Posted Wednesday, October 18, 2017 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
E! is retiring "Fashion Police" after two-plus decades November 27 with a special honoring the late great comedienne Joan Rivers, whose career was revived in the mid-1990s after the show launched.
This also means "Real Housewives of Atlanta" castmate NeNe Leakes has lost a gig just a few days after a week of turmoil including a social media war with Kim Zolciak and apologizing for an insult she made on stage in Oakland toward a heckler hoping they would get raped by their Uber driver.
She is part of the current panel cast, which features Margaret Cho, Giuliana Rancic, Brad Goreski and Joan's daughter Melissa, who is also an executive producer. The show used to be weekly but now only airs after big events such as the Oscars or Emmys.
Rivers passed unexpectedly in 2014 and the show was never quite the same. It tried Kathy Griffin as a lead host but that only lasted seven episodes.
E! said the finale will feature signature segments from the series such as “Bitch Stole My Look,” “Guess Me From Behind,” and “Starlet or Streetwalker,” as well as surprise guests. The special also will include footage of an unaired ’80s themed episode with Joan Rivers.
"We're going to take a look back and celebrate some of the show's most memorable moments and hosts and gags, said E! president Adam Stotsky. "It's an opportunity to celebrate the franchise, celebrate Joan and how much we miss her, and pull back the curtain and show fans some things that they haven't seen."
