Years after the death of comedy legend Joan Rivers, her daughter Melissa Rivers is stepping back onto the red carpet — nearly 20 years after she and her mother walked away from the scene.
Melissa will join CNN and Variety’s Red Carpet Live: TV’s Biggest Night pre-show, where she’ll conduct interviews ahead of tonight’s Emmys.
Speaking to PEOPLE, Melissa explained that she and Joan ultimately left the red carpet because the interviews had become too tense and sanitized.
“When my mom and I walked away, it was because it was all getting so tense and getting so safe,” she recalled. “I remember after one carpet we just looked at each other and said, ‘Time to walk away.’”
Now, Melissa has a very different mission for her return: to bring back the shallow. “The approach I’ve decided to take is that it’s all about having fun. Because I think that’s been missing. Right from the top, I’m saying, ‘If you wanna be deep, don’t come and talk to me.’ Like, I am bringing back the shallow! I am bringing back talking about fashion.”
According to Melissa, viewers already know the standard answers celebrities give on award-show red carpets. “Everyone knows you’re excited, you’re thrilled to be nominated, you’re nervous, and can’t believe to be nominated. Yeah, yeah, we all know that. This is supposed to be an exciting night for the celebrities. You’re beautiful, you’re talented, you’re nominated, you’re wearing awesome clothes, you’re in fantastic jewelry. Let’s go!”
Melissa also hopes to bring back the playful spirit that she and Joan were known for during their red-carpet days. “One of the things my mom and I always prided ourselves on was that we were the fun interviewers,” she said. “But not everyone wanted to talk to us.”
As for how she expects celebrities to react to seeing her back on the carpet? “I just hope that when people see me tonight, well, first of all, I hope they remember me, and then I hope they’re excited I’m there.”
The 78th Emmy Awards, hosted by Mariska Hargitay, air live on NBC and Peacock at 8 p.m.
