QUO Courier and Logistics Ltd

QUO Courier and Logistics Ltd
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Monday, 8 September 2014

PHOTOS From Joan Rivers Star-Studded New York Memorial Service

Huge crowds of fans, photographers, videographers and members of the media lined Fifth Avenue and 65th Street hoping to catch a glimpse of the action outside of the private, invitation-only ceremony which was held Sunday morning at Manhattan's Temple Emanu-El, was a star-studded
affair with all of the security and paparazzi and fan attention of a premiere or red-carpet event.
Among the attendees spotted arriving and leaving the funeral was Whoopi Goldberg, who was wearing two different-coloured shoes and received big cheers from the crowd of onlookers, while Andy Cohen elicited a similar response from fans as he left the funeral early Sunday afternoon.
Other guests spied by The Hollywood Reporter included Sarah Jessica Parker, Barbara Walters, Diane Sawyer, Joy Behar, Paul Shaffer, Hoda Kotb, Kathie Lee Gifford, Giuliana Rancic, Bernadette Peters, Clive Davis, Dr. Mehmet Oz and Kyle MacLachlan and his wife, Desiree Gruber.
Fans and onlookers called out to several stars as they walked by and booed every time a truck or bus stopped along 65th Street, blocking their view. The ceremony itself was filled with laughter and tears, according to various reports from outlets who had access to the proceedings. White gardenias lined the front of the synagogue.
According to the Associated Press, Howard Stern delivered the eulogy; the New York City Gay Men's Chorus sang "What a Wonderful World," "There Is Nothing Like a Dame" and "Hey Big Spender," before Broadway star Audra McDonald sang "Smile"; and tributes and remembrances were delivered by Deborah Norville, Rivers' close friend Margie Stern, New York Post columnist Cindy Adams and Rivers' daughter, Melissa, who spoke about how she respected her mother and appreciated everyone's support. Hugh Jackman also performed, singing "Quiet Please, There's a Lady on Stage," at the end of the ceremony, which lasted a little more than an hour.
Stern's speech not only praised Rivers but managed to elicit laughter from her friends and family gathered inside the ceremony. He called Rivers, "the best friend in the world ... a big sister ... a crazy aunt at a bar mitzvah,".
"She fought the stereotype that women couldn't be funny," Stern added. "She was responsible for putting the red carpet into primetime." Melissa also made the crowd howl with laughter when she read a letter she'd written to her mother while she was still alive.
The funeral program even included the excerpt from I Hate Everyone … Starting With Me in which Rivers described the star-studded send-off she wanted as well as a page with three of Rivers' classic lines: "Can we talk?" ''Who are you wearing?" and "Because I'm a funny person,".
Other guests in attendance included fashion designer Dennis Basso, Kathy Griffin, Rosie O'Donnell, Kelly Osbourne, Matthew Broderick, Alan Cumming, Tommy Tune, Carolina Herrera, Michael Kors, Geraldo Rivera, Barry Diller, Donald Trump and Steve Forbes.
At the end of the service, bagpipers from the NYPD led the procession out of the temple, playing "New York, New York" as fans applauded.

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