HISTORY’s Moment in Media: Joan Rivers Named 1st Woman Late Night Talk Show Host

NBC executivesamp160worried about finding a worthy successor to hostamp160Theamp160Tonight Showamp160made a list of 10 possible replacements amp160It leaked to the press amp160What was most notable was the nameamp160notamp160on itamp160 Joan Rivers theamp160woman who had been Carsonamp8217s permanent guest host since 1983 had not made the cutRivers was used to controversy amp160She was the queen of the welltimed celebrity insult amp160Her acerbic sometimes vulgar style had won her as many detractors as fans amp160But Rivers was used to being the odd man out in late night comedyamp160 Afteramp160all she was for years at a time the sole female on the circuitamp160amp160Still being left off the list was one slight too many amp160She was now sure that NBC would never give her the replacement spot she felt she had earned so she took an offer from Fox to become the first woman late night host amp160Her show premiered onamp160Octoberamp1609 1986amp160 But what would be a boundarybreaking step for women became a tragedy for RiversFor starters the decision to take the Fox offer completely alienated heramp160from heramp160mentor and friendamp160Carson amp160Heamp160had been pivotal in championing Rivers for two decades amp160Up until 1965 Riversamp8217 career had mostly consisted of being a member of anamp160offBroadway comedy troupe and of writing bits foramp160Candid Cameraamp160 That year after three auditions Carson gave her a shot onamp160Theamp160Tonight Show amp160She was a hit and her frequent appearances thereafter led to bookings on other television shows likeamp160Hollywood Squaresamp160andamp160Saturday Night LiveIn 1983 Rivers got the biggest honor of allamp160 She became Carsonamp8217s permanent guest hostamp160andamp160filled in whenever he went on vacation amp160She knew Carson loved her but Rivers was less sure about the NBC brass amp160As she later wrote inamp160Peopleamp160magazine they constantly snubbed her at social occasionsamp160in 1985amp160NBCamp160only gave her a oneyear contract amp160When that list came outamp160she was sure she was going to be replacedamp160andamp160agreed to talk with FoxFox announced the position before she could explain herself to Carson amp160She was afraid if she let him know beforehandamp160NBC execs would try to scuttle the deal amp160She called him a moment after it became public amp160But it was too lateamp160 Heamp160was furious amp160He wouldnamp8217t take her call amp160And he never forgot the betrayal amp160She would never again appear onamp160Theamp160Tonight Showamp160for the rest of his tenureMeanwhileamp160The Late Showamp160Starringamp160Joan Riversamp160did not fare well amp160Fox could not rally its affiliates around the show amp160Many who did not like Riversamp8217 bawdy humor refused to carry it outright amp160As the show sank in the ratings relations deteriorated amp160Fox executives threatened to fire Edgar Rosenberg theamp160showamp8217s executive produceramp160and alsoamp160Riversamp8217 husband amp160She stood up to themamp160and they both lost their jobs in Mayamp1601987 amp160The set of the last show was vandalized with toilet paper and shaving cream amp160Three months later Rosenberg committed suicide amp160Rivers blamedamp160it onamp160the humiliation of being firedRivers slowly picked herself up from the disaster and remade her career many more times amp160She had a daytime talk show for five seasons that garnered her an Emmyamp160 Lateramp160she would become a staple of red carpet interviews at award ceremonies foramp160theamp160E Entertainment networkamp160Carson never spoke to Rivers again amp160He retired in 1992 and passed away in 2005 amp160Jay Leno Carsonamp8217s successoramp160onamp160Theamp160Tonight Show upheld Carsonamp8217s ban of Rivers amp160Conan Oamp8217Brien who briefly hosted the show afteramp160Leno did the sameamp160 In 2014 when Jimmy Fallon tookamp160over as host he welcomedamp160Riversamp160backamp160 amp8220Itamp8217s great to be homeamp8221 she told himPhoto courtesy of Ed MartinClick the social buttons above or below to share this story with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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HISTORY’s Moment in Media: Joan Rivers Named 1st Woman Late Night Talk Show Host

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HISTORY’s Moment in Media: Joan Rivers Named 1st Woman Late Night Talk Show Host

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