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Comedian Joan Rivers Dies At 81

NEW YORK (CBSDFW.COM/CBS NEWS) - Joan Rivers has died at 81, daughter Melissa confirms in a statement.

The comedian was hospitalized on Aug. 28 when she suffered cardiac arrest after her breathing stopped during vocal cord surgery at a Manhattan clinic.

For days, Rivers' condition was touch and go, as her daughter, Melissa Rivers, provided periodic updates on her mother's "serious condition, noting how family and friends were keeping their "fingers crossed."

[tweet https://twitter.com/CBSNews/status/507606472440561664]

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Rivers has always been on the go — still performing stand-up comedy and recently releasing a new book. She also appears in reality TV shows and runs a jewelry line.

Rivers had spoken the day before the procedure at an employee event at Time Inc. in New York. Spectators there said she had appeared to be well.

She got her first taste of real fame in 1965 as a guest on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson."

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