Melissa Rivers is apparently still seething over the recent debacle at E!’s “Fashion Police,” and she finally unleashed her feelings about Kathy Griffin.
“My biggest complaint was the feeling that she kind of shit all over my mother’s legacy in her statement on leaving,” Rivers told Hoda Kotb during a conversation Tuesday in a packed auditorium at the 92nd Street Y in New York City when asked about Joan Rivers‘ replacement on the show.
“And I know that was not an intentional reading of it, but that’s how I felt … By calling the comedy and the style of it old-fashioned. It was like, I understand what you were doing, you’re trying to save yourself, but don’t crap all over my mother to do it,” Rivers said.
Griffin abruptly left “Fashion Police” in March after just seven episodes as co-host, saying that her “style does not fit with the creative direction” of the show.
“As a professional that was her choice, that’s what she did — no harm no foul, moving on,” Rivers told “Today” anchor Kotb. When initially asked if she was glad when she found out that Griffin was a part of the show, she said: “It wasn’t a match, on a lot of levels.”
Rivers sat down with Kotb to promote her new book “The Book of Joan: Tales of Mirth, Mischief, and Manipulation,” which celebrates her favorite memories of her mother. “She made a legitimate difference to a lot of people,” Melissa said.
Earlier in the interview, Melissa revealed that the first time she really heard her mom’s voice after she died last September, was telling her it was “going to be OK” during all of the “‘Fashion Police’ crazy … I heard her say other things too but I can’t repeat them.”
Rivers was referring to the aftermath resulting from offensive comments host Giuliana Rancic made about Zendaya’s dreadlocks at the Oscars. “I feel like she smells like patchouli oil and weed,” she said, igniting a scandal that prompted Kelly Osbourne to quit and the show to fracture.
As an executive producer and one of creators of the show, Melissa revealed that she wanted to say something, but bit her tongue. “It was a very, very difficult time, I had a lot of conversations with everybody involved … It really shows that we were a family. We went back too fast, and when the matriarch died the sisters started fighting.
“It was extremely frustrating as I had to keep my eye on the franchise and the legacy of it and not get involved in the personal,” she said.
The debacle also destroyed her last connection to Joan. “I felt like ‘Fashion Police’ was this little jewel, and it was the last piece I had of my mother and I working together. I felt like all these people were so out of control, including the one who made the allegations of racism.
“They took the last thing I had and smashed it,” she said. “I felt like I was Humpty Dumpty and I was on my knees gluing it back together.”
Rivers said she had to take a break and refocus and has now just started taking creative meetings again to reformat. “It never would have happened if she was alive,” she said.
Watch the video below (Rivers’ comments about Griffin are at the 20:24 mark).
13 Potential 'Fashion Police' Replacements for Kelly Osbourne (Photos)
Chrissy Teigen is a social media queen, active model and appeals to men and women in ideal ways for advertisers. She'd be pure gold on "Fashion Police." Plus, we'd get the song stylings of John Legend at no extra cost, right?
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Lauren Conrad is a massive brand despite her absence from reality television for more than 10 years. She'd activate nostalgia and appeal to a newer, younger audience. Young women love her style and hair -- it's time for a TV comeback, without Heidi Montag, of course.
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Stassi Schroeder may not be high-brow, but she's must-watch television. Plus, her resume isn't just "Vanderpump Rules," she's also a legit fashion columnist. Schroeder is not exactly too hard on the eyes, either -- and in case you missed it, TV is a visual medium.
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Merle Ginsberg of The Hollywood Reporter is a dogged fashion reporter with a unique look. She'd probably even let a few legendary stories slip in between outfit critiques. Getting a real journalist on set will probably reduce some of the "patchouli oil and weed" slip-ups too. Or at least it couldn't hurt.
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Olivia Palermo was the breakout star of MTV's "The City," and continues to stun on red carpets and appearances thanks to her comely husband and her own beauty. The show needs a socialite, and anyone who identifies as a "socialite" needs a job.
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Whitney Cummings could be a worthy replacement for the late, great Joan Rivers but it begs the same question in regards to Kathy Griffin's hire -- why try? Plus, Cummings co-created "2 Broke Girls," so she's (ironically) probably not hard up for money.
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Chelsea Peretti truly is one of the greats. If she cared at all about the world of fashion, it'd be an amazing -- and totally take-down -- kind of show. We could live off of her tweets alone, but no matter what, "Fashion Police" -- do NOT take Gina Linetti off of "Brooklyn Nine-Nine."
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Natasha Leggero is equally bitter sass and girly delight. She's softer than Cummings but, frankly, not enough of a name for the panel. What she may lack in recognizability though is a distinct sense of style. No jokes here, Leggero has those covered.
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Comedian Iliza Schlesinger actually tries to not be glamorous during many of her stand-up specials, but she cleans up nicely and would make a solid addition to the "Fashion Police" lineup. That said, on a day-to-day basis, she may be more qualified to take clothing advice than dish it out.
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Stacy London was the co-host of "What Not to Wear," so this could be a mutually beneficial hire, with "Fashion Police" getting a bonafide clothing consultant and London gathering Hollywood fodder.
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Carson Kressley could probably use the regular gig, and everyone loved "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," right? Let's get some men critiquing men, shall we? #pocketsquares
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First of all, everyone loves Clinton Kelly, so there's that. Plus, "Fashion Police" couldn't hurt from a male presence, so how he hasn't been hired yet is actually kind of surprising. Kelly shared "What Not to Wear" duties with London -- how about a two-fer/reunion?
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Rachel Zoe has a treasure trove Hollywood clients, so she's no stranger to judging how a gown hangs off an A-lister's shoulders. Bravo's "The Rachel Zoe Project" was in the NBCU family. Added bonus: Forced reunion with frenemy Brad Goreski. Meow.
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TheWrap ponders sartorial seat-fillers for the vacant seat