant]

I never watch Apprentice, but Sunday I happened to change channels and I ended up watching the whole episode out of curiosity. My favorite was Jesse James and his savoir-faire attitude. He was hilarious the way he was talking to Clint Black. I wasn't surprised at the implosion when Melissa was fired. Joan was like a wild animal protecting her cub. I got a real kick out of it.

[PallinAround]

Joan and Melissa both should be very embarrassed. Their behavior was juvenile, unprofessional, and while "good television" it is not going to win them any fans. How very, very ungracious, as though the world centers around both of them.

[truthyguy]

Joan Rivers makes snide comments and she calls it a funny act and a living.
Someone else makes snide comments and she calls them vipers.

Relax Joan. Do something to get your mind of this. Go have more surgery.

[hemnebob]

dingdang funny...

[loubque]

Why do you people comment so much if you dont like or watch the show...com­ment on something relevant to you...come on.