| Joan Rivers | |
|---|---|
 Rivers in 1966 | |
| Birth name | Joan Alexandra Molinsky |
| Born | June 8, 1933 Brooklyn, New York City, U.S. |
| Died | September 4, 2014 (aged 81) Manhattan, New York City, U.S. |
| Medium |
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| Alma mater | Connecticut College Barnard College (BA) |
| Years active | 1957–2014 |
| Genres | |
| Spouse |
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| Children | Melissa Rivers |
| Website | www |
Joan Alexandra Molinsky[1] (June 8, 1933 – September 4, 2014), known professionally as Joan Rivers, was an American comedian, actress, producer, writer, and television host. She was noted for her blunt, often controversial comedic persona that was heavily self-deprecating and acerbic, especially towards celebrities and politicians, delivered in her signature New York accent. She is considered a pioneer of women in comedy.[2][3] She received an Emmy Award and a Grammy Award, as well as nomination for a Tony Award.
Rivers started her career in comedy clubs in Greenwich Village alongside her peers George Carlin, Woody Allen, and Richard Pryor.[4] She then rose to prominence in 1965 as a guest on The Tonight Show. Hosted by her mentor, Johnny Carson, the show established Rivers's comedic style. In 1986, with her own rival program, The Late Show with Joan Rivers, Rivers became the first woman to host a late night network television talk show. She subsequently hosted The Joan Rivers Show (1989–1993), winning a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Talk Show Host. From the mid-1990s, she became known for her comedic red carpet awards show celebrity interviews.[5][6] Rivers co-hosted the E! celebrity fashion show Fashion Police from 2010 to 2014 and starred in the reality series Joan & Melissa: Joan Knows Best? (2011–2014) with daughter Melissa Rivers.
In addition to marketing a line of jewelry and apparel on the QVC shopping channel, Rivers authored 12 best-selling books and three LP comedy albums under her own name: Mr. Phyllis and Other Funny Stories (Warner Bros 1965), The Next to Last Joan Rivers Album (Buddah 1969), and What Becomes a Semi-Legend Most? (Geffen 1983). She was nominated in 1984 for a Grammy Award for her album What Becomes a Semi-Legend Most? and was nominated in 1994 for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her performance of the title role in Sally Marr ... and Her Escorts. In 2009, Rivers competed alongside her daughter Melissa on the second season of The Celebrity Apprentice, ultimately winning the season. In 2015, Rivers posthumously received a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for her book, Diary of a Mad Diva.[7]
In 1968, The New York Times television critic Jack Gould called Rivers "quite possibly the most intuitively funny woman alive".[8][9] In 2017, Rolling Stone magazine ranked her sixth on its list of the 50 best stand-up comics of all time,[10] and in October the same year, she was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame. She is the subject of the documentary Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work (2010).
- ^ "Joan Rivers". May 13, 2021.
- ^ "Joan Rivers, a pioneer herself, had a lot to say". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
- ^ "Joan Rivers: Stand-up Comedy's Neglected Pioneer". Time. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
- ^ "Comedian Joan Rivers, 81, rushed to New York hospital: report". Today. August 28, 2014. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
- ^ Joan Rivers' Greatest Red Carpet Moments. ABC News. September 5, 2014. Archived from the original on September 24, 2014. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
- ^ "How Joan Rivers Changed the Red Carpet Interview Forever With One Simple Question: Watch Her Best Moments!". E!. September 4, 2014. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
- ^ Oldenburg, Ann (February 8, 2015). "Joan Rivers wins a Grammy". USA TODAY.
- ^ Sieczkowski, Cavan (September 5, 2014). "Joan Rivers Honors Robin Williams In Resurfaced Interview". Huffington Post.
Playboy: Jack Gould, former television critic of The New York Times, called you "quite possibly the most intuitively funny woman alive." So whom does America's most intuitively funny woman find funny?
- ^ Gould, Jack (October 3, 1968). "TV: Frank and Mature Discussion of Birth Control; Contraceptive Devices Displayed on Channel 4 Vivacious Joan Rivers Brightens Own Show". The New York Times.
GOOD television often turns up at unexpected hours; it did from 9 to 10 A. M. yesterday on WNBC-TV (Channel 4). The first half was a major breakthrough in the educational use of the home screen—a totally frank and completely mature discussion of birth control. The second half hour offered Joan Rivers, quite possibly the most intuitively funny woman alive.
- ^ Love, Matthew (February 14, 2017). "The 50 Best Stand-up Comics of All Time". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 11, 2017.