>> i used to always say, fix yourself. >> there were talk shows, reality shows, fashion shows, standup. did she ever sit down? >> she loved it, loved it. >> comedy and family, they were her life. >> if it ended right now, amazing life. you've been wonderful. we've had a great ride together. >> those are moments we'll never get again. >> if we didn't laugh, where the hell would we all be? >> tonight, a tribute to joan rivers and all her zingers. hilarious to the end. >> i want my funeral to be a huge show business affair. i want a wind machine so strong that even in the casket my hair will be blowing longer than johns's on stage. >> good evening, everybody. i'm hoda. >> i'm kathie lee. we want to thank you for joining us as we celebrate our friend joan rivers. we got dressed up. hoda drug out the only evening gown she owns. >> for job i had to do it. >> she says, can we talk. could she ever talk. >> from joan rivers first appearance on the tonight show to blood on the run fashion show, right up to her last show a week ago. >> she was everything we adored. she was outrageous, daring, original. >> she was a comedy pioneer. she broke a lot of ground and tabus here. >> so tonight we're going to take a loving look back at the life and laughter of joan rivers. here's erica hill. >> can we talk? >> for more than five decades, when joan rivers wanted to talk, we listened and laughed. >> i went to by sexy underwear and they automatically gift-wrapped it. >> when my water broke, the dog drowned. >> tonight, the world is remembering her. tributes have been pouring in. >> she was a real trailblazer and a real innovator. >> the world has become a less funny place. >> she knew who her audience was and how to get at them and still be loved. >> she had a heart as big as her brain. and she had a big brain. >> she could be caustic. >> this girl was a tramp. crazy, could not keep her knees together. >> she was also a trailblazer, a woman in a man's game. she didn't just open new doors in the comedy world, she crashed through them. >> 40 years in the [ bleep ] business and this is where you end up. >> joan rivers' success paved the way for generations of young comedien comediennes. for kathy griffin, she was an inspiration. >> joan is not only important to the history of comedy. i would say that she's most important to the history of women in comedy because as she would often say to me, it's just different for us. it's just different. >> but success didn't come easily. she had her share of failure, controversy and heartache. still, joan rivers emerged from it all as a megastar and a cultural icon. not bad for a kid from brooklyn. she was born joan alexandra molinsky in 1933. it was a privileged childhood. she graduated from barnard college in 1954 with a degree in english. but her dream had always been to become an actress. >> i was in every school play. i was in everything you could do at college. there was never a discussion in my own head of where i was going and it was always acting. always going to be an actress. >> as she said in the 2010 documentary "joan rivers, a piece of work" comedy was originally just a way to pay the bills. >> i just knew i could work as a comedian at night and make money and make the rounds as an actress. and that's the only reason i went into comedy. >> like so many comics, her career and her life were forever changed with appearances on "the tonight show" with johnny carson. >> on the air carson said to me, you're going to be star. i looked behind me -- who the hell is he talking to? and it was absolutely -- it was magical between the two of us, absolutely magical. >> bill carter of "the new york times" has written extensively about late-night television. >> she became known as a national comedian on his show. and he befriended her and treated her as his protege. >> almost overnight, joan proved johnny right. after her first appearance in 1965, she quickly became a star. that same year, she married for the second time to a television producer named edgar rosenberg. less than three years later, joan gave birth, as she would later say, to her best friend melissa. the next two decades were an incredible success, both personally and professionally. >> and now, here's joan rivers! >> the pinnacle seemed to come in 1983 when she was named permanent guest host of "the tonight show". >> just the idea that she could have been the permanent guest host on "the tonight show" where you have to do topical, satire every night, political commentary, that was unheard of. a woman had never done that before. >> johnny built his career on his winning, easygoing way. joan did her own thing. and it could sometimes be cringe-worthy. elizabeth taylor was a favorite target. >> you know when you need to go on a diet, when you stand behind elizabeth taylor and they can still see your size. >> the kind of jokes you listen to and go, that's really wrong, that's cruel. and you're biting your tongue and cracking up at the same time. >> and joan didn't let up. she was unapologetic and defiant. >> comedy is truth and we should not apologize for it. you're going to get what i think is the truth and it's going to be raw. >> and then in 1986, she made a move