Legendary comedian Joan Rivers was rushed to a New York hospital in critical condition after she went into distress during a procedure at an endoscopy clinic.
A 911 call was made from 201 East 93rd St. around 9:40 a.m. Thursday, the NYPD confirmed. The address is consistent with Yorkville Endoscopy, an Upper East Side clinic that offers diagnosis and treatment services for various gastrointestinal conditions.
U.S. cable news channel E!, which is home to Rivers’s show “Fashion Police,” reported that the 81-year-old had suffered complications during a “minor” throat operation.
Police and fire officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press that Rivers suffered a cardiac arrest.
Rivers, 81, was transported to Mount Sinai Hospital, where she is now in stable condition, police said.
Later Thursday, the hospital confirmed that Rivers is being treated there.
“We will provide an update on her condition as it becomes available," said hospital spokesperson Sid Dinsay.
In a statement released Thursday evening, Rivers’ daughter Melissa thanked the public for the “outpouring of love and support” for her mother.
“She is resting comfortably and is with our family,” Melissa Rivers said. “We ask that you continue to keep her in your thoughts and prayers.”
Rivers had spoken at an event for Time Inc. employees on Wednesday night. She took questions afterward, AP reported, and said that each morning when she wakes up she is “thankful that everything works.”
One attendee, Shira Blum, said Rivers was in high spirits and had boundless energy.
“She was very energetic, hilarious, funny,” Blum told AP. “And it was such a shock, a surprise to hear the news this morning."
Despite her age, Rivers has maintained a busy work schedule. In addition to “Fashion Police,” she also hosts an online talk show called “In Bed with Joan.” She and Melissa have also starred in their own reality show for years.
Her latest book, “Diary of a Mad Diva,” went on sale earlier this year.
The New York-native has been a showbiz fixture for a half-century, starting out in comedy clubs before gaining fame on “The Tonight Show” in the mid-1960s.
