Joan Rivers: Was She A Bully? [OPINION]

Joan Rivers passed away on Thursday at the age of 81, and as soon as word started to spread of her passing, many people took to Facebook and to Twitter to express their condolences and share memories.

Joan Rivers was witty, very quick with a "zinger", and never afraid to open her mouth to share exactly what was on her mind.  She suffered some great losses in her life, including being fired from her late-night gig and the suicide of her husband.  She persisted, though, and continued to entertain and work hard, all the way until the end.

I never got to meet Joan Rivers, but both CJ and Shelly did, and they both had great things to say about her.  

One of the memories I have of Joan Rivers is that our parents didn't let us watch her.  There were a few things on television that our parents didn't approve of us watching: Joan Rivers, Archie Bunker, Soap, Dallas, etc.  I don't think that my parents were "fuddy-duddies", but we were kids, and they felt that the subject matter was a bit much for kids our age.

On Facebook this morning, one user expressed her feelings on the subject of Joan Rivers: she was sorry that the family lost their loved one, but she wasn't a fan of Rivers.

This post made way for others who felt the same way to chime in:

Iseems that one of the Facebook users recognized her 'talent', but did not subscribe to the way she used her talent.

At the end of the discussion, the OP held firm to her belief that Rivers was, indeed, a bully.

What are your thoughts?  Do you think that it is fair to criticize a celebrity so soon after their death?  Do you think that Joan Rivers was really a bully, or just playing a role?

I am certain that, if she were alive, Rivers would have a great comeback to this post - she was very good at that.

(Facebook, Twitter)