Melissa Rivers & Reza Farahan: Destruction & Wedding

Summary

Podcast Summary: Jeff Lewis Has Issues – Episode: Melissa Rivers & Reza Farahan: Destruction & Wedding

Release Date: May 21, 2025

Hosts & Guests:

• Jeff Lewis: Reality TV star and interior designer known for his frank discussions about personal challenges.
• Melissa Rivers: Television producer, daughter of the late Joan Rivers, and guest speaker.
• Reza Farahan: Television personality and friend of Jeff Lewis, providing additional insights.

---

1. Introduction & Episode Overview

The episode of Jeff Lewis Has Issues features an in-depth conversation between Jeff Lewis, Melissa Rivers, and Reza Farahan. The discussion centers around Jeff's tumultuous experience with the LA fires, the subsequent destruction of his home, the complex process of insurance claims, and how these events intertwined with his personal life, including planning his wedding amidst chaos. Additionally, the trio delves into Melissa's recent projects, including a comedy special honoring her mother, Joan Rivers.

2. Experiences with the LA Fires and House Fire

Jeff Lewis opens the discussion by expressing gratitude towards Melissa Rivers for her genuine concern during the LA fires. He acknowledges Melissa’s efforts in checking on him multiple times, emphasizing her character beyond their professional relationship.

Jeff Lewis [01:38]: "You reached out a number of times and said, are you okay? And thank you."

Melissa reciprocates Jeff's appreciation, highlighting the emotional investment both shared in safeguarding their homes and families.

Melissa Rivers [02:08]: "I'm sorry if I'm coming off as an asshole. I just want people to do their jobs."

3. Insurance Challenges and Asset Protection

A significant portion of the conversation revolves around the complexities of navigating insurance claims post-disaster. Melissa shares her meticulous approach to documenting assets, drawing parallels with her experience assisting Kate Bosworth during a similar crisis.

Melissa Rivers [02:27]: "I have these very detailed Excel programs where I have every single penny accounted for."

Jeff lauds Melissa and her partner Shane for their proactive assistance, underscoring their selflessness during his time of need.

Jeff Lewis [02:47]: "You and Shane were actually amazing humans and showed so much care and help, and it is so appreciated."

The discussion further explores the distinction between scheduled and unscheduled items in insurance policies, emphasizing the importance of detailed documentation to maximize claim reimbursements.

Jeff Lewis [12:19]: "Well, no. They didn't video that. That I literally would close my eyes and walk through my closet and all, you know..."

4. Evacuation and Moving Logistics

Jeff recounts the harrowing experience of evacuating his home due to the impending fire. He describes the rapid succession of moving five times within eleven weeks, including the challenges of relocating with pets.

Jeff Lewis [04:38]: "It's the first time, you know, everything is still so unsettling. And we moved five times in 11 weeks..."

The narrative includes heartfelt moments about his pets, particularly his dog Marty, who suffered stress-induced hair loss during the upheaval.

Jeff Lewis [05:35]: "Poor Marty got like schlepped around from place to place. So..."

5. Wedding Planning Under Stress

Amid the chaos of displacement and recovery, Jeff and his partner Steve made the bold decision to proceed with their wedding. They opted for a swift, destination wedding in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to create a memorable escape from their traumatic experiences.

Jeff Lewis [18:31]: "It was a very tough decision... Life goes on."

Melissa highlights the support Jeff received from close friends who encouraged him to maintain normalcy despite the ongoing crisis.

Melissa Rivers [19:06]: "We wanted it to be a fun week. You know, if you do it in LA, first of all, it's going to be too big..."

6. Relationship Dynamics During Crisis

The episode delves into how the shared adversity tested and ultimately strengthened Jeff and Steve’s relationship. Both partners navigated their emotions collaboratively, initially channeling their grief into anger, which they believe helped them manage their loss more effectively.

Jeff Lewis [21:07]: "We found out that in crisis we work well together. So that's a bonus."

They discuss the importance of grace and mutual support during such trying times, with Reza emphasizing the necessity of understanding and patience.

Reza Farahan [21:33]: "You gotta have a lot of grace for one another during a crisis."

7. Joan Rivers Comedy Special Production

Shifting gears, the conversation transitions to Melissa's recent project: a comedy special paying tribute to her mother, Joan Rivers. Jeff provides behind-the-scenes insights into the production process, detailing the selection of comedians and the integration of Joan's original jokes.

Jeff Lewis [30:08]: "I mean, we had... it was kind of like a big standup session."

Melissa praises the special for its authenticity and the way it honors Joan's legacy, noting the balance between showcasing her mother's humor and featuring contemporary comedians.

Melissa Rivers [31:07]: "She was lucky enough to be able to tell Joan's most provocative jokes, which could not get away with today, which is amazing."

Reza expresses his admiration for Joan Rivers and his excitement for the special, particularly highlighting the empowerment Joan represented.

Reza Farahan [31:35]: "I was the biggest still am Joan Rivers fan of all time."

Jeff concludes by expressing pride in the special, emphasizing its importance in reminding audiences of the healing power of humor.

Jeff Lewis [32:37]: "I hope this special reminds us that you can be funny and you don't... it's okay to laugh because the comics we had were amazing."

8. Closing Remarks

As the episode draws to a close, the trio reflects on the resilience displayed throughout the multifaceted challenges they faced. Jeff shares a humorous anecdote about his attire surviving the fire, juxtaposing the serious nature of loss with light-hearted moments.

Jeff Lewis [29:05]: "Wasn't that good?"

Melissa wraps up by promoting the Joan Rivers special, encouraging listeners to watch the live airing on NBC and the uncensored version on Peacock.

Melissa Rivers [28:25]: "You can watch it live tonight. And then you can get the uncensored version Wednesday on Peacock."

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Notable Quotes:

• Jeff Lewis [01:38]: "You reached out a number of times and said, are you okay? And thank you."
• Melissa Rivers [02:27]: "I have these very detailed Excel programs where I have every single penny accounted for."
• Jeff Lewis [18:31]: "It was a very tough decision... Life goes on."
• Jeff Lewis [21:07]: "We found out that in crisis we work well together. So that's a bonus."
• Melissa Rivers [31:07]: "She was lucky enough to be able to tell Joan's most provocative jokes, which could not get away with today, which is amazing."
• Reza Farahan [31:35]: "I was the biggest still am Joan Rivers fan of all time."
• Jeff Lewis [32:37]: "I hope this special reminds us that you can be funny and you don't... it's okay to laugh because the comics we had were amazing."

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Conclusion

This episode of Jeff Lewis Has Issues offers a profound and multifaceted look into navigating personal tragedy, the complexities of insurance and asset protection, and the strength of relationships tested by crisis. Through candid conversations and shared experiences, Jeff, Melissa, and Reza provide listeners with both emotional depth and actionable insights. Additionally, the episode highlights the enduring legacy of Joan Rivers through Melissa's heartfelt tribute, underscoring the importance of humor and resilience in the face of adversity.

For listeners interested in more personal stories and unfiltered discussions, subscribing to SiriusXM Podcasts+ is recommended to access ad-free episodes and early releases.

Transcript

[Narrator]

Every day, our world gets a little more connected, but a little further apart. But then there are moments that remind us to be more human.

[Amica Insurance Representative]

Thank you for calling Amica Insurance.

[Jeff Lewis]

Hey, I was just in an accident.

[Amica Insurance Representative]

Don't worry, we'll get you taken care of.

[Narrator]

At Ameca, we understand that looking out for each other isn't new or groundbreaking. It's human. Amica. Empathy is our best policy.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile. I don't know if you knew this, but anyone can get the same Premium Wireless for $15 a month plan that I've been enjoying. It's not just for celebrities. So do like I did and have one of your assistant's assistants switch you to Mint Mobile today. I'm told it's super easy to do.

[Jeff Lewis]

@Mintmobile.Com Switch upfront payment of $45 for 3 month plan equivalent to $15 per month Required intro rate first 3 months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra. See full [e-mail] when you're Jeff Lewis, the drama never stops.

[Melissa Rivers]

I've learned from my mistakes and that's what I want to teach people. Don't do what I have done.

[Jeff Lewis]

This show. I mean, you guys really start some shit.

[Melissa Rivers]

I'm sorry if I'm coming off as an asshole. I just want people to do their jobs.

[Jeff Lewis]

Jeff Lewis has Issues.

[Melissa Rivers]

Hey, welcome to Jeff Lewis Has Issues. In today's episode, Melissa Rivers and Reza Farahan joined the show. We chat about Melissa's experience with the LA fires, her recent wedding, and the comedy special she produced that pays tribute to her mother, Joan. I don't even know where we start.

[Jeff Lewis]

I wanna start with something.

[Melissa Rivers]

Okay.

[Jeff Lewis]

And say completely having nothing to do with the show or anything. You were so wonderful about checking in on me during the fire and I recognize that and I love you so much for that. For nothing to do with the show. You reached out a number of times and said, are you okay? And thank you.

[Melissa Rivers]

You're very welcome. You're very welcome. I was also very invested in our home.

[Jeff Lewis]

Yes. And you really actually a number of times just said, what about the bathroom? But I don't think. Just take the compliment. Let's not do the deep dive.

[Melissa Rivers]

Okay. However, I do want to ask you because I did this for Kate Bosworth as well. The fire went right up to her house, but fortunately the house was saved. But there was so much smoke damage that she went through the same situation. So when I do these project, I have these very detailed Excel programs where I have every single penny accounted For. With, like, check numbers, credit cards, the whole thing. And I told Shane, I'm like, we need to send that to Melissa for insurance and that.

[Jeff Lewis]

Thank you, I was gonna say. And you guys came like, boom, here's the list. Here's everything. You know, you can put it towards your insurance. And again, you didn't need to do that. And just says a lot about you as a person for a silly and wild and, you know, crazy and bitchy. We all get. You and Shane were actually amazing humans and showed so much care and help, and it is so appreciated.

[Melissa Rivers]

You're gonna ruin my reputation if you don't shut up.

[Jeff Lewis]

Okay, sorry. Don't mean to ruin someone else's, too. I can ruin Josh's right now, too.

[Melissa Rivers]

You know, the thing is about these insurance companies and also the irs. For example, when I sold my house on Valley Vista, you know, I drove.

[Reza Farahan]

By that house yesterday.

[Melissa Rivers]

Oh, you did?

[Reza Farahan]

Yeah.

[Melissa Rivers]

Well, I went through, and I had done my taxes, and there was. There was a gain, but it wasn't like a huge gain. And the IRS was like, wait a minute. You spent X on this house? And I'm like, yeah, I fucking did. I thought it was gonna be my. You know, I thought I was gonna stay there forever. And I built that house for my family. And I remember the IRS wanting to know, like, you didn't spend this much in your nursery bathroom. I'm like, yes, I did. And so I ended up with that Excel program. And I kind of. I was. I thought a lot about this when you were going through all this. And I thought, that insurance company. There is no fucking way I'm gonna let them put her through that. Because I know how much money we spent. And when they saw that. Was it a $700 TP holder that we bought?

[Jeff Lewis]

Something like that.

