I am old enough to remember when Joan Rivers got started. She had a schtick. She was brash, loud, broad-humored, with a tendency to aim for the lowest common denominator of her audience. Over the years, the jokes changed, but the schtick never did. I was never a fan, but it was hard not to follow her career, when she became the darling of Johnny Carson- and then had a massive fall-out with him, starting her own late night talk show, which promptly sank, like the Titanic! This was all in close proximity to her husband's suicide.
I mourn Joan Rivers because she showed her true humanity when her husband died. I also mourn, because it was the only time she ever did. As she picked up the pieces of her career, she had an increasing tendency to pick the low-hanging fruit: Making fun of Lindsay Lohan's serial failures in rehab, Adele's weight, the way many celebrities dress - playground mockery, really. Fortunately for Joan, she was in a Country that has raised playground Bullying to a high art!
Another humorist died recently- Robin Williams. I was his fan since "Mork & Mindy". He didn't have a schtick. He just let his consciousness flow in flights of comic genius! There was also an ineffable sweetness about him, as shown in films like "Mrs. Doubtfire","Patch Adams", and my own favorite, "The World According To Garp" Robin was a gentle soul, and a multi-faceted artist, who keenly understood the social role of the comedian.
In a medieval royal court, the court jester was the only person who could speak the whole truth to the king- as long as he was funny, and subtle enough! Robin Williams tweaked the noses of the high and the mighty with aplomb! My favorite line of his was spoken about, perhaps the most injurious, self-deluded wind bag America has ever produced: Ronald Reagan. Robin observed, "Calling Reagan 'the great communicator' is like calling Ghandi 'the great caterer'."
In the garish panoply that is American culture, Joan Rivers went along the parade route, pointing out where the elephants pooped; while Robin Williams marched beside the people who had to clean up the mess, and made them laugh. To paraphrase Don Mc Clean, "When no hope was left in sight on that starry, starry night, you took your life, as lovers often do. But I could have told you, Robin, this world was never meant for one as beautiful as you".