Joan Rivers: The Queen of Comedy, Remembered on Social Media

Veteran comedian Joan Rivers 

passed away on Thursday afternoon surrounded by friends and family. She was 81.

On Aug. 28, Rivers was rushed in critical condition to Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City after an emergency call that she was in cardiac arrest during throat surgery at a clinic. The E! television host was placed on life support, where her condition fluctuated. She died Thursday.

Rivers's death was announced by her daughter, Melissa, on Facebook. "It is with great sadness that I announce the death of my mother, Joan Rivers. She passed peacefully at 1:17pm surrounded by family and close friends. My son and I would like to thank the doctors, nurses, and staff of Mount Sinai Hospital for the amazing care they provided for my mother," Melissa Rivers said.

Joan Rivers started out as a stand-up comedian in the 1960s and first appeared on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" in 1965. She later became a regular guest-host and then was given her own show on NBC. She had guest-starring roles in a number of TV shows and films and won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show Host in 1990 for her work on "The Joan Rivers Show."

Friends, family, fans, and fellow comedians have been praising her on the Internet through social media. Many are posting their condolences and memories using the hashtag #RIPJoanRivers on Twitter, while others post images and video on Facebook and Instagram. Some have also commented on the unfortunate and untimely death of both Rivers and comedy legend Robin Williams, who took his life in early August.

Rivers left a vast digital footprint that fans can continue to enjoy, with her Web series "In Bed With Joan" and her Twitter account still active. With more than 2 million followers, Rivers was known to use the 140-character soapbox to comment on nearly everything from current affairs and fashion to celebrity fodder. And no one was safe. The subjects of her wry tweets have included celebrities such as Lindsay Lohan, Celine Dion, Jay Z, and Beyoncé. To many, her tweets will be missed.