Melissa Rivers paid tribute to her late mother Joan in a speech at the Hollywood Reporter's 2014 Women in Entertainment breakfast in Los Angeles.
The 46-year-old Fashion Police producer spoke publicly for the first time since her mother passed away from surgery complications in September.
Melissa said, "My mother was fearless. And I don't mean she didn't have any fears, I mean that even though she was only 5'2, she stood tall and walked through it. And that's what made her such a brilliant performer. She was willing to say what others were thinking and too frightened to admit.
"She made fun of herself first and foremost which gave her the right to joke about others.
"She never apologised for a joke, and no topic was taboo and she was fine with that.
"Truth be told, my mother never thought of herself as a woman working in a man's world. She thought of herself as a comic that had to be funnier than anyone else...she just wanted to do her job and that was to make people laugh.
"There's been tribute after tribute to my mother where she's been called everything from a legend, to a trailblazer, to a bi**h. [But] the bottom line is, she was really just my mother."
She concluded her speech saying, "If my mother were here this morning, she'd not only be grateful and proud, she would be beyond herself. She would be sitting at the table beaming, while very discreetly shoving croissants and silverware into her purse. On behalf of my mother -- thank you so, so much. It's an honour."
