Joan Rivers Would Have Loved Ozempic, Says Daughter Melissa

Joan Rivers Would Have Loved Ozempic, Says Daughter Melissa: 'Her Two Least Favorite Things Were Diet and Exercise' (Exclusive)

The late comedian's daughter opens up about what her mother would have loved — and loathed— about the world today

Gillian Telling

Published on January 17, 2024 08:30AM EST

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Joan Rivers (R) and daughter Melissa Rivers attend the 2014 NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment Upfronts at The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on May 15, 2014 in New York City. — Melissa and Joan Rivers in 2014. Photo: D Dipasupil/FilmMagic

Melissa Rivers is getting candid about her late mom Joan, who died unexpectedly nearly a decade ago.

The comedian's former Fashion Police! costar, who now hosts the celebrity chat show podcast Melissa Rivers' Group Text, opened up in this week's issue of PEOPLE about what she wishes she could tell her mom about the world today — while also joking about things her mom would not be excited about.

"She would not have bought into athleisure and people wearing sweatpants everywhere," Melissa, 55, says. "She'd be like no, you still get dressed, you pull yourself together, you put on a little lip gloss and then you go out."

Melissa added, "But she would have been very excited by body acceptance. That would have actually made her really happy."

Still, she admits her mom would have equally enjoyed the new GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro.

"Oh she would have thought Ozempic was the greatest thing since sliced bread," Melissa says. "Her two least favorite things were diet and exercise, so if she could find a way to avoid both? Awesome."

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Melissa says there's so much more she wishes she could still tell her mom. "I think about her the most when something ridiculous happens," she says. "So many of our phone calls began with, 'Ok so, are you ready for this?'"

And even though her mom is gone, Melissa still hears her voice all the time. "Way too much," she says. "I especially think of her when I'm about to get upset, and have to stop and think, 'What would she do in this particular situation?' And I can hear her voice saying, 'Oh Melissa, please just stop. Get over it!'"

For more about Melissa Rivers and what she would tell her late mom, pick up this week's issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday.