Joan Rivers Takes Off the Face

January 25, 2012 | by Chris Azzopardi

You were aware of your gay following early on, while performing at clubs in Greenwich Village. Why did you connect with gay people so instantly?

I didn’t purposefully connect with them. It was always there. I worked all through college decorating Lord & Taylor windows, and all the window display men were gay. We loved each other.

I think my humor has always been a gay kind of humor. Gay humor is the smartest humor in the world. And gay audiences make a show. If I look out in an audience and there are six gay men in the front row, I know we’re going to have fun tonight.

 

You used to get a lot of flack for some of your jokes – especially ones about AIDS. Is it easier to joke about taboo topics like that now?

Oh, of course. But that’s the way you get people to pay attention. You know, I did the first AIDS benefit when it was still called “gay pneumonia.” We were in such danger that we had men on stage carrying guns because we got death threats.

 

You ruffled some feathers recently when you told the Advocate that gay actors should stay in the closet because they were committing career suicide.

You are. If I knew Tom Cruise was gay when I was a 7-year-old girl, that would’ve been it. I would’ve put my fantasies on somebody else.

 

Tom Cruise is gay?

Oh, I don’t think so. Do you?

 

You tell me. You’re the celeb guru.

I don’t know. You hear so many rumors circulating. But I think in certain professions you can’t come out and be America’s romantic idol. Ricky Martin was brilliant in how he handled his career.

 

But with the social climate changing, do you still believe that to be true?

You’re not talking about that. You’re talking about somebody that young girls are going to pay money to see and fantasize about. I think it’s a very difficult position for somebody to be put in. It’s unfortunate, but it’s life.

When I was a child, I was madly in love with an actor named Van Johnson – mad about him, had his picture up. In third grade I did a whole notebook on Van Johnson. Then I grew up, he was still adorable but he was gay and he was wearing mascara and I thought to myself, “If I had known then, I wouldn’t have loved Van Johnson. I would’ve fallen for John Wayne.”

So I think it’s a very difficult choice for an actor to make if he’s going to make his living as a romantic lead for young girls to adore. Or women. Well, men like to challenge women. Men love to challenge a lesbian: “Oh, I could turn her around.” That’s a good challenge for a man.

 

As someone who’s had a gay following for years, what do you think of people claiming that Lady Gaga and Kathy Griffin pander to gay audiences and aren’t actually genuine?

I don’t know and I don’t care. How about that? Couldn’t care less. I worry about myself. I love my gay audiences. They’ve been with me forever, they’ll stay with me forever, and I’m very happy. It’s that simple.

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