USA Today notes the cameras were conveniently rolling when Joan Rivers chained herself to a Costco shopping cart. The big-mouthed comic claims the chain known for its big, family-sized products banned her new book.
Joan Rivers is known for expressing her opinion, and she did that and more on Tuesday at Costco, when she handcuffed herself to a shopping cart and protested the ban of her book.
With a megaphone in hand, Joan Rivers staged the protest/publicity stunt at a Costco in Burbank, California, Tuesday.
The 79-year-old Fashion Police host claims the chain banned I Hate Everything … Starting With Me because of “several racy jokes on the back cover.”
We’re all sure Costco has never carried a book with racy jokes before (roll eyes here).
Rivers went on to bellow from the megaphone, while apparently handcuffed to a customer’s shopping cart: “Costco should not be like Nazi Germany.
“Next thing they’ll be burning the Bible.”
By way of the Associated Press, Rivers went on a rant that only the sharp-tongued red carpet queen can deliver: “Costco, who sells condoms by the pallet, who sells Paula Deen books and — which is not good for their customers’ health — they decided to ban my book. This is a First Amendment violation.
“This is a store that sells 300 rolls of toilet paper at the same time, and I say any customer that buys 300 rolls of toilet paper deserves a funny book to sit on the toilet and read.”
ABC News took a decidedly more serious approach to the subject.
Apparently, Rivers is insisting Costco really did ban the books over two jokes in particular — involving Marie Antoinette and Wilt Chamberlain.
She told its affiliate KABC-TV that the ban “is very frightening and it is truly about the First Amendment.”
“This is America and I don’t want to see censorship,” she said.
As of Wednesday morning, Costco had not issued a response.
While police were called to the store when Rivers refused to leave, no arrests were made, nor was the star and crew ticketed.
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