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Melissa Rivers on Joan Rivers’ Last Days: “I Made Sure She Looked Her Best”

Melissa Rivers and Joan Rivers
Melissa Rivers opened up to Dr. Oz about her last days with her late mother, Joan Rivers

The Fashion Police would approve. Joan Rivers always put her best, most stylishly heeled foot forward, so when she was hospitalized in a medically induced coma last August, her daughter Melissa Rivers tried her best to keep up her appearance. 

Related: PHOTOS: Joan's life and career

Speaking with Dr. Oz in an interview airing Wednesday, May 6, Melissa opened up about Joan's final days before her death in early September, recalling how she and a family friend used their style expertise to make sure the late comedienne looked her best when loved ones came to say their goodbyes. 

"We brought in everything from our night tables, and then our friend went and we got all of her own bedding and her favorite pretty lounge-y outfit, and I brought in hair and makeup…and they washed her hair and they did her [makeup], and she looked amazing," the Fashion Police executive producer told Dr. Oz.

Related: PHOTOS: Joan Rivers remembered

"Like, her skin looked amazing," she continued. "And her best friend kept saying, 'God, her skin looks so good. Joan, your skin is so good. Wake up, you have to see this.' I don't mean to laugh, but you have to. I just made sure she looked her best before everybody came to say goodbye."

Melissa said her mom probably would have preferred to avoid the final farewells altogether, but she felt it was necessary for Joan's family and friends.

Related: PHOTOS: Stars gone too soon

"I knew that was probably the one thing that she wouldn't have wanted me to do, because she was like, 'Oh, please, nobody needs to waste their time. Oh, this is ridiculous,'" the Book of Joan author explained. "But I realized her friends needed it, and I wanted her to know how beloved she was, because she never felt that way. So I took a whole day and evening, and we let certain people know that it was time to go."

Melissa Rivers' interview with Dr. Oz airs Wednesday, May 6, on Fox.

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