"Don't tell your kids you had an easy birth or they won't respect you. For years I used to wake up my daughter and say, 'Melissa you ripped me to shreds. Now go back to sleep.'"

In this quote, comedian Joan Rivers is satirizing the idea of moms and dads wanting their kids to see them as strong and capable. She recommends that if parents tell their kids that giving birth was easy, they won't be viewed as tough or deserving of respect. Rather, Rivers humorously confesses to getting up her child and jokingly blaming her for the physical toll of giving birth. This quote highlights the pressure moms and dads typically feel to appear best and the absurdity of attempting to maintain that image. It likewise showcases Rivers' signature self-deprecating humor and her ability to find humor in even the most challenging scenarios.