Joan Rivers is one the hardest working women in the world "if you don't count the hooker on the corner" she says. And if life is a many hued tapestry, Joan Rivers has all the colours of the rainbow in it with golden and dark threads noticeably entwined as Chrissie Van Emst found out

She is quite simply one of life's survivors. Her gift for comedy and finding humour in her own life she is self-deprecating in the extreme have seen her through the depths and ultimate highs of existence. The theatrical masks of comedy and tragedy could have been made just for her.

Recently back on British television with The Joan Rivers Position on Five she is now planning her biggest UK tour to date kicking off at the Fairfield Hall, Croydon, on October 21.

Interview times are at a premium and I'm calling her in the States.

"Call the hotel and just ask for the Joan Rivers suite," I'm told and I'll have about 10 minutes.

I call on time but there's a hitch and my allotted time runs out but I get a reprieve and obviously get the last call of the day in to her later. She is deeply apologetic. That distinctive, gruff voice says "sorry" many times and when we talk it's for nearly half an hour.

"Hey it's been mad here today, you know, so tell me what is Croydon famous for? Who would I know from your town?" she asks in a bit of a role reversal.

On the spot I can only think of famous Victorian John Ruskin the art and social critic, supermodel Kate Moss and broadcaster and writer Malcolm Muggeridge.

"Now I know John Ruskin from reading English at Barnard but didn't know the Croydon connection, how about that," she says.

Brooklyn-born Joan Sandra Alexandra Molinsky (now Rivers) graduated from Barnard College in 1954 with a BA in English and anthropology.

Aside from being a comedienne she is also a best selling author, Tony-nominated actress, playwright, screenwriter, award-winning talk show host, film director, businesswoman and jewellery designer. But what she acknowledges as her most important role is that of mother to her daughter Melissa.

How does she manage to do so much?

"I am my work," she says frankly. "People know about my life and I'm very non-judgemental. They sense this and open up to me."

Her comedy is explicit and she pulls no punches, you either love it or loathe it. She voices things you secretly think, but her redeeming quality is as well as dishing it out she can take the jibes on the chin. And it's a very pretty chin.

"I admit to my plastic surgery and make no apologies but there are people out there who just don't. Who do they think they are kidding? It's not just a recent thing and it's not just women.

"I can remember seeing Frank Sinatra in his 60s and thinking he's just a little, old Italian man. Why couldn't he take the toupee off and be himself?" She has enjoyed great wealth and bounced back from bankruptcy.

Following her husband's suicide she wrote two motivational books (Enter Talking and Still Talking) and added to her hectic schedule lectures on suicide prevention and survival. Her mouth may be harsh but compassion is always there in an undertone. To relax she paints in oils "badly" and when there is time she loves to cook.

"It keeps me grounded. I like to set the table for dinner. More people should sit down as a family to eat, it seems no-one eats properly today.

"It's standards I suppose, they are slipping. Things are too informal, I mean, don't send me an email for my birthday! And theatre etiquette, you should dress up for the theatre, now they shuffle in flip-flops and jeans at the opening nights!"

I've obviously got her started on a theme and she quickly dismisses Brad Pitt, calls Angelina Jolie "pelican lips" and knocks Tom Cruise for being so daft about being in love with Katie Holmes.

"All that jumping up and down on sofas, the girl must have a trick pelvis!"

She says the title of her tour Joan Rivers (First Annual) Tour with Paid Escorts, Kit and Widow is a swipe at Cher.

For tickets call the Fairfield box office on 020 8688 9291.