Legendary comedian Joan Rivers takes a look at what’s hot and who got it wrong on fashion’s biggest talk show, Fashion Police. Joined by A-Listers Giuliana Rancic, Kelly Osbourne and George Kostiopolous, Joan discusses the dos and don’ts of celebrity fashion and gives her bit of advice – with a comical twist of course! During a recent trip to LA, El caught up with the stars of the show, as well as producer Melissa Rivers, just after filming their Golden Globes 2014 edition and got all the dirty secrets behind the scenes!
Is it ever embarrassing at one of these award ceremonies where people come up and say I hated what you said about my dress the previous year you bastards…
Kelly: Erin Austin, the model but I felt she thought it was funny even though I might have hurt her feelings. I said that her dress made it look like she was a drag queen that didn’t tuck her junk in properly. But she thought it was hilarious. But that just goes to show, most people come up and they love the show.
Giuliana: Most people do love it. I get a lot of feedback on the red carpet. Tina Fey is one that stands out a couple of years ago. I said “Tina Fey joins us” and she looks right at me on live TV she says didn’t you take a hot steaming dump on my dress? It caught me off guard.
George: I recently saw Drew Barrymore at a Gala and she came right up to me and she’s like “oh my God” and I was terrified because we just ripped on her pregnant dress, and she was like, you guys were right that did look bad on me.”
Do you ever get nervous about the outfits you wear?
Kelly: If we give it we have to learn how to take it. That’s the way it goes.
Joan: I get dressed and I put on hair and make-up when I get into a plane because if I look terrible who am I to judge on live TV? So yes, I am so aware. Even when I walk my dogs in New York I try to look good.
So do you ever make nasty comments on each other’s outfits?
Giuliana: All the time!
Melissa: Do you know the most terrifying thing to happen to me every morning is walking in to Giuliana’s dressing room. Her hair, make-up and stylists are the most critical of anybody. Especially the days when I am behind the camera I have to make an effort because I think to myself “oh my God what are the beauty bitches going to think?”
Giuliana: It is so funny. Joan will walk on set and go “Oh, is that dress yours?” And I will go “no it’s wardrobe’s” and she will either say “give it back” or if she loves it “go steal it”. We don’t need to BS each other.
Melissa, what is it like for you behind the scenes?
Melissa: Well I am always looking at their clothes first to see if I can I see up anybody’s dress. Giuliana and Kelly face my monitor so I always focus on them and tell them to cross their legs so we don’t have a Sharon Stone moment.
Giuliana: Kelly has a Sharon Stone moment.
Kelly: It wasn’t my vagina. It was just my knickers
George: Giuliana, I’ve seen your underwear too!
Giuliana: They do ride up sometimes…
Well, at least that all happens behind the scenes! What about the rest of you? Is there a ritual?
Melissa: It starts with us going through tons and tons of pictures each week narrowing it down. Figuring out who we want to show, what dresses, getting a good mix of what we know is good, bad, funny, new, fresh and topical. Then the meetings begin as well as the production of the “script”.
Joan: Then, every Wednesday, I get on the earliest flight. If you ever want to get on American Airlines and get an extra blanket say you know me. They all know me. We then meet at Melissa’s house at 11am and we go over the script and all the pictures and that is what we do until usually 10:00 at night. Then we go to sleep and the car picks me up at 4am and we rehearse before Melissa briefs us. Then the recording begins.
Kelly: We’re not allowed to talk to each other before the show and get opinions on the outfits. I also like to research the designers and get a bit more history on the outfit before we shoot.
George: We have no idea what each other is going to say and it’s tough because when we record someone says something and I’m like “Damn, I was going to say that,” or “How could they say it’s ugly when it’s clearly so beautiful?”
Joan: But it is great when we disagree. Today we had at least 2 arguments and we get really upset about it! It’s usually the three of them against me.
Do the designers ever get upset by some of the remarks?
Giuliana: Tom Ford is obsessed with Fashion Police! He comes right over to me at the MET Gala and tells me ”Oh my God, I love the Fashion Police. You guys are fabulous!” Valentino walks right over too. They are just lovely and don’t get upset at all. They know that even if we don’t like one of their gowns this week, chances are we’re going to love it next week!
George: And their PR people love it. I mean, we are the only show that talks about current fashion. That talks about runway fashion. They want to be on our show. You know whether it is good or bad, what other television show broadcasting around the world shows runway photos of all of these fashioniques on celebrities?
Joan: I hate Prada though. I think Prada hates Americans. She has taken every beautiful actress and really fucked them royally. I have never. I’m sorry.
So do you have any enemies because of the show?
Joan: Fashion Police is my job. It’s like being a reviewer. I also review Broadway plays and books and it’s my job to tell the truth. I can’t lie. They say a lot of people will not talk to me though.
George: And I want to add to that Joan is a comedian – a brilliant comedian but people like Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel and Jay Leno and the SNL cast get away with these jokes. If you’re insecure, you’re insecure.
Kelly, your fashion sense has changed dramatically. Was this always the plan and how critical are you of your style now?
Kelly: That is a really good question. When I did Dancing with the Stars it really changed by life. I always dreamed of being this girl, but I didn’t have it within myself to become that person. I learned dedication and how to love myself doing that show; and then because Joan, I got the job on Fashion Police and every single week I come to work with the biggest female icon and comedienne and I learn so much. I make a lot of fashion faux pas, I know that, because I like being humorous, I like playing with fashion. Most of the time I get called a purple head twat and I don’t care, I love it.
Joan: But she’s grown up on this show, you know, and that’s been wonderful. She came in young and she’s still very young but it’s wonderful to see how Kelly has changed. It’s terrific to watch that.
Do people ask you for fashion advice now?
Kelly: Yeah, that’s happened quite a few times. I get people sending me text messages saying “Do you think I should wear this or this?”
Joan, you’re very comfortable with yourself and being on TV. Does anything scare you?
Joan: Everything scares me! EVERYTHING! It scares me the show will go away; it scares me one of us will become ill and it would change the feeling of the show. It scares me when I go on stage. Every joke I’m worried about. We have a wonderful head writer named Tony and all I ever say to him when I come off is “Was that alright?” What do I always say? “I don’t think they laughed today.”
Kelly: People don’t realize how big of a conscience Joan actually really has and how professional and lovely she is to everybody here…but also that, like, sometimes we’ll be doing the show and she’ll be like “No take that joke out, that was too mean” and people don’t know that side of Joan at all.
Who knew you had it in you, Joan! Giuliana, what is your favorite special to shoot?
Giuliana: The Halloween episodes are my favorites. What we come out wearing is good and then Joan comes out at the end and just kills us! We can’t see her outfit beforehand. They hide her behind a sheet. We have to be surprised like all the viewers so we have natural reactions.
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