Joan Rivers: A Work In Progress

Joan Rivers gets naked in her new documentary JOAN RIVERS – A PIECE OF WORK. Ok, maybe not literally. Though in the opening scene Rivers does allow a rare glimpse of her undressed face and it is everything she loathes it to be, making it a fitting metaphor for the raw documentary that shows the trials and tribulations of a year in the life of a struggling (yes, even the veterans still struggle) comedian.

Despite decades of experience and credits to her name, Joan Rivers is not immune to the waxing and waning nature of a long distance comedy career – excuse me, acting career. Rivers also makes it clear that comedy was always just a means to a paycheck. Her real passion, and therefor biggest critical vulnerability, always has been and always will be acting.

PIECE OF WORK follows Rivers throughout a tumultuous year as she prepares and promotes a very personal one-woman show, struggles to book stand-up gigs, and competes against daughter Melissa Rivers on NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice.

Along the way Rivers recalls a past filled with struggle (Joan was widely criticized for her epochaly racy act), love found and love lost (husband Edgar Rosenberg committed suicide in 1987), fallen idols (she still blames Johnny Carson for getting her blacklisted from NBC late-night) and the people who helped her survive it all.

Perhaps the biggest surprise – or perhaps not for Celeb Apprentice viewers – is the unbreakably tight bond between Rivers and her daughter, Melissa. Gone is the highly marketable drama, and what’s left is a distinctly sincere support system. Behind the curtain of the Tough Broad routine is a candid portrait of an insecure young woman, still seeking perfection from herself, and praise from her public after all these years.

What do you think? Are you a fan? Have you seen the DVD? Put your comments below:

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