that would famously change her life and make history. trading her gig as guest host on "the tonight show" to become the first-ever female host of a late-night talk show. >> fox came and offered me my own show. and edgar would be the producer. of course we said yes. the first person i called was johnny carson. he slammed the phone down and slammed it down again and never spoke to me again, ever. >> the most important relationship of her professional life was over. for johnny, joan was now poison. her show was canceled after just one season. not long after, she lost the most important relationship in her private life, when her husband edgar took his own life. >> he left us high and dry. everything just went to smithereens. and he left me with no career and a lot of debts because he wasn't a good businessman and a lot of tough times. >> but then a remarkable thing happened. joan rivers reinvented herself. she changed course, turned to cable, became a producer and entrepreneur. changes that also came with a new look. >> people want to look at pretty women. nobody wants an old woman. so i started with the plastic surgery. little bits and tweaks. then i got very angry because nobody would admit it. i really became a big advocate of it. so then i became the poster girl for it. so then i became the joker. >> the new joan became a red carpet maven and a fashion guru. her signature question "who are you wearing" quickly became a staple. >> what do you do with all your dresses? >> she also started selling her own line of jewelry on qvc. and somehow managed not to get fired by the donald, winning "celebrity apprentice" in 2009. >> she was stronger than all of them. and i marvelled and i thought it was great for a lot of people that aren't so young to look at this tremendous energy and this great talent. >> in 2011, she starred with melissa in a reality show on the we network. it was classic joan -- raw, honest, outrageous. >> that's fabulous! >> joan rivers became a media empire unto herself. she'd come all the way back. and in the process, amassed a personal fortune while also raising millions of dollars for her favorite causes, including charities helping people with aids and cystic fibrosis. even into her 70s and 80s, joan rivers seemed like a force of nature, working nonstop, never even hinting at retirement. >> i don't want to retire. i don't want to go and sit in the sun. i don't want to go and learn to garden. i paint. who cares? >> her age simply became new material. >> you reach an age -- they applaud because they hope the sound will make me die and they can get my apartment. >> but on her 2012 reality show "joan and melissa" before heading into yet another surgery, joan talked to her daughter from the heart about what life would be like when she's gone. >> if it ended right now, amazing life. and you've been wonderful. and we've had a great ride together. >> you know, i know you're nervous and i feel awful about that. but you don't like to feel like people like you or care about you or want you around. >> it's not about me. it's about you. and if something happens, things are fine and life is fine and life is so much fun, it's one big movie. >> i know. >> a private funeral service will be held sunday in new york. in her book "i hate everyone, starting with me" joan imagined what her funeral might look like if she could have her way. >> i want it to be hollywood all the way. i want to look gorgeous, better dead than i do alive. i want to be buried in a valentino gown and i want harry winston to make me a toe tag. i want a wind machine so strong that even in the casket, my hair will be blowing more than beyonce's on stage. >> just like joan, always leave them laughing. >> what do you want on your tombstone, joan? >> on my tombstone? she had a great time. >> she did. she sure did. and she made sure everybody around her had an even better time than she was having. and maybe nobody understands who had ark, just how hard it is to make comedy look easy, except another comedian. >> and lots of comedians are paying tribute to joan rivers. >> for so many years she was guest host of "the tonight show." >> it's only fitting that one of the most heartfelt came last night from jimmy fallon. >> sad news, i don't know if you guys have heard this, our pal joan rivers passed away. >> joan rivers would have just loved it. from coast to coast, the world of comedy was talking only about her. >> she would come out and just say what you were thinking but you wouldn't say it, you would stop -- but she wouldn't stop. she would just say it. >> she would come out here and sit in this chair and say some things that were unbelievable, just where you would have to swallow pretty hard and twice. but it was hilarious. >> joan rivers would fill in for johnny carson and when she did, it was an event. everybody in the country would talk about it the next day. >> i wish she was here right now. if she was here right now, she would make a joke about how she just passed away. and she would get away with it because it would be really funny. >> hers was that rare act that could span generations. she was 81. comedian chris hardwick is 42. >> i would get a call from her every once