Joan Rivers, What A Gal!

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I had the honor, privilege and pleasure of meeting Joan Rivers in May, 1993, when I participated as a contestant in a Pregnancy Beauty Pageant on The Joan Rivers Show. How I got chosen to be on the show, is a long story. Suffice to say, my trainer knew someone, who knew someone, who knew the producer, who was looking for pregnant women with a lot of personality and a lot of chutzpah…..uh….that would be me, of course!

I was 6 months pregnant with my first child, Yale, and I was raring to go. I worked as a nurse,  I exercised daily, attended acting and voice classes once a week, and had just written and was in rehearsal for my cabaret act, “A Pregnant Revue,” which was going to be performed at Don’t Tell Mama’s, a popular cabaret room in the theater district, at which many of us theater types performed.

About 2 weeks before the taping, I went down to the studio to meet the producer and choose my wardrobe, which included a swimsuit, exercise clothes and evening wear. It was very exciting; definitely the highlight of my pregnancy up to that point.

I told the producer that I was a singer and that I would be performing my show in June. He jotted that down and I thought to myself, how could this get any better? It was on the way back to my apartment, when I had the perfect answer to that question. Yes, I knew exactly how it could get better…much better….I would have to SING on the show! Some how, some way, I just had to sing.

For the next 2 weeks, I practiced my song in class. I chose Gershwin’s “Of Thee I Sing.” It was short, sweet and perfect for the moment. All of my classmates were supportive and enthusiastic, but I was nervous, not knowing if and how I was going to pull this off. If I asked to sing, I risked the possibility of them forbidding me to do so. I couldn’t just belt out the ditty in the middle of the show. No, this was going to take an act of God, or as it turned out, the boldness of my husband, Jeff. 

On the day of the taping, Joan came to the hair and makeup room to meet us and have a little visit. She was teeny tiny in person, pretty, sweet and warm. She took me by the hand and looked me in the eye when she spoke to me and asked questions about my pregnancy. She told me to enjoy this experience and that we were all going to have a ball. And with that, she was whisked out of the room and we were given our 5 minute call.

The panel of judges consisted of a pregnant Paula Zahn (remember her from the CBS morning show?), a pregnant Anita Pointer, of the famous Pointer Sisters, and fitness guru of the day, Kathy Smith. 

I had prepared a few answers to questions I was informed they were going to ask. When Kathy Smith asked me about my show, I spit out the show’s details in a 15 second answer and was severely reprimanded by the producer during the commercial break.

 “You are NOT allowed to advertise anything on this show!” he chastised.

“But she asked me about my act, so I merely answered her…” I said sheepishly. I figured my chances of singing now, were slim to nil.

Unbeknownst to me, during a commercial break, Joan took questions from the audience. It was at this point that Jeff raised his hand and she called upon him.

“My wife is Lesley Corne, (that was my stage name at the time), and I was wondering if it would be possible for her to sing a song from her upcoming show?”

She didn’t say “yay “or “nay,” but the producer hurried backstage to scream at me once again.

“Your husband is a @#*& *^#*!!! I told you we are not going to advertise your show and you are certainly not going to sing!”

 “I am so sorry…I had no idea that he would do that! I am so so sorry!!!” I was incredibly disappointed, but “keep a stiff upper lip” I told myself,  “just suck it up, Les,” and in true showbiz style, I went on with the show!

It was time to model the evening wear. I wore a very 1990’s  beautiful gold silk lame blouse atop a black satin mini skirt. Just as we completed the segment, Joan turned to me, smiled and said,

 “And now Lesley is going to sing for us.”

OMG….is this really happening? Without a flinch, a pause or a hiccup, I stepped forward and sang my little heart out as I held my belly and serenaded  my baby. The audience went crazy, the panel loved it, Anita Pointer complimented me (that was a big deal for me), but more importantly, Joan loved it and couldn’t have been lovelier, more gracious or more generous. “You have a great future,” she told me. That moment has always stuck with me, and I imagine that it always will.

I can’t believe that I am writing a tribute to Joan Rivers today. I always felt that Joan, the mother of reinvention, would live to 100. She transcended every form of show business and touched the lives of young and old. My 17 year old daughter, Serena, was an enormous fan. She loved to watch Joan do her shtik on the Red Carpet, and was a huge lover of her show, “Fashion Police.” Fortunately for Serena, she got to meet Joan when we both attended a taping of the show last year.

Joan was bold and brazen, outspoken and strong. Her support of Israel was always unwaivering and thankfully was caught on TMZ just last month.

 A light has gone out—one that can only be rekindled in memory and on film. The countless lives she touched, and mine is definitely one of them, will forever be blessed by her smile, her hilarity, her wisdom and her warmth. Thank you Joan, for making my life a little more special.

Here are highlights from the show. At the end of the video is where I sing.