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Wild Video: Joan Rivers Handcuffs Herself to Costco Shopping Cart to Protest Store's Refusal to Sell Her Book
Image source: TMZ

Wild Video: Joan Rivers Handcuffs Herself to Costco Shopping Cart to Protest Store's Refusal to Sell Her Book

"Next thing they'll be burning the Bible."

Joan Rivers Costco TMZ

You can say this about Joan Rivers: She knows how to make a splash.

The comedian and television personality handcuffed herself to a Costco shopping cart in Southern California on Tuesday, protesting the megastore's apparent refusal to sell her new book, "I Hate Everyone ... Starting with Me."

A camera crew just so happened to be on hand to capture her antics, which included shouting through a bullhorn at the Burbank, Calif. location.

"Costco should not be like Nazi Germany," Rivers yelled outside the store, according to video of the incident posted on TMZ. "Next thing they'll be burning the Bible."

Joan Rivers Costco TMZ

And, according to USA Today, "Costco, who sells condoms by the pallet, who sells Paula Deen books and -- which is not good for their customers' health -- they decided to ban my book. This is a First Amendment violation."

Moving inside, she continued to rant as a small crowd gathered to watch.

"This is private property that was stolen from the Indians. The Indians are the original owners of this property," she said. "This is not Costco property."

After a few moments, she went up to a woman who had been watching the scene unfold.

"Excuse me. Excuse me one second. What's your name?" Rivers asked. "Cynthia? You're gonna be famous."

With that, she set her bullhorn down in the woman's cart, produced a pair of handcuffs and proceeded to lock herself to the cart. She seemed to have some trouble doing it -- one of her assistants leaned in to tell her, "Do one around that and one around your wrist."

Joan Rivers Costco TMZ

Burbank city spokesman Drew Sugars told the Los Angeles Times Rivers refused to leave until police patrol units and a sergeant arrived. They escorted Rivers and her crew from the store, with no arrests made or citations issued.

"She had a whole entourage," Sugars told the Times. "Sounds like a staged media event."

Video of Rivers leaving did capture her shouting, "Selma, Alabama and Burbank, California!" as police escorted her out.

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