Beloved comedy legend Joan Rivers passed away in September 2014 at 81. Since then, her daughter, Melissa Rivers, has kept the former “Fashion Police” host’s legacy alive. Now, in a new interview, she’s reflecting on their sometimes challenging mother-daughter relationship.
Melissa Rivers Recalls Her Sometimes ‘Trying’ Relationship With Joan
GettyRivers appeared on a September 2026 episode of the “McBride Rewind” podcast, where she reflected on her relationship with Joan, with whom she appeared on “Fashion Police” and numerous red carpets.
First, she admitted that though they maintained a beautiful relationship up until Joan’s death, “there were times it was trying.”
According to the 58-year-old, “Especially on ‘Fashion Police,’ and I say this, everyone laughs about it… she took a lot of advantage of what she could get away with because I was the executive producer and would try and pull shenanigans, and I think she pushed it only because she knew she could because I would fix it.”
Rivers then said, “And we would have these arguments on set all the time.” From there, she began to shed light on the fights with Joan, saying, “I would be like, steam still coming out of my ears, and she would be like, ‘Can we stop at Pottery Barn?’ or she loved a good Target or [would say] ‘Can we stop? I’m hungry.'”
She continued, “She would just say, ‘Melissa, oh please. Oh, please. You know me. I say things, and I get them out.’ And I’d be like, ‘I know that you’re taking advantage of me,’ and she’d be like, ‘Yeah, but like okay.'”
The “Fashion Police” alum added, “By the way, it was hilarious. We used to joke like, ‘How many more times can I go to HR?'”
Rivers began to further discuss her relationship with her late mother, noting that the comedy legend knew that having her daughter as an executive producer meant that she had more leeway. However, their dynamic also meant that she could maintain balance with her mother.
She explained, “I knew how to shut her down. I knew how to roll my eyes at her. I would just shake my head, and she would look up and say, ‘What are you shaking your head at?’ ‘You.’ ‘Why?’ ‘Because you know that’s not going to make the show.'”
Melissa Says ‘Fashion Police’ Couldn’t Exist The Same Way Today
GettyUs Weekly interviewed Rivers in September 2024, after “Fashion Police” ended in 2017. During the interview, she stated that Joan would have tons of material for a version of the show if she were alive, but it couldn’t be the same as it was during its run on E!
She said, “[You] couldn’t do that anymore,” before saying that Joan “would have so much material making fun of what was going on [today].”
Rivers also stated that she had wondered over the years how she and a team of producers could go about bringing back the show. However, she also admitted that “there’s no way.”
She explained, “You would have to qualify everything.” In giving an example, Rivers said, “Now, I don’t think it’s my favorite dress. But that’s not saying that the actress wearing it isn’t beautiful and body positive and a good person and stops and pets all animals on the street, and is such a wonderful, caring person. I’m not sure that this is necessarily the dress I would’ve picked, but that’s not saying it’s not beautiful.”
The host then added about the idea of a new version of the show, “How long would you watch that for? You just can’t do it.”