[Melissa Rivers]

We bought a Waterworks toilet paper holder for, like, $700. And I'm like, there's no way the insurance company's gonna believe this. So that's why I wanted. I had everything. I had everything. So you. Now you're settled in another home?

[Jeff Lewis]

We're settled in another home.

[Melissa Rivers]

Are you happy there?

[Jeff Lewis]

Yes.

[Melissa Rivers]

Okay, good.

[Jeff Lewis]

It's the first time, you know, Everything is still so unsettling. And we moved five times in 11 weeks, three of which during the first 10 days of the fire.

[Melissa Rivers]

Was it hotels, Airbnbs, Friends.

[Jeff Lewis]

Hotels, friends. Just. We were bouncing. And also because we have pets.

[Melissa Rivers]

Yeah. So that's a lot of Marty.

[Jeff Lewis]

Yeah, Marty. Well, and luckily, Marty. My dog's name is Marty, but luckily my dogs are Big. So I had a friend step in and say, I'll take the dogs. And it's a dog. It's. They have playdates with their dog. So they were, you know, very happy. But poor Marty got like schlepped around from place to place. So. And then, you know, with cats, like, and dogs, when they get stressed, their hair falls out to like Marty's hair was falling. It was just too bad, a whole thing. And I looked in the mirror and I was just like, oh, dear God. You know, you look at yourself after.

[Melissa Rivers]

A couple days, well, you're settled and you're happy in the new place. And will that be a long term place for you, do you think?

[Jeff Lewis]

I think so.

[Melissa Rivers]

Okay, good.

[Jeff Lewis]

I think for the foreseeable future, meaning a couple years, we're not going anywhere.

[Melissa Rivers]

So then. Okay, so that's.

[Jeff Lewis]

There's stuff that throws you still, like, you forget what you don't have. So again, this might be too intimate, but I've already talked about it. So I'm on the press, this press tour for our special that we're going to talk about.

[Melissa Rivers]

Yes.

[Jeff Lewis]

And I'm packing, so I have no clothes, so my stylist is getting me clothes and we're going through all this and suddenly I realize, oh, I need Spanx for this dress. And you go to your drawer to get them and you're like, fuck, I don't have any. You know, and then suddenly it's the day before you leave and you're scrambling to find a strapless bra, and that's when it still catches up with you. You're like, oh my God. It's something you don't think about. And you don't think about things till you need them.

[Reza Farahan]

Are you buying? Like, are you trying to replace things you had? Or do you just buy as you go? Cause you need something.

[Jeff Lewis]

Very early on, when we were all just panicked and scrambling, I had a moment of clarity where I said, stop. We're gonna go buy the same brand of T shirts, we're gonna go start replacing rather than just running and grabbing whatever. And I think that was sort of a smart thing to do. A lot of it has been staying sort of. I call it emotionally disciplined. So I'm not just gonna go buy random whatevers. I'm gonna go back and replace the brands I like and the brands I want. I actually have hated shopping, but look at his face.

[Reza Farahan]

Oh my God.

[Jeff Lewis]

It's just, it feels really laborious. I'm sitting there half the time, like I couldn't remember what brand My pajamas were.

[Melissa Rivers]

But do you realize when all this happens, like, how little you actually need?

[Jeff Lewis]

It's unbelievable. It's unbelievable. And, you know, you walk around or I'm online looking, and I'm like, eh. But then you go to get it, then you're like, oh, I have those shoes. And you're like, oh, no, I don't.

[Melissa Rivers]

But you were talking. So when you were evacuating, when you were told to evacuate, you had evacuated before and the fire never came anywhere near your home?

[Jeff Lewis]

No.

[Melissa Rivers]

So when you were packing the car, you were thinking, okay, I'm going to go through the motions here, the exercise, but nothing's going to happen in my house.

[Jeff Lewis]

Right.

[Reza Farahan]

So do you end up packing less because you had packed previous times and nothing happened? Did you end up packing fewer items?

[Jeff Lewis]

No. I grabbed a photo of my. I first thought, you have to get your passport. You're this, you're that. And anyone who's like, you must have that stuff together. You must. So obviously that's the first thing, fortunately. Cause I work out of my house. My assistant was at the house. She started running around and videotaping everything, especially, like, all the art. I grabbed half, you know, some jeans, a couple sweaters, a couple T shirts, handful of underwear, because how long am I gonna be out?

[Melissa Rivers]

Right? So it was a matter of.

[Jeff Lewis]

I grabbed my travel jacket, just grabbing.

[Melissa Rivers]

What you need for the couple days that you might be away from the home.

[Jeff Lewis]

Right. And then Cooper grabbed a painting that he loved. I grabbed another painting that I loved. I grabbed a couple things of my dad's. Cause those I can't replace.

[Melissa Rivers]

Yeah.

[Jeff Lewis]

I grabbed my mom's Emmy because I knew how much it meant to her. And of my mom. I grabbed this little drawing that she did of me and Cooper because she loved to doodle and that I have framed in my house. And I grabbed one picture of me and Cooper and, you know, hit the road. So in hindsight, we probably could have taken more, but it was so crazy. And the traffic and we could see the flames coming, but we're like, oh, that's at least a canyon and a half away.

[Melissa Rivers]

Yes. So there. Was there any part of you, any part that thought your house would burn down?

[Jeff Lewis]

No.

[Melissa Rivers]

So you were telling me this morning that you lost 99% of your wardrobe. Your shoes, your bags, maybe more.

[Jeff Lewis]

Okay, I'm gonna say more because basically I showed you the picture of what we had. So I basically lost everything I grabbed. Strangely, the first Birkin bag my mom ever bought, because I remember her buying it. It was Such a big deal. And this was years ago, and I don't know what possessed me to grab that, but I did. Now I will never carry it. It's just, like, in my closet, stuffed perfectly.

