"She finally said it"- Melissa Rivers reacts to Rachel Brosnahan crediting her mother, Joan Rivers, for inspiring The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Melissa Rivers has something to say after Rachel Brosnahan credited her mother, Joan Rivers, as an inspiration for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. On the Joan Rivers: A Dead Funny All-Star Tribute feature, which will be airing on NBC on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, Brosnahan paid tribute to the late actress and comedian.
In an exclusive by Page Six, Brosnahan reportedly mentioned in the tribute that Joan Rivers was "one of the pioneering comedians" she studied to create Mrs. Maisel for the comedy drama series. Now, Melissa Rivers feels better that her mother is getting the shoutout she deserved, telling the outlet in an interview, published on May 12:
"It was lovely that she finally said it. It's nothing to do with Rachel, it's more to do with other people involved in the show continually denying it."
Melissa's latest statement comes after she spoke out about the legacy of her late mom. In 2021, she made an appearance on the Behind the Velvet Rope podcast to share her displeasure about The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, which debuted on Prime Video in 2017.
She claimed that her mother was one of the inspirations for the title character, but the show has never reached out to her about it. Melissa Rivers said that she would have appreciated even receiving a note from the show acknowledging her late mom's influence and inspiration in the Amazon Prime series.
"Her big fear was not being relevant": Melissa Rivers on Joan Rivers' legacy as NBC delivers a tribute special for the late actress
Joan Rivers passed away in September 2014 at the age of 81, and according to her daughter, Melissa Rivers, being forgotten and overlooked was one of her mom's biggest fears. In her interview with Page Six, published on May 12, Melissa said:
"I'm continuing to find it so amazing how, even 10 years since she wrote her last joke, they're still relevant. Her big fear was not being relevant."
It's also not the first time she talked about her mother's insecurities. Back in 2018, she told Closer Weekly that her mother had a lot of things she was insecure about, including "her looks, her age, being overlooked, and not being relevant." However, over a decade since she passed away, Joan Rivers is still remembered and revered in the acting and comedy world.
To celebrate her legacy, NBC kicks off Joan Rivers: A Dead Funny All-Star Tribute, promising a jam-packed event with appearances from various comedians to honor her lasting influence. Moreover, per the letter she left for her daughter, as cited by NBC Insider, Joan Rivers said:
"Given that I'm dead, I assume someone will finally decide to honor me. Well, it's about time."
There will be over a dozen comics who will take the stage to honor Joan Rivers in the tribute special, including Rachel Brosnahan, Nikki Glaser, Tiffany Haddish, Patton Oswalt, Aubrey Plaza, and more.
As for Melissa Rivers, she told Page Six that it was "a perfect time" for the special as she thought that people are starting to have fun again.
Joan Rivers: A Dead Funny All-Star Tribute will air on NBC on Tuesday, May 13, at 10:00 pm ET, and will be streaming on Peacock the following day.
