Joan Rivers would bitch slap anybody - even herself at times - which is what made her so funny.

Robin Williams I never found funny; okay so he made a funny face or a silly noise. Good grief, that gets boring unless you're in the third grade.

But, Joan Rivers! Now, there was funny talent - real funny! I could laugh at her for hours.

She once came in the cafe where I used to write, late in the day, with a few people from her show, and I got to tell her how much I appreciated her. They were in and out but I called to her -- said something about how I appreciated her from where I was sitting -- and others started calling out, "We love you, Joan, etc." She, in return, was very appreciative and gracious.

I heard her talking about her husband and his suicide and serious things on the radio and it underscored how smart and wise she was. I'll miss her.

Found my tweet to her afterward:

https://twitter.com/amyalkon/statuses/101713053233577984?tw_i=101713053233577984&tw_e=details&tw_p=archive

And I have to say, I see stars all the time here. Or often, anyway, and I usually couldn't care less.

She was special and important to me. I appreciated what a ballsy Jewish broad she was, and the truths she told in her comedy.

She was awesome. They broke the mold after her. In Sarah Silverstein tries, but just doesn't make it.

I have never seen any of her stand up routines. So I never really took to her. I always thought of her as just a sarcastic witch from her runway comments. So I never built up any appreciation of her.

Fashion police is where most people know her from nowadays. Real funny stuff if you love the fastidiousness of fashion and understand the designers.

Her best interviews are with Stern, where she talks about Carson, her dead husband, death (including her own), and being an "ugly" girl. She never got propositioned by anyone in Hollywood due to her "ugliness" but Stern points out its due to her abrasiveness.

Stern is one of the greatest interviewers because he makes even women like Joan get a little uncomfortable and still continue opening up. If I could find the link there is one interview where she talks about how she cheated on her second husband with a handsome man who later on couldn't even remember her name.

Amy: "She, in return, was very appreciative and gracious"

That shows real class - when someone famous responds to fans with good manners. Especially when she most likely just wanted to get her coffee and be on her way.

Thanks for sharing that, although it makes me miss her even more.