[Melissa Rivers]

You had the bag that you were carrying. You were like, God, that wasn't even one of my favorite bags.

[Reza Farahan]

Yeah, that needs to be, like, in a shadow box, like, in a museum somewhere where other people can appreciate it.

[Jeff Lewis]

It was one of the bags that I just thrown crap in for a couple days, but I literally stood there and went, should I change bags? Nah.

[Melissa Rivers]

Do you beat yourself up now thinking the things that you should have taken?

[Jeff Lewis]

There's one painting that literally brings me to tears when I think about it.

[Melissa Rivers]

Really? God, I mean, just. You had such. I mean, look, I was there. I worked there. I saw your closet. I mean, I don't want to mean to make you feel worse, but, God, what a gorgeous closet.

[Reza Farahan]

Oh, my God.

[Melissa Rivers]

I mean, the gowns and the shoes and the bags. Oh, God, the Margot bago.

[Jeff Lewis]

What about the Margot?

[Reza Farahan]

The pink mohair chairs.

[Jeff Lewis]

Oh, everything's gone.

[Reza Farahan]

I've been there. I didn't.

[Melissa Rivers]

Okay, we're making her feel worse.

[Jeff Lewis]

No, you don't, actually. But no. For example, in my back storage. God only knows when it was. Let's say it was. I'm gonna make up the date. 1975. My parents had just really started making some money. They went to Paris, and I remember my mother bought a crocodile Kelly bag, and then she bought one for her mother, so I had two of them in the back. Well, then how do I quantify for the insurance how much those are worth?

[Melissa Rivers]

Right.

[Jeff Lewis]

So I spent a lot of time doing deep dives on, like, Christie's and first dibs and stuff like that. So I was writing. Well, it could be between this much and this much, but that's the stuff.

[Reza Farahan]

We need a disclaimer. This is so important for people because how do you even thank God you remember all of those items she videoed?

[Jeff Lewis]

Well, no, they didn't video that. That I literally would close my eyes and walk through my closet and all, you know, you have scheduled and unscheduled. This was all part of the unscheduled property because the scheduled is the art and the major jewelry and all that stuff.

[Melissa Rivers]

I don't know. Scheduled and unscheduled.

[Guest]

Like, it's on insurance or, like, if.

[Jeff Lewis]

You have, like, the.

[Melissa Rivers]

Is a separate policy.

[Jeff Lewis]

It's separate policy.

[Melissa Rivers]

Got it. Okay. That's unscheduled.

[Jeff Lewis]

No, that's scheduled. Is like. Was like, my mom's jewelry. The art things that are, like, itemized items. Itemized. Big tickets.

[Reza Farahan]

Tell me you got all your mom's jewelry out.

[Jeff Lewis]

My mom's jewelry and the Faberge was in the safety deposit box.

[Reza Farahan]

Thank God.

[Jeff Lewis]

So we went through all that waiting to see what happened to the safety deposit box.

[Melissa Rivers]

The bank. The bank burned down.

[Jeff Lewis]

Yes. And I have become sort of an amateur expert on different kinds of safety deposit boxes and how they're built. Something again, I never thought I needed to know our safety deposit box survived.

[Melissa Rivers]

Wow.

[Jeff Lewis]

There's some water damage and not really. There's some soot, but it was mostly water. We were at Wells Fargo and it survived. The other.

[Reza Farahan]

My cousin was at.

[Jeff Lewis]

No, no, not Wells. No, we were at B of A. And that survived?

[Reza Farahan]

Yes.

[Jeff Lewis]

And Wells Fargo didn't. Now they say that B of A again, why do I know this? Now they say that B of A. If you are putting safety deposits in a bank, you want a bank that built it with poured concrete, not cinder block.

[Reza Farahan]

Correct.

[Jeff Lewis]

Because of the heat.

[Melissa Rivers]

You know this?

[Reza Farahan]

Yeah, my cousin's house burned too.

[Jeff Lewis]

Yeah, it's the heat can get through the cinder block more than the poured concrete. Concrete again, why? I have this knowledge, you guys.

[Reza Farahan]

It's uninsured. You're not covered for things you lose that were at the bank.

[Jeff Lewis]

That is not covered unless it's scheduled.

[Melissa Rivers]

So you think it's safe. Oh, unless it's scheduled so you can insure it. It could be at the bank, but it can be insured.

[Jeff Lewis]

Right, but the bank is not responsible.

[Reza Farahan]

Correct. The bank is not responsible.

[Melissa Rivers]

That's like the storage units. They're not responsible.

[Jeff Lewis]

No, no.

[Melissa Rivers]

Wow. We're learning a lot today.

[Jeff Lewis]

Yeah.

[Guest]

This is an education.

[Jeff Lewis]

Welcome. It's a seminar.

[Melissa Rivers]

So the fires happen on January 7th.

[Jeff Lewis]

And I think I was supposed to come here on, like, the 10th.

[Melissa Rivers]

Yeah. 6,800 structures burned, so they're still clearing the lots. They have not cleared your.

[Jeff Lewis]

So hopefully this week.

[Melissa Rivers]

So it's just all debris. And.

[Jeff Lewis]

And I've gone up there digging and.

[Reza Farahan]

Did you find anything in the.

[Jeff Lewis]

I did find a few things.

[Melissa Rivers]

What'd you find?

[Jeff Lewis]

I found some china. It was amazing. What didn't burn? I found some bits and pieces of silver that I took just because, like, all my grandmother's silver, like, everything is gone. I found some vases. Vases. Is it a vase or a vase?

