Joan Rivers

As one of the most lauded comics of our time, Louis C.K. loves to give due props to comedy icons. In one episode of his FX series, Louie, he prematurely quits a casino gig and then awkwardly takes a verbal scolding from the sharp-tongued Joan Rivers for passing on a job. Then he tries to make out with her. Sure, she’s taken aback, but then she gives a willing shrug and the two head off to the bedroom together.

The fact that the venerable Rivers can still gracefully command such an odd comedic turn is really no surprise. She’s had plenty of time to hone her powerful comedy chops, and as the documentary Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work showed, she’s not ready to stop. She doesn’t stop touring, she doesn’t stop producing B-reel fashion shows with her daughter, Melissa, and if you catch her live act, doing what she does best, she literally doesn’t stop moving. As she spins comedic yarns about everything uncomfortable under the sun, she paces back and forth, working an audience with such energy that it feels like she couldn’t take a deep breath and stand still even if she wanted to.

You could compare Rivers to a finely aged wine, but the real brilliance is that she takes advantage of the fact that as people age, the filters come off. Admittedly, Rivers wasn’t actually born with many filters in the first place, and clearly never developed many as she refined her craft. And now that she’s getting on in years, she certainly hasn’t decided to seek any out. (Jacob Stringer)