Melissa Rivers is determined to make sure her motherâs voice is never forgotten. In a recent conversation with Parade on Friday, Aug. 8, she reflected on Joan Riversâ lasting impact and why preserving her work matters so much today.
âHer voice, which we need more than anything right now, is still relevant,â Melissa said, highlighting how Joanâs sharp wit and fearless honesty still connect with audiences years after her passing.
That mission has taken shape through the creation of a dedicated archive that houses her motherâs joke files, scripts, and personal writings.
The National Comedy Center in Jamestown, New York, opened an archive on Saturday, August. 9, titled The Joan Rivers Joke File.
Melissa describes the project as more than just a collectionâitâs a way to keep Joanâs creative energy alive for future generations. âThe fact that [the archive] now exists, I feel like itâs allowing her voice to continue.â
The archive offers a rare look behind the curtain at Joanâs process, capturing the tireless dedication and meticulous crafting that made her a pioneer in comedy. For Melissa, itâs both a personal tribute and a cultural resource, designed to inspire and inform anyone who values unfiltered truth paired with laughter.
Joan Rivers’ New Exhibit
The collection features nearly 70,000 original jokes created by Rivers, according to Business Wire.
The jokes are organized into hundreds of categories including “Cooking” to “Parents Hated Me.”
Melissa expressed how happy she was for her mother’s jokes to have found a home.
âI am so honored that my motherâs joke file now has a home at the National Comedy Center,â Melissa Rivers said. âShe would have been thrilled to be included among the legends represented here. This exhibit is a celebration of her humor, her fearlessness, and her extraordinary impact on comedy. It means so much to know that fans and future generations will be able to connect with her work and experience her comedic brilliance in such a personal way.â
Rivers’ Voice Still Resonates
The National Comedy Center Executive Director, Journey Gunderson, said the new exhibit will be an “intimate, behind-the-scenes look at the creative mind of a culture-shifting artist.”
“Joan Rivers was a master of reinvention who blazed a trail for generations of comedians, breaking barriers and redefining what was possible in stand-up and entertainment,” he added.
Melissa Rivers, while speaking with Parade, added how her mom was a true trailblazer at the time.
âShe was the first person to speak honestly and say out loud, especially for women, what we were all saying to each other or thinking,â Melissa added.
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