Joan Rivers Marks A Milestone

The TV Guide Channel excitedly announced Monday that while doing the live pre-Emmy show the other night, Joan and Melissa Rivers completed their 1,000th red carpet interview.

I think there is supposed to be an exclamation point there. It would seem, really, that 1,000 red-carpet interviews (either giving them or conducting them) should be the legal limit. But chops to the Rivers for some of the most excruciating/illuminating/funny/time-consuming moments in television red-carpet interview history.

For the record, Joan talked to Will and Grace star Debra Messing for lucky number 1,000.  Later, upon finding out she was the 1,000th red-carpet interview, Messing said, " It is such an honor to be part of such a big milestone for Joan and Melissa. The red carpet came alive with Joan's first interview, and it's never been the same."  It's true. It seems sometimes that red carpets are alive, don't you think? 

Do you think Debra Messing really said that? A publicist for TV Guide Channel says she did.

The news in all this: "Who are you wearing?" the utterly clever question Joan ( I call her Joan) asks most of the 1,000 people she has talked to on the red carpet is actually trademarked. Like, if you ever said that to anybody you probably owe Joan money. No use tempting fate. I have gotten around this by asking starlets, "Who designed your dress?"  This drives Joan crazy, I have heard. I'm trying for a trademark. I've also put in for "Taxi!" and "Hold that elevator!" We'll see.

P.J. Bednarski