Outside the F.M. Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre, the electronic sign paid respects to Joan Rivers, the edgy and outspoken comedian, who passed away at the age of 81.
Will Beekman, the managing director of the F.M. Kirby Center, said Rivers performed here four times over the years.
“I wish all the artists were like her, we all know what you got on stage,” said Beekman. “Off stage she was a kind as can be, she wanted to know your name and what you did for the Kirby Center.”
One picture was taken of Rivers and the F.M. Kirby Center`s security team during her last visit in April of last year.
“It was actually her idea, she wanted to take a photo with the security team at the end of the day,” said Beekman. “In fact the next morning when I got up, I saw that she had put it out on her Twitter page.”
Scott Bruce is a 30-veteran to the comedy circuit and owner of Wise Crackers Comedy Club at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs in Plains Township.
Bruce say Rivers was one of the comedians who inspired him to take to the stage.
“Joan Rivers was certainly one of my favorites, I always admired her ability to, her self-deprecating humor is what allowed her to be such the acerbic wit that she was with others,” said Bruce.
Comedian Teri Granahan says it was that no-holds-barred style from Rivers that trail blazed the field for women.
But Granahan says Rivers might be copied but she can never been replaced.
“There`ll will never be another Joan Rivers, she broke boundaries, she was an amazing person, non-traditional, did what she wanted to do, and that was a tough thing to do,” said Granahan.
