Joan Rivers

Joan Alexandra Molinsky, known professionally as Joan Rivers, was an American comedian, actress, writer, producer, and television host. Recognized as a pioneer for women in comedy, she was noted for her blunt, self-deprecating, and acerbic comedic style targeting celebrities and politicians. Over her career, she received an Emmy Award and a Grammy Award, alongside a nomination for a Tony Award.

Born on June 8, 1933, in Brooklyn, New York, to Russian Jewish immigrants Beatrice and Meyer C. Molinsky, she spent her early years in Brooklyn before moving to Larchmont. She attended the Adelphi Academy of Brooklyn, where she participated in theatrical activities and graduated in 1951. After attending Connecticut College for two years, she transferred to Barnard College, graduating in 1954 with a B.A. in English literature and anthropology. She worked various jobs before adopting her stage name, Joan Rivers.

Rivers began her comedy career in the late 1950s and early 1960s, performing at off-Broadway venues and Greenwich Village comedy clubs. In 1961, she debuted at Chicago's The Second City theater. Her major breakthrough occurred on February 17, 1965, during an appearance on The Tonight Show hosted by Johnny Carson. She subsequently became a regular guest on major television programs, authored comedic material, released comedy albums, and hosted the syndicated daytime program That Show with Joan Rivers in 1968.

Throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, Rivers expanded her work across television, stage, and film. She made her Broadway debut in the 1972 play Fun City, co-wrote the 1973 television movie The Girl Most Likely To..., and wrote and directed the 1978 feature film Rabbit Test. In 1983, she performed at Carnegie Hall, released the best-selling comedy album What Becomes a Semi-Legend Most?, and became the first permanent guest host for Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show.

In 1986, Rivers launched The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers on the Fox Television Network, becoming the first woman to host a late-night network talk show. The move ended her friendship with Carson, who considered her secret departure to a competitor a betrayal. Rivers was fired from the program in May 1987 after defending her husband and producer, Edgar Rosenberg, who committed suicide three months later.

From 1989 to 1993, Rivers hosted the daytime program The Joan Rivers Show, winning a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show Host. Beginning in the mid-1990s, she established a prominent presence conducting comedic red carpet awards show interviews. She later co-hosted the series Fashion Police from 2010 to 2014, starred in the reality show Joan & Melissa: Joan Knows Best?, and won the second season of The Celebrity Apprentice in 2009.

Beyond broadcasting, Rivers authored twelve best-selling books and marketed apparel and jewelry lines on QVC. She received a Tony Award nomination in 1994 for her performance in Sally Marr ... and Her Escorts. Posthumously, she won a 2015 Grammy Award for her audio book Diary of a Mad Diva and was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 2017.