Joan Pops Top At Jews For Jesus

July 1999
By Michael Starr

RIVERS JOAN Rivers went ballistic on the air Monday night after a commercial for Jews for Jesus aired on her WOR radio show.

"Do not prostyletize on my show, you a-holes!" Rivers ranted after coming back from a commercial break where the ad was played.

"I am going to say right now that I am against this. I find this disgusting to put on my show!" she said.

"I am a Jew, I was born a Jew and I plan to die a Jew," Rivers said. "How dare you. How dare you advertise on my show! And every time you advertise on my show, I will come out and say I find this disgusting, I find this offensive and I find this ridiculous!"

To say the least, it is rare for a radio personality to denounce an advertiser on the air - and the ferocity of Rivers' attack made the incident all the more remarkable.

The Jews for Jesus ad touted a new book, "Future Hope," and featured two Jewish men arguing over whether Jesus Christ is the Jewish messiah, while the Jewish song "Hava Nagillah" played in the background.

Rivers, who was doing her show live from Los Angeles, was tipped off to the ad by her producer in New York, Michael Jones, who told her several people had called WOR to complain after hearing the ad.

"I suggest you take [hemmorhoid cream] Preparation H and put it in your mouths!" Rivers ranted. "And whoever sold this ad on my show, when I come back to New York I would like to speak to you personally because I find this absolutely disgusting.

"I believe you can believe what you want to believe . . . and reach God as you wish," Rivers continued. "If you want to reach Jesus, reach him on your own time and in your own way."

Jones said the commercial has aired on other WOR shows, including John Gambling's morning drive-time program.

"We're sorry that Joan Rivers doesn't have as much of a sense of humor as we thought she did," said Jews for Jesus spokeswoman Susan Perlman.

"As Jews who believe in Jesus, we're delighted that there's an opportunity to say something with a sense of humor on the public airwaves."