in a while. i would get a message like, chris, it's joan, listen, i'm on the phone, it's joan. i want to know about the internet. she wanted to know about the internet, which is one of the reasons why i think she was so relevant for like six decades. >> all over hollywood, comedy clubs are remembering rivers, not with a moment of silence, but with the opposite. [ cheers and applause ] now those making their own names have rivers to thank, like sunda. >> i want to give a few minutes of my time and homage to joan rivers. >> what i liked about joan and the way i related to her was she was able to talk like a man and give it like a man and still be a lady at the same time. >> and christina -- >> she got to a point -- she never gave a crap. but, man, towards the end, she really didn't give a crap. and that was like the best stuff ever. >> jody miller was on "america's got talent" -- >> well, joan, i just started getting botox. love you. and i hope in 30 years i am you. >> many of today's comedy heavyweights like the iconic don rickles saw rivers on her way up the ladder. >> she could do it 24 hours a day. i like a half hour and a check. >> mr. dick cabot. >> she took an oath somewhere mid career that she would never, ever apologize for anything. "if you don't like the goods, go to another shop" was her motto. >> we had a great camaraderie. i used to go into her dressing room, open the door and go, oh, and then close it. it was scary that close. i used to tell her that. and she'd say, it's only rickles, it's okay. >> how many times did you work with her? hundreds? >> i'm not that old. >> gilbert godfrey. >> and she would have these jokes like, i asked elizabeth taylor, what do you want on your hamburger? she said, a hot dog. >> what's joan rivers' legacy? >> funny, intelligent and unusual. when you're unusual, a little bit different than the next guy, you have a chance, and she proved that. >> there is also some thought being given to rivers' next performance. >> i just hope that when joan meets the man upstairs, he's wearing something she can insult. >> i wish i had a ticket right now in heaven just to watch that show that's going on up there. >> the last 24 hours have been every performer's dream, all of show business is talking about you. it might be the only time joan rivers' timing ever failed her. >> all the pros loved her because they know how hard it is to do what she did for five decades. unbelievable. you have to think the best compliment has to be another comedian saying, wow, you are hysterical. she had that. >> we'll be right back. coming up, those who knew joan rivers best -- >> i have an exclusive for you, heads-up. >> surprising stories about the woman behind the wisecracks. >> if you're merely a fan or viewer, you don't see that vulnerable side, but joan was this petite little woman who had battle scars basically. >> when "celebrating joan rivers" continues. very old habits of cleaning their dentures with toothpaste, and dentures are very different than real teeth. they're about ten times softer and have surface pores where bacteria can grow and multiply. polident is specifically designed to clean dentures daily. it's unique micro-clean formula kills 99.99% of odor-causing bacteria and helps dissolve stains, cleaning it a better way than brushing with toothpaste. that's why dentists recommend using polident. for a cleaner, fresher, brighter denture everyday. new business owner, it would be one thing i've learned is my philosophy is real simple american express open forum is an on-line community, that helps our members connect and share ideas to make smart business decisions. if you mess up, fess up. be your partners best partner. we built it for our members, but it's open for everyone. there's not one way to do something. no details too small. american express open forum. this is what membership is. this is what membership does. 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>> the best advice joan ever gave me was, don't hold back, do your thing, screw them if they can't take a joke, don't listen to the haters and naysayers. >> just a few weeks ago, the two sat down for dinner. >> i was talking to her about robin williams. and i said, so i know this is corny and you're going to make fun of me, but i just want to tell you, i love you, i appreciate you. i wouldn't be doing this if it weren't for you. and she was super cool. she half totally teased me, oh, please, stop it. now i have to pay the bill. and half actually said, it's nice. you don't have to, you don't have to -- yeah, i do have to. we all do. >> how great that you had that moment with her? >> look, every moment with her was memorable. >> you are lovely. you could use a little augmentation though, there. >> they became friends when joan played kathy's mother on the '90s sitcom on nbc "suddenly susan." >> mom, i can't -- pins. >> how important is joan rivers to the history of comedy? what was her role in all this? >> joan is not only important to the history of comedy. i would say that she's most important to the history of women in comedy because as she would often say to me, it's just different, it's just different for us. >> why? >> because you have to work