Melissa Rivers Says Kathy Griffin "Sh*t All Over" Joan Rivers' Legacy

"It was extremely frustrating."

Melissa Rivers sat down with Hoda Kotb for a chat at New York's 92nd Street Y Wednesday night.

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The event was part of Rivers' promotional tour for her new memoir, The Book of Joan: Tales of Mirth, Mischief, and Manipulation.

Of course, the drama surrounding E!'s Fashion Police came up.

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Rivers is the executive producer of the show, which her mother, Joan Rivers, hosted until her death last September.

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Rivers called the situation — which involved racist allegations against co-host Giuliana Rancic, and Kelly Osbourne and Kathy Griffin's departures from the show — "extremely frustrating."

Yes, after months of not saying much about what went down, Rivers let it all out.

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"I had to keep my eye on the franchise and the legacy of it," Rivers said. "And not get involved in the personal."

She really didn't hold back when it came to her mom's "replacement," Kathy Griffin.

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Rivers was referencing this lengthy statement Griffin released back in March.

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"I know that wasn't an intentional reading of it," Rivers said. "But that's how I felt ... I know that's not how it was intended. Everything was so heightened and so crazy, but that was my takeaway, by calling the comedy and the style of it 'old fashioned' ... I understand what you're doing — you're trying to save yourself — but don't crap all over my mother to do it."

And as for what Rivers thinks her mom would have to say about the state of the show?

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Rivers said the racism controversy would've never happened had her mom been alive. "Her reaction immediately would've been, 'Are you kidding me? All this over a wig?'" Rivers said. "She would've called Giuliana and yelled at Giuliana. She would've called Kelly and yelled at Kelly, and said, 'Stop it!'"

Still, Rivers said she feels Joan watching over her — and the show.

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She added that they've just started having creative meetings at E! to rework the Fashion Police format and come back. The plan as of now is to relaunch in September, with remaining stars Giuliana Rancic and Brad Goreski.

You can watch the whole, hour-long talk here. The Fashion Police chat starts around the 16-minute mark.

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