It may have been a sad day, but Joan Rivers' star-studded funeral on Sunday was also full of laughs thanks to a raunchy eulogy by Howard Stern and a light-hearted letter from daughter, Melissa Rivers.
Melissa read an excerpt from "A Letter to My Mom," a book that will be published in April. In the letter, the 46-year-old "landlord" scolds her 81-year-old mother/tenant for too much partying and corrupting her 13-year-old son, Cooper.
In recent years, Joan had been staying in a small guest room in Melissa's L.A. home where she stayed for the one day a week she flew in from New York to tape E!'s "Fashion Police."
The bi-coastal relationship was the subject line of the mother-daughter duo's WE tv reality show, "Joan & Melissa: Joan Knows Best?"
Read Melissa's letter, first published on The Hollywood Reporter, below:
Mom:
I received the note that you slipped under my bedroom door last night. I was very excited to read it, thinking that it would contain amazing, loving advice that you wanted to share with me. Imagine my surprise when I opened it and saw that it began with the salutation, "Dear Landlord." I have reviewed your complaints and address them below:
1. While I appreciate your desire to "upgrade" your accommodations to a larger space, I cannot, in good conscience, move [my 13-year-old son] Cooper into the laundry room. I do agree that it will teach him a life lesson about fluffing and folding, but since I don't foresee him having a future in dry cleaning, I must say no.
Also, I know you are a true creative genius (and I am in awe of the depth of your instincts), but breaking down a wall without my permission is not an appropriate way to express that creativity. It is not only a boundary violation but a building-code violation as well. Additionally, the repairman can't get here until next week, so your expansion plan will have to be put on hold.
2. Re: Your fellow "tenant" (your word), Cooper. While I trust you with him, it is not OK for you to undermine my rules. It is not OK that you let him have chips and ice cream for dinner. It is not OK that you let him skip school to go to the movies. And it is really not OK that the movie was Last Tango in Paris.
As for your taking his friends to a "gentlemen's club," I accepted your rationale that it was an educational experience for the boys — and you are right, he is the most popular kid in school right now — but I'd prefer he not learn biology from those "gentlemen" and their ladies, Bambi, Trixie and Kitten. And just because I yelled at you, I do not appreciate your claim that I have created a hostile living environment.
3. While I'm glad to see you're socializing, you must refill the hot tub after your parties. In fact, you need to tone down the parties altogether. Imagine my surprise when I saw the photos you posted on Facebook of your friends frolicking topless in the hot tub.
I think it's great that you're entertaining more often, but I can't keep fielding complaints from the neighbors about your noisy party games like Ring Around the Walker or naked Duck, Duck Caregiver.
I'm more than happy to have you use the house for social gatherings, but you cannot rent it out, advertise as "party central" or hand out T-shirts that say "F— Jimmy Buffett."
In closing, I hope I have satisfactorily answered your complaints and queries. I love having you live with me, and I am grateful for every minute Cooper and I have with you. You are an inspiration. You are also 30 days late with the rent.
Much love,
Melissa
The mother and daughter had a famously close relationship.
The two remained strong at the 1987 funeral of Edgar Rosenberg, Joan's husband and Melissa's father.
In 1996, they began hosting E!'s "Live from the Red Carpet" at major awards shows.
Here's Joan joking with Melissa at the 59th Annual Golden Globe Awards in 2002.
In 2003, they were back on the red carpet for the following year's Globes.
In 2004, they hosted the red carpet for the Academy Awards.
In 2005, they covered the red carpet at the Academy Awards for TV Guide.
They showed affection again at the 2006 Academy Awards.
And at the Emmys in 2006.
They stayed close in 2007 at the Academy Awards.
And celebrated Joan's "Celebrity Apprentice" win in 2009, despite competing against each other on the show.
Melissa supported her mother during 2009's Comedy Central roast.
And the two celebrated the second season of their WEtv reality show "Joan & Melissa: Joan Knows Best?" in 2012.
Melissa produced E!'s "Fashion Police," on which Joan starred.
But they still worked the red carpet together, recently at last year's Do Something Awards.
In January, they were each others' dates to a pre-Grammy gala.
And in May attended the NBCUniversal upfronts to promote "Fashion Police."
Joan was scheduled to shoot "Fashion Police" in New York City the week she died at age 81.
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