Beth Behrs Clears Up Misconceptions About Joan Rivers: 'She Was Not the Joan Rivers That You Guys Think'
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03/28/2025 11:03 PM
"The persona versus the woman that I got to know was just amazing," said Behrs
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(L-R) Beth Behrs, Joan RiversBeth Behrs will forever be a fan of Joan Rivers .
The Neighborhoodactress, 39, appeared on the Friday, March 28, edition of The Drew Barrymore Show, during which she discussed working for the late comedian, who died on Sept. 4, 2014, at the age of 81.
Behrs shared during the episode that while she was in college, she was Rivers' assistant at the Geffen Playhouse.
"She liked to run lines before every performance, which is eight times a week and as a college student I was her assistant," said Behrs as a picture of the two came on screen from when she did an appearance on E!'s Fashion Police.
Behrs agreed with host Drew Barrymore that Fashion Police isa show they miss and noted, "She [Joan Rivers] was not the Joan Rivers that you guys think," referring to the fact that Rivers was known for her late-night one-liners and sharp and sometimes controversial fashion takes.
"She was a grandma. I saw her every morning, no makeup. She would be cooking me eggs. She'd be like, 'Do you want a manicure, pedicure? Let's have someone come over. Go pick out something from my QVC line.' It was night and day. Like persona," said Behrs.
Related: Melissa Rivers Knows Exactly What Mom Joan Would Say About Current Political Climate (Exclusive)
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Beth Behrs attends CBS Studios "Consider Big Shows" FYC event at Paramount Pictures Studios on May 01, 2024After Barrymore, 50, asked if Rivers was "maternal," Behrs said, "Oh, so maternal. The persona versus the woman that I got to know was just amazing." She then gave more insight into their friendship.
Behrs shared that Rivers gave her a "bonus," which, as a "struggling college kid," she used to take a trip to see a theater show. Noting that Rivers knew she liked theater, Behrs said the gesture was "pretty beautiful."
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Joan Rivers at the Tribeca Film Festival 2010 portrait studio at the FilmMaker Industry Press Center on April 27, 2010"I did ask her as an actress, 'I want to be an actress. What's your advice?' The first advice she had was on my first red carpet I should trip because then all the press would be about me, which I never did, but now I'm like, 'She wasn't wrong,' " said Behrs.
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"As a comedian, it would've been a great first red carpet story. She also told me I should vacuum with heels on around my future husband. Always. But she didn't know I don't own heels really unless I'm borrowing them for shows," she continued.
Behrs and Michael Gladis have been married since 2018 and share one child. Earlier this month, The Neighborhood was renewed for an eighth and final season by CBS.