[Melissa Rivers]

I mean, I obviously. Vase is pretentious. I say vase.

[Jeff Lewis]

That were from my mom's house in Connecticut that I loved.

[Guest]

If they were Jones, they're vases.

[Jeff Lewis]

Yeah.

[Melissa Rivers]

Was it damaged?

[Jeff Lewis]

No, two of them came out whole. But now I want to take them and have them properly cleaned because people say, like, oh, you can't use it. It's toxic. So I'm still waiting to take all that stuff to be cleaned.

[Melissa Rivers]

Oh, yeah, we probably should not serve any. Anything in it.

[Jeff Lewis]

Not right now.

[Melissa Rivers]

Like a decanter.

[Jeff Lewis]

Yeah, let's not decanter. But my front gate survived.

[Melissa Rivers]

Really?

[Jeff Lewis]

Yeah. So it's because it was metal and my pergola was. Right. So this company that built all that, I'm like, would you like to use it as an ad and then to put the gate in for free at my new house? They're like, no. We already went around, took pictures of all of our gates that survived.

[Melissa Rivers]

I'm like, oh, so what are you going to do with that property?

[Jeff Lewis]

Don't know.

[Melissa Rivers]

So they clear it.

[Jeff Lewis]

They clear it.

[Melissa Rivers]

You've got the lot and now you'll.

[Jeff Lewis]

Just hold onto it for right now? Yes. People are buying and selling, and people are already breaking ground. And I'm just kind of like, I just wanna wait and see. No one on my particular block has made a big. Has made a decision, so.

[Melissa Rivers]

But we should at least. When I say we, we should at least start working on plans and getting them permitted.

[Jeff Lewis]

I have the architectural plans. Which then.

[Melissa Rivers]

Are you going to rebuild the same house?

[Jeff Lewis]

You can move a few walls, but because I have the plans, it makes my lot more valuable.

[Melissa Rivers]

Oh, yes. That's why I was going to say you want permitted plans.

[Jeff Lewis]

Yeah. So. But I don't know. Steve and I are kind of just like, you know, I went to Cooper, who's all of 24, and I said, do you think you're going to want to raise your family in the Palisades? I'm like, this is a very weird question to be asking, and I don't expect you to have an answer. And he's like, I never thought about it. I'm like, neither did I. If you have plans and you rebuild the identical home, you don't have to re. Permit.

[Melissa Rivers]

Oh, no, you have to repurmit.

[Jeff Lewis]

But you know, they've already passed. I see, I see.

[Reza Farahan]

I understand.

[Jeff Lewis]

And you can make minor changes. Gotcha. But you're many steps ahead.

[Melissa Rivers]

The thing about that house is there was a lot of unused space, like attic space, remember? So are you.

[Jeff Lewis]

I don't think we discussed that since that was unpermitted space.

[Melissa Rivers]

Well, I'm just saying, like, in the future.

[Jeff Lewis]

Yes. It could be permanent.

[Melissa Rivers]

We could permit it.

[Jeff Lewis]

Yes.

[Melissa Rivers]

And get A little more square footage.

[Jeff Lewis]

Yes, but we don't mention that right now.

[Melissa Rivers]

Well, it's gone now, so.

[Jeff Lewis]

Yeah, it doesn't matter. By the way, I like we.

[Reza Farahan]

Are they making special concessions for fire victims, like expediting the process for you guys and signing off on existing non conforming.

[Jeff Lewis]

They are making a huge effort to expedite. They have been doing that.

[Guest]

So is Cooper home when all this happened too?

[Jeff Lewis]

Oh, poor Cooper. So he had just was getting ready to move into his first place, you know, just with his college friends. And he had been moving all weekend, but like straight 24 year old boy moving, you know, he had half a duffel bag of clothes, couple surfboards. Like, you know, I mean, not like things like we would have had. Still didn't have towels. And I kept saying, cooper, gotta get towels. Cooper get towels. And the night before I'm like, cooper. He goes, what's up with you and the towels? I'm like, that's what mothers do. Like you need sheets and towels. He goes, I have towels. Like, why don't you get them? He goes, well, I was just gonna take them from here. I'm like, this is not how this works. I'm like, you touch one towel that I haven't, you don't take all the happy fluffy ones. Like apparently he was shopping at the house and then the next day everything was gone.

[Melissa Rivers]

Now during all of this, you're planning a wedding and it's not. Deposits are down and guests and not refundable. So you had to go through with it, which was only 60 days really later, right?

[Jeff Lewis]

It was a tough decision.

[Melissa Rivers]

I was gonna ask you about that too.

[Jeff Lewis]

It was a very think about canceling 100%. And a couple people very close to me said, you have to cancel. Like you're in shock. You're not thinking. And then a lot of my closest friends were like, you are not canceling. We will get this done. You are not gonna run away. And a number of people, believe it or not, who lost their homes were the ones who also said, no, no, no, no, we do this well, life goes on. Life goes on. And we looked at the calendar and we're like, in the next 60 days we're gonna want to take a vacation and get out of all this horror. So, you know, again, why Wyoming?

[Melissa Rivers]

Jackson Hole.

[Jeff Lewis]

We love Jackson Hole. We love it. We wanted it to be a fun week. You know, if you do it in la, first of all, it's going to be too big. Second of all, in la, it's like, so everybody comes in, but nobody hangs out. Yeah, sorry.

[Melissa Rivers]

And Wyoming was like destination the whole weekend.

[Jeff Lewis]

But also, I did not over schedule. There were three things that you needed to be at. You need to do an apres ski, you need to do the wedding. And the third one was there'll be breakfast available to grab and go if you want it. And I made everything at the same time so nobody could mess it up. But people were still asking, everything's at five.