harder and jump higher and no one did it more than joan rivers. >> are you kidding? a care person. >> no man has ever put his hand up a woman's skirt to give her a library card. >> she confided in kathy how much it hurt when johnny refused to have her back on his show and wouldn't take her calls. >> she told me johnny carson broke her heart. she will also tell you -- and she's happy to say, he made me a star. she always said, he changed my life. >> did she ever get over it, do you think? >> no, i don't think she got over it. once again, if you're merely a fan or a viewer, you maybe don't see that vulnerable side. but joan was this petite little woman who had battle scars basically. >> did you ever see her cry? >> yeah, i saw her cry, all the time. >> and then, full circle, to joan getting the last laugh, returning after 30 years to the show that first made her famous. what did it mean to her when jimmy fallon invited her on "the tonight show" on the first night? >> i had to get the dirt on that. i thought it was so great. she said it was her idea. >> she called the show? honey, she will pick up the phone and call a show. that's how it goes. and then she said she had to keep calling until she finally got someone that said, oh, i get it, because she said, it has to be jimmy's first night. it has to be my triumphant return, his first night. >> and it turns out many of those celebrities who she skewered in public were actually close friends in private, including the royal family who joan made terrible fun of. >> she sits like this. no one has the guts to say, your hein highness -- >> excuse me, she took me to windsor castle and buckingham palace. and sure enough -- i just want to say, the royals don't just know her. charles and camilla love her. prince charles said to me, well, without comics and newspapers who would keep us honest? >> but it wasn't just the high and mighty who rivers called friends, as documentary filmmaker ricki stern discovered -- >> such a nice audience -- >> granted unprecedented access for her film "joan rivers, a piece of work." stern said she and her crew spent 14 months just trying to keep up with their tireless subject. >> honestly, filming with her, we could only do three-day bursts because it was exhausting. >> for you? >> for us. it was exhausting. and our crew was 30 years old. >> she was the definition of keep on going? >> absolutely. she was a role model for hard work, for sure. and perseverance. >> but what did you learn about her other side, the nonpublic side? >> it didn't take long being around joan to just see her warmth and feel her generosity because she was interested in you. she was not a celebrity who didn't have time for anybody. she had time for everybody. she spoke to the doorman. she spoke to people in the street, her fans, you couldn't walk a block without a fan coming up to her. she didn't just sign an autograph. she would say, oh, i love that scarf. >> ricki remembers the first time she screened the documentary for joan. >> in the opening of the film, we had shot joan without any makeup. i thought, oh, my god, i've got to get through this opening shot. she watched the film and the only comments she had had to do with other people and if she said something off the cuff that she thought might hurt their feelings. she had not a word to say about the opening and her naked face. >> is there anything you didn't get to say to her that you wish you had? >> here's what i didn't get to say to joan that i wish i had. and it's more what i didn't do. i think that i should have figured out a way to really honor her and give her a proper tribute when i had the chance. and that's a big regret of mine. >> when i first came to new york about 32 years ago, joan was one of the first people that just embraced me and made me feel welcome. >> she was on the show with you and reg countless times. >> a lot, a lot, a lot. >> she just brought an earthiness and naturalness. she once told me, i don't pick on anybody that can't take it. >> you know what -- that's true. >> yeah. >> she was also one of these people that seemed fiercely loyal. >> very much so. >> she had the same hair and makeup people, the same friends. she kept a tight group. but she was always there for you. you know what that feels like. >> when i was accused of some horrible things, she was like a lone voice in the wilderness crying out that it was unfair, unjust and also untrue. you never forget that when somebody stands up for you. loyal like that. loved her. >> we'll be back. >> still do. coming up, joan rivers, forever funny, forever young. >> you're going to try dope? >> yeah. >> you want to get a tattoo? >> at this age, you better hurry. >> when "celebrating joan rivers" continues. to unplug and recharge. what if this feeling could last all week? with centurylink as your trusted partner, it can. our visionary cloud infrastructure and global broadband network free you to focus on what matters. with custom communications solutions and dedicated support, your business can shine all week long. so factors like diet can negatively impact good bacteria? even if you're healthy and active. phillips digestive health support is a duo-probiotic that helps