The iconic and trailblazing Joan Rivers, who passed away in September 2014, will be honored with a brand-new special on NBC. Known for her acerbic wit and bold, fearless takes, Rivers inspired a generation of comedians and broadcasters, many of whom will appear in the program. Here’s everything to know about it:
Joan Rivers: A Dead Funny All-Star Tribute is coming to NBC in May
Joan Rivers onstage during the “Roast of Joan Rivers” at on July 26, 2009. Photo: Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic
The special will premiere on Tuesday, May 13 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on NBC. It was recorded at the historic Apollo Theater in New York City and will feature comedy titans like Rachel Brosnahan, Margaret Cho, Nikki Glaser, Tiffany Haddish, Chelsea Handler, Neil Patrick Harris, Bill Maher, Howie Mandel, Joel McHale, Tracy Morgan, Patton Oswalt, Aubrey Plaza, Sarah Silverman, Melissa Rivers, Jean Smart, and Rita Wilson.
Performers will deliver a mix of classic Rivers zingers and modern stand-up, and there will be musical bits, as well.
An extended, uncensored version of the special will premiere May 14 on Peacock. (It will feature more comics who will be announced later!)
On Thursday, June 5 at 10 p.m. ET/PT, an encore presentation of the original special will air on E!
“Given that I’m dead, I assume someone will finally decide to honor me. Well, it’s about time,” Rivers wrote in a letter she left for her daughter, Melissa Rivers.
Joan Rivers is a comedy pioneer
Joan Rivers laughs while hosting the television program ‘That Show’ in 1969. Photo: Getty Images
“Joan Rivers is deserving of her status as one of the funniest and most influential comedians of all time,” said Jen Neal, Executive Vice President, Live Events and Specials, NBCUniversal Entertainment. “She paved the way for so many women who came after her and this special is a way to honor her for all of her incredible achievements both on the stage and off.”
Rivers’ first TV appearance was on The Ed Sullivan Show following her rise to fame in the 1960s. But she reached the stratosphere when she was featured on The Tonight Show, then hosted by Johnny Carson, who brought her on as a guest and guest host many times.
Joan Rivers: A Dead Funny All Star Tribute. Photo: NBC
After her husband’s death, Rivers reinvented herself as an entertainment correspondent, more or less inventing the “red carpet interview” as we know it today. She also hosted Fashion Police on E! and was posthumously inducted into the Television Hall of Fame. She is survived by her daughter, Melissa, who has one son.
As Rivers herself once put it, “I think of opening doors not just for women comedians — I never think about women. I think just [that I’m] always trying to push for myself, push the boundaries [and] make them listen. Make them listen to the truth and laugh about it.”