[Melissa Rivers]

Did it all go well?

[Jeff Lewis]

Yeah.

[Melissa Rivers]

Like you planned.

[Jeff Lewis]

Well, nothing was like I planned.

[Melissa Rivers]

Right.

[Jeff Lewis]

But yeah. And I ended up having a really good time and my friends all had a really good time and everyone was very supportive. Apparently everyone had a very good time according to the bar bill.

[Melissa Rivers]

And then was there. Was that considered the honeymoon? Did you guys stay a few extra days? Did you go somewhere else?

[Jeff Lewis]

Well, the best is Steve's like, yeah, we're staying a few days and having a honeymoon. And I'm like, what are. Who. What planet are you living in? We're gonna sleep the first day. I wanna get a couple ski days in. And the last day is spent packing. That is not stop like telling people this.

[Guest]

Not a two for one. This is not a one stop shop. You need your separate trip.

[Jeff Lewis]

Yeah.

[Melissa Rivers]

You're relaxed.

[Jeff Lewis]

We're not gonna do that for a while.

[Reza Farahan]

Sure.

[Jeff Lewis]

Because. Well, A, the house, B, the bar bill. The bar bill is the vacation. Yes.

[Melissa Rivers]

That was the honeymoon.

[Jeff Lewis]

Yeah.

[Guest]

You should be glad Jeff didn't go.

[Jeff Lewis]

Then because it would have been exponential, by the way. Would not have made a difference. People went hard.

[Melissa Rivers]

Your relationship, I imagine. Will you tell me, was it really tested with all of this stress and. Cause you were also in the middle of producing this special.

[Jeff Lewis]

Yes.

[Melissa Rivers]

That you're here to promote.

[Jeff Lewis]

Was it tested? You know what we found out? And this is gonna sound so bizar and thank God we found this out before we got married. We do crisis. Well, we found out that in crisis we work well together. So that's a bonus.

[Melissa Rivers]

Okay, good.

[Jeff Lewis]

Yeah. I mean, we only want. I mean, of course we were snipping at each other and arguing, but in general, overall, we did crisis very well together.

[Reza Farahan]

So you gotta have a lot of grace for one another during a crisis. When you lose everything, the sense of loss has to be tremendous. So everyone is like, well, you're just in such shock.

[Jeff Lewis]

And what helped was neither of us hit grief first. Both of us hit angry first. And we're like, grief is gonna come back and bite us in the ass. We know that. But it was very interesting to say that we Both went directly to angry.

[Melissa Rivers]

Is Cooper living with you now, or did he move in with his friends?

[Jeff Lewis]

He moved in with his friends. And then in all their wisdom, because, you know, they know everything, they decided they didn't want to keep the unit. And I'm like, y' all are idiots. You're not gonna be able to find anything else for. You're not gonna get this for what you're paying. And they gave it up. And then guess what happened. They were all in a panic. But they did find a place.

[Melissa Rivers]

Did you? Is the. One of the reasons why you've landed in a great place is because I feel like you get in crisis mode, as you say, you immediately like, okay, we got it. We got to find another place to live. We got to do it now. Because some people were numb. They were paralyzed.

[Jeff Lewis]

We got very lucky that a business associate of mine had an investment property that was not occupied. So we were able to land there for two months. They didn't gouge me on the price. And then I was up doom scrolling because why would I sleep? And I found a house for that 12 minutes after it was listed.

[Melissa Rivers]

Wow.

[Jeff Lewis]

And we jumped in there as fast as we could.

[Melissa Rivers]

It's funny, because Shane's been looking for a condo, and we both have been aggressively looking online, and then I found. So I. When did I find that place?

[Guest]

Literally, like, Saturday morning.

[Melissa Rivers]

Saturday morning just popped up because I happened to be, you know, doing the thing and, like, looking on, and I found it before MJ did because it just popped up. And I think it's probably. I mean, it's a real good option for you.

[Reza Farahan]

The location is phenomenal.

[Jeff Lewis]

1 and 2am in the morning are good because a lot of the listings go live at midnight.

[Melissa Rivers]

Yeah. So I found it Saturday morning. We saw it yesterday.

[Jeff Lewis]

Where is it? Oh, I don't tell.

[Melissa Rivers]

No, it's fine. West Hollywood. Yeah.

[Jeff Lewis]

We hope.

[Melissa Rivers]

Yeah. He wants to be able to walk to the bars, you know?

[Jeff Lewis]

Well, stumble home.

[Narrator]

Exactly. Every day, our world gets a little more connected, but a little further apart. But then there are moments that remind us to be more human.

[Amica Insurance Representative]

Thank you for calling Amica Insurance.

[Jeff Lewis]

Hey, I was just in an accident.

[Amica Insurance Representative]

Don't worry. We'll get you taken care of.

[Narrator]

At Amica, we understand that looking out for each other isn't new or groundbreaking. Human Ameca. Empathy is our best policy.

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[Melissa Rivers]

Terms and conditions apply. I do want to promote your the new special. Yes, it's Joan Rivers, a dead funny all star tribute. I was lucky enough to get the screener. I watched it last night. It's actually perfect for chumps. And I'll tell you why.

[Jeff Lewis]

Why?

[Melissa Rivers]

Because with no commercials, it's 42 minutes. You get like six, seven, eight. Like funny comedians. And it's so fast. It's quick, it's fun. I literally watched it in the Jacuzzi.

[Jeff Lewis]

Oh good. Well, and the chumps I think will actually like the peacock version. Mm.

[Guest]

What's on the peacock version?

[Jeff Lewis]

The uncensored version.