supplement good bacteria found in two parts of your digestive tract. i'm doubly impressed! phillips' digestive health. a daily probiotic. while a body in motion tends to stay in motion. staying active can ease arthritis symptoms. but if you have arthritis, this can be difficult. prescription celebrex can help relieve arthritis pain, so your body can stay in motion. because just one 200mg celebrex a day can provide 24 hour relief for many with arthritis pain and inflammation. plus, in clinical studies, celebrex is proven to improve daily physical function so moving is easier. and it's not a narcotic. you and your doctor should balance the benefits with the risks. all prescription nsaids, like celebrex, ibuprofen, naproxen and meloxicam have the same cardiovascular warning. they all may increase the chance of heart attack or stroke, which can lead to death. this chance increases if you have heart disease or risk factors such as high blood pressure or when nsaids are taken for long periods. nsaids, like celebrex, increase the chance of serious skin or allergic reactions, or stomach and intestine problems, such as bleeding and ulcers, which can occur without warning and may cause death. patients also taking aspirin and the elderly are at increased risk for stomach bleeding and ulcers. don't take celebrex if you have bleeding in the stomach or intestine, or had an asthma attack, hives, other allergies to aspirin, nsaids or sulfonamides. get help right away if you have swelling of the face or throat, or trouble breathing. tell your doctor your medical history. and ask your doctor about celebrex. for a body in motion. and now celebrex may be available for as little as $4 a month. terms and conditions apply. to learn more, go to celebrex.com. in 2012, lester holt sat down with joan rivers and her daughter, melissa, in joan's manhattan apartment. >> and as always with joan, it was a free-wheeling conversation. >> i can only imagine. but lester kicked it off with a personal story. >> several months ago, i was on a plane and you were on the plane, and i was watching you and you were quiet and you were reading and i thought, what's it like to be joan rivers? the sense that you always have to be on? >> the hard thing about being joan rivers is hostesses expect you to be on. i'm invited to cocktail parties and dinner parties and they say, sit joan next to them, because she'll be funny at the table. if you don't know you, i won't talk at all. >> you don't feel this notion to be the comedienne all the time. >> i feel they want me to be it but i can't be it. >> my mom gets very shy and nervous and doesn't want to disappoint. so she's like, well, i shouldn't say anything because what if they think i'm not funny or what if they think i'm not smart. >> looks count. education -- looks count. >> i was at a dinner party. and the hostess leaned over and said, remember, what joan says is funny. and i suddenly realized, none of these people have a sense of humor. these are jokes over the last 30 years. i have a file system going of as many jokes as i can remember. >> but the jokes have to be topical. >> no. it's hilarious. you just change your name. you want to do a short joke. dr. ruth, no. danny devito, it works. >> you be nice. >> i'm trying to be. >> you're never nice to anybody. >> i am nice. >> the red carpet is one of the things you're known for. >> started it. of you started that whole thing. what's the fascination with the red carpet? essentially you're making small talk with the stars as they come -- >> no, you're making stupid small talk. i have two hit shows, do you understand our business? there have been years where i had nothing. do i or do i not have every minute planned out? >> mom, you have every minute of my life planned out for me. >> has it been fabulous? >> i want to talk about the show because of your relationship. it almost seems like you've flipped the parental role. you're going to try dope. >> at this age, you better hurry. >> i want something to calm me down, if it's legal. if it's legal. >> it's definitely legal. >> you think this is better than just a glass of chardonnay? >> dramatically better. >> out it from a medical marijuana place. >> a doctor. his mother must be very proud. >> what is all this? >> organic? >> from california. >> gluten-free? >> melissa, how do you handle your mother going off in this direction? >> i think i've been sort of the adult in the relationship for a while. >> thank you. >> you're welcome. >> you know that i'm very, very concerned about the surgery. >> oh, don't start, melissa -- >> let me finish, please. let me finish. >> is this an intervention? >> you did an intervention on the plastic surgery. >> yeah. >> what was that about? >> because i feel like -- we go back to the risk/reward. at one point you have to go, stop it, come on. it really does scare all of us. >> for god's sakes, you're all in the will. >> it's not funny. >> my body is my temple. my temple needs redecorating. i love performing. i love what the audience gives you. i walk out and go, i'm so happy to see you. here are all my friends and we can talk, this is fabulous. and that's my energy on stage. i'm so happy to have people i can laugh