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Joan Rivers appears on “The Tonight Show” after a ban dating back nearly 30 years


Joan Rivers is one of the great showbiz survivors but for nearly 30 years, it pained her that she had not been invited to appear on The Tonight Show – the show that gave her a start.

So how great that on Jimmy Fallon’s first day as host, he included the show’s former permanent guest host in a gag that included a string of random celeb cameos (check out the video to see who!)

Although Johnny Carson had been a longtime supporter and mentor, when Joan decided to do her own rival late night show on FOX in 1986 he never forgave her or spoke to her again.

Carson’s successor, Jay Leno, also never invited Rivers on as a guest during his 22 years at the helm.

We all know Joan survived even if that FOX show did not. She hosted a daytime talk show for several years and won an Emmy, she went on Broadway and was nominated for a Tony, she became the queen of the red carpet and goes on and on and on.

“It was a double thrill for me to help welcome Jimmy on his first night. The program brought me great luck, and I know it will do the same for him,” says Rivers. “He’s the consummate entertainer whose reign as host, I predict, will surpass any of his predecessors.”

“Being in the studio brought back the most wonderful, wonderful memories of the night that jump-started my career,” Rivers says. “So when people ask me, ‘why was last night different from all other nights?’ I’ll tell them that it certainly beats Passover!”

And what else does she have to say about it all?

“It’s about time! I’ve been sitting in a taxi outside NBC with the meter running since 1987.”

FILE UNDER: Talk Shows, Television

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One Remark

  1. Its nice that the Tonight Show and Joan were able to make nice and she could once again grace their stage. She’s a legend in show business that should be recognized for her contributions to the Tonight Show.

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