[Melissa Rivers]

Wait, did I have the clean version?

[Jeff Lewis]

Yes, ours.

[Guest]

HUD bleeps. Now I have to watch it again.

[Jeff Lewis]

Now I Gotta watch it again. The NBC version is fantastic. It's quick, it's funny, it's wonderful. It's everything it should be. And then there's the uncensored version.

[Melissa Rivers]

What I like is that I'm gonna say the majority of the show was bringing up some of your mom's most funny, amazing, sometimes very edgy jokes. But then there was also. The comedians had their own jokes as well, which I liked. So it was like this big standup session. I did want to ask you. This was all seemed based on the fact that your mom was so organized and kept most, maybe every joke she ever wrote. And she had these filing cabinets, hard catalog with 70,000 jokes. Did those burn?

[Jeff Lewis]

No. By the way, that's like. Everyone's like, oh, my God. Did you get out? Yes, I did. Where were the cards? I'm like, and thank you. The pets made it. And everyone else made it out. Cooper's fine. The jokes are at the National Comedy Center.

[Melissa Rivers]

Okay.

[Guest]

Oh, good.

[Reza Farahan]

Thank goodness.

[Melissa Rivers]

Is that scheduled or unscheduled? On the insurance company. Okay, so if something happens to those jokes.

[Jeff Lewis]

Yes, but they go on display. There's a big exhibit coming up in August at the National Comedy Center. And the jokes way up. You gotta fly in, I think to Buffalo, but it's where Lucy's hometown. I always want to say Jonestown, but I can't remember. Jonestown was the massacre. Massacre. So then it's Jamestown.

[Melissa Rivers]

Well, it airs on Peacock tomorrow night.

[Jeff Lewis]

Well, no, it airs. Oh, yeah, it's NBC tonight. Peacock tomorrow night. And it is.

[Melissa Rivers]

Oh, NBC tonight.

[Jeff Lewis]

Yes.

[Melissa Rivers]

Okay, so you can watch it live tonight.

[Jeff Lewis]

You can watch it live tonight. And then you can get the uncensored version Wednesday on Peacock.

[Melissa Rivers]

With probably no commercials, right?

[Jeff Lewis]

Correct.

[Melissa Rivers]

You could fast forward. Yeah, if you add free Peacock.

[Jeff Lewis]

So I have to tell you, and I don't. We know I have, like, a very much, like, imposter syndrome and, like, real ego issues where, like, I think I'm a piece of shit constantly. I'm actually really proud of this.

[Melissa Rivers]

Well, can I tell you, I thought you looked so good in the end, and I want to know who. What's. Who made that suit?

[Jeff Lewis]

That was Michael Kors, and it burned to a crisp.

[Melissa Rivers]

No.

[Jeff Lewis]

Well, of course it was on my hat.

[Melissa Rivers]

It was gorgeous.

[Jeff Lewis]

Wasn't that good?

[Melissa Rivers]

I thought you looked so good.

[Reza Farahan]

Was that scheduled?

[Jeff Lewis]

No, none of my clothes were scheduled. Cause you shot that back in November. We shot that back in November.

[Reza Farahan]

Melissa, please tell me that you have plans to do a red carpet where. I am sick of these Red carpets. I need that Joan and Melissa vibe. These red carpet critiques are not serving anymore.

[Melissa Rivers]

It's a different time.

[Reza Farahan]

It's a different time. I need you on a show where you're critiquing and giving me feedback.

[Jeff Lewis]

I have a couple of ideas that are kicking around. We still live in a time where people are scared.

[Melissa Rivers]

Yeah.

[Jeff Lewis]

And that's really hard. And we need to, like, stand up and not be so scared anymore. And I hope this special reminds us that you can be funny and you don't. And it's okay to laugh because the comics we had were amazing, and they did not hold back.

[Melissa Rivers]

No. You had Tiffany Haddish. You had Chelsea Handler. You had Joe McHale. Nikki Glaser.

[Jeff Lewis]

I love Rachel Brosnahan.

[Melissa Rivers]

Yes.

[Jeff Lewis]

I mean, we had.

[Melissa Rivers]

I didn't love that bit. And then I also.

[Jeff Lewis]

Oh, my God. You didn't love Rachel doing as many vagina jokes in 60 seconds as she could?

[Melissa Rivers]

No, I didn't love it as much. I didn't love it as.

[Reza Farahan]

You don't like vagina jokes.

[Melissa Rivers]

No, no. I just didn't love it as much as some of the other comics. I don't know why.

[Jeff Lewis]

That's fine.

[Melissa Rivers]

And that's the thing. Like, there's something for everyone.

[Jeff Lewis]

Oh, yeah.

[Melissa Rivers]

Right.

[Jeff Lewis]

Oh, yeah.

[Melissa Rivers]

So you're gonna have seven or eight comics.

[Guest]

So many episodes.

[Melissa Rivers]

Just like when you go to a comedy show you like. You know, I love Tiffany. I love Nikki Glazer.

[Guest]

Me too.

[Melissa Rivers]

But I have to say, Aubrey Plaza.

[Jeff Lewis]

Aubrey was hilarious.

[Melissa Rivers]

So fucking funny.

[Jeff Lewis]

That was one of my favorite segments. And when we were putting it together, we wanted to make sure we could tell a story and keep it modern and use her material as just a jumping off point. So we really curated and carefully picked who was going to take on what topic and what part of it. So it was very. It was a very interesting process because basically we were like, what's the story and who fits where in her set?

[Melissa Rivers]

She was lucky enough to be able to tell Joan's most provocative jokes, which could not get away with today, which is amazing.

