Joan Rivers used to audition her surgeons

The late Joan Rivers. Photo / AP

In the final interview before her death with with The Sunday Times magazine, the late comedienne spoke of the process which she employed to choose those who she deemed suitable to operate on her.

Joan - who died last week at the age of 81 - used a rigorous interview process for healthcare professionals before she would let them care for her.

She admitted that she would "ask them everything" to ensure that they could be trusted to perform procedures successfully.

Joan - who had multiple plastic surgery procedures - was especially cautious when it came to anaesthesiologists in case they were under the influence of alcohol.

She said she would ask: "Who are you and when did you last have a glass of wine?"

The Fashion Police co-host died last Thursday (04.09.14) after suffering a cardiac arrest while undergoing a procedure on her vocal cords which she described as "tired" in her final interview.

Her funeral - which took place yesterday (07.09.14) - featured performances from Hollywood actor Hugh Jackman and The New York City Gay Men's Chorus, and was attended by friends and colleagues including Kelly Osbourne, Whoopi Goldberg and Sarah Jessica Parker.

Gallery: Stars attend Joan River's funeral in New York

Image 1 of 18: Melissa Rivers looks out the window of a car at a group of bagpipers as they leave the funeral service for her mother, comedian Joan Rivers at Temple Emanu-El in New York. Photo / AP

- Bang! Showbiz