Joan Rivers Biography

Fast Facts

• Graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Barnard College with a degree in English literature and anthropology in 1954
• Debuted in a short-running production of "Driftwood․"
• Worked as a Rockefeller Center tour guide, an advertising writer and a fashion consultant before becoming a comedian
• Quote: "What pleasure you feel when you've kept people happy for an hour and a half․ They've forgotten their troubles․ It's great․ There's nothing like it in the world․ When everybody's laughing, it's a party․"
• Quote: "New York was the magic city․․․New York was Oz․ All I wanted to do was get out of Brooklyn and get into Oz․"
• Quote: "(On the acidic wit that made her a star): "I succeeded by saying what everyone else is thinking․""
• Quote: "(On younger female comics): "They all come up to me and say, 'Without you, I couldn't be here'․․․I still could take every one of you with one hand behind my back․ [Get] outta here․ Talk like that at my funeral, but not till then․""
• Best known as a stand-up comedian, actress, and reality show host whose often caustic humor made her a comedy icon and broke down barriers for other female comics
• Created the "Fashion Police" series in 2010 alongside co-hosts Giuliana Rancic, Kelly Osbourne and George Kotsiopoulos
• Appeared on numerous talk shows early in her career, including "The Tonight Show" hosted by Johnny Carson, where she became a regular guest host starting in 1983
• Interviewed celebrities about their fashion apparel at red carpet events from 1996 to 2004
• Owned a jewelry line called "The Joan Rivers Collection," which she promoted on the QVC channel and The Shopping Channel in Canada