with. >> coming up, in the days of black and white, a girl comic tells her brand of off-color jokes. guys would take note. >> she'd earned it. she earned the right to say whatever she wanted. >> while the women would find inspiration. >> i mostly learned from joan to be audacious and speak your mind. >> when "celebrating joan rivers" continues. deploy the boring potato chip decoy bag. with a variety of tastes and textures, only chex mix has twenty bags of interesting. pick your mix. when folks think about wthey think salmon and energy. but the energy bp produces up here creates something else as well: jobs all over america. engineering and innovation jobs. advanced safety systems & technology. shipping and manufacturing. across the united states, bp supports more than a quarter million jobs. when we set up operation in one part of the country, people in other parts go to work. that's not a coincidence. it's one more part of our commitment to america. looki prefer today.eeks? 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it just wasn't what she wanted to do, wasn't what drove her. >> correspondent alicia quarles got to know joan at the e! network. >> joan was working all the time. new books, standup, tours, fashion police, online shows, tv shows. this was a busy woman. she had many trails more that she wanted to blaze. >> but like it or not, joan did open doors and blaze trails for countless comics, especially women. and it wasn't easy. from the very start, she had to fight for a seat at the boys' table. watch this 1965 exchange with jack paar on "the jack paar program." he seemed sort of perplexed by this ambitious girl comic. >> you're a barnard college graduate? >> yes. >> and you're father's a doctor? >> yes, sir. of you live in scarsdale. >> larchmont. >> and your mother is a -- >> a mother. >> just a mother. how do you look upon what it is you do? >> frightened. >> she wasn't the first woman to break into stand-up. phyllis diller was playing clubs years before joan rivers. but joan redefined the medium for women. >> i do not cook. i hate to cook. cooking is boring and it is stupid and cleaning -- can we talk about cleaning? my kitchen is so dirty, my mice wear spikes. you want the floor to shine? i have to wax the roaches. not one woman here was ever made love to because she did the linoleum. the floors are immaculate! lie down, you hot tramp. >> decked out in big hair, big jewelry and lots of makeup, she perfected the take no prisoners assault. the only child i think i would have liked was helen keller because she didn't talk. >> lily tomlin says she learned about the comic craft by watching joan work. >> i mostly learned from joan to be audacious and speak your mind and she just went out of her way to be explicit about what she thought and what she was going to say and she really didn't censor herself. that was something you found to be admired. >> roseanne barr, ellen degeneres, sarah silverman, and margaret cho, of course, kathy griffin all owe a debt to joan rivers. >> i would often say to her, i wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't for you. and she didn't want to get on the feminist bandwagon. i e-mailed her six weeks ago and i said whether you like it or not or identify as a feminist, you just are, so deal with it. because you have broken down a barrier and then the other one and then the next one and the barrier from left field. >> women followed her lead, but men did, too. comics like tim allen watched her and learned. >> she didn't give a [ bleep ]. she earned it. she earned the right to say whatever she wanted. she reinvented herself all the time. that's very admirable and honorable. >> she's taken more hits and career punches and personal punches than anyone i've ever known and comes out of it with a new act, another platform, another laugh. >> when she died, the twittersphere lit up with words of gratitude from women and men who said joan rivers made all the difference. wanda sykes tweeted, we have lost a true legend. thank you, joan, for paving the way for broads like me. >> and from sarah silverman, my heart is torn in half. she wasn't done. she wasn't done. there was no sign that joan rivers was slowing down. she couldn't. >> i'll show you fear. that's fear. if my book ever looked like this, it would mean that nobody wants me and that everything i ever tried to do in life didn't work. nobody cared and i've been totally forgotten. >> but in the end, her book didn't look like that and nobody had forgotten. she had 15 bookings in london on her calendar coming up. she was ready to go. the thing about joan is she had so many gigs still booked. a friend of mine was driving down the highway and saw a sign that said, joan rivers at the sands. in november. it just reminds you, she had a full book ahead of her. she did. >> we'll be right back after this. coming up, joan rivers calling celebrities on the carpet, the red one. >> kim cattrall. >> that's a communion dress for sluts. >> she only praeshted a celebrity that could handle a zinger. if they couldn't handle a zinger, they better get ready for more zingers, because they were a comin'. hey pal? 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