[Jeff Lewis]

Yeah, it was the jokes.

[Reza Farahan]

I'm so jealous. I cannot wait to see it.

[Jeff Lewis]

Oh, you'll love it.

[Guest]

You're really gonna love it.

[Reza Farahan]

Of course I will. I was the biggest still am Joan Rivers fan of all time. Not just because she was so funny, but she was an advocate for so many communities that I feel near and dear to.

[Melissa Rivers]

You were on her show?

[Reza Farahan]

I was on her show. It was one of the biggest shows.

[Melissa Rivers]

I guess your show too, Melissa.

[Jeff Lewis]

Yeah, it was in my house. It wasn't, by the way. And it was my ridiculous idea. Said sarcastically, like, she'd be in the reality. I'm like, why don't we just shoot another show out of the house? Let's just do a talk show sitting in your bed. And she looks at me. We look at each other and go, that's a really good idea.

[Melissa Rivers]

In bed with Joan.

[Jeff Lewis]

In bed with Joan.

[Reza Farahan]

It was the biggest, like, if you say, like, what have you done since you've been on tv that you're most excited and proud of the fact that I got to do that with Joan Rivers in Melissa's house. And with Melissa, One of the biggest honors I've ever had, like, since I've been on tv, was doing that.

[Jeff Lewis]

I have known you, and I adore you. And I'm gonna tell you something very honestly, as a friend. That's a very low bar.

[Guest]

It's that and this.

[Melissa Rivers]

I know. I thought of that. I have to say, I thought about. Here you are doing today's show. Watch what happens live today. You're here.

[Reza Farahan]

I got to hang.

[Jeff Lewis]

It's a low, low, low bar, my friend.

[Reza Farahan]

I got to hang out with your mom and drink wine in a bed. And we were talking shit. We were just talking shit. And it was so cool. She's such an icon. So it was about, like, just having her. Well, she loved you for that amount of time.

[Jeff Lewis]

You guys got all, like, yes. Silly and cozy.

[Reza Farahan]

Yes. It was so fun.

[Jeff Lewis]

But I'm very excited about the special. You know, very. We all know. Very often we're like, it's a job. It's this. And we're not necessarily super proud of what we did or, oh, it was fine. I'm actually really proud of this show. I'm very excited.

[Melissa Rivers]

I thought it was perfect. Cause we didn't see you at all until the very, very, very end. And you did kind of the final speech, which was very impactful. I felt like that was perfect having you. Cause first of all, I was like, where's Melissa? When are we gonna see Melissa? Is Melissa even in this? And then when you came out at the end looking amazing, how much was that suit? Do you think?

[Jeff Lewis]

Michael Kors was nice enough to dress me for?

[Melissa Rivers]

But what is it retail for?

[Jeff Lewis]

I have no idea.

[Melissa Rivers]

We need it for the insurance.

[Jeff Lewis]

It's not scheduled. I just. I just. I just need it as a gift. I'm like, can I have a new wardrobe?

[Reza Farahan]

Wait, can you ask anyone for anything when you've been a fire victim and people just Give you whatever you want.

[Jeff Lewis]

A lot of people have been amazing and a lot of companies have given really deep discounts to replace stuff. A number of companies have just like, sent me care packages. But as time goes on, that stops.

[Melissa Rivers]

I think it would be bad karma to say that we're a fire victim when we're not just for discounts.

[Guest]

I mean, the definition of bad karma.

[Melissa Rivers]

I think that's very.

[Jeff Lewis]

Yeah, that would be bad karma.

[Melissa Rivers]

I bet people do it.

[Jeff Lewis]

I am sure people do it.

[Melissa Rivers]

People. I bet chumps do it.

[Jeff Lewis]

But I gotta love, you know, the chumps are so loyal.

[Melissa Rivers]

They are.

[Jeff Lewis]

I saw all the ones. They were like, chump con. I saw that.

[Reza Farahan]

It was so fun.

[Jeff Lewis]

And the chumps got so mad at me. I was here last time.

[Melissa Rivers]

They were mad at you?

[Jeff Lewis]

Yes.

[Melissa Rivers]

Why?

[Jeff Lewis]

Because we were going back and forth about the wedding.

[Melissa Rivers]

Oh, it's okay. It's fine.

[Jeff Lewis]

They got really mad at me.

[Melissa Rivers]

Oh, I think they thought I was hurt. I was in that. I wasn't that hurt.

[Jeff Lewis]

You weren't hurt at all. You were not hurt. Oh, I was okay.

[Melissa Rivers]

Don't worry about me. I'm just obviously oversensitive.

[Jeff Lewis]

You do not hurt. You were so not hurt by the first person. The first call after. Oh, my God. Are you okay? I love you. Anything you need? Did the bathroom survive?

[Melissa Rivers]

Thanks for listening. If you want more of this, listen to Jeff Lewis live every weekday on SiriusXM as well as the Jeff Lewis Channel exclusively on the SiriusXM app.

[Narrator]

At Ameca Insurance, we know it's more than just a car. It's the two door coupe that was there for your first drive. The hatchback that took you cross country and back, and the minivan that tackles the weekly carpool for the cars you couldn't live without. Trust Ameca Auto Insurance. Amica. Empathy is our best policy.

[RXBar Representative]

At rxbar, they believe in simple nutrition without the bs. That's why they said no to artificial ingredients and yes to deliver intentional transparent nutrition. Try their original 12 gram protein bar, the nut butter and oat bar, or Minis RXBar, the proud sponsor of no BS. Use code RXBar on RXBar.com for 25% off, subject to full terms and conditions and to change. Valid until September 30, 2025 and may not be combined with other offers. See rxbar.com for full details and limitations.