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# Joan Rivers Returns To 'Tonight Show' For First Interview In 26 Years

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<!-- video src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/pfMm7lXs.m3u8" -->
## Video: Joan Rivers Returns To 'Tonight Show' For First Interview In 26 Years

[Watch (HLS stream): Joan Rivers Returns To 'Tonight Show' For First Interview In 26 Years](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/pfMm7lXs.m3u8) (1:14)

![Joan Rivers Returns To 'Tonight Show' For First Interview In 26 Years](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/pfMm7lXs/poster.jpg?width=720)

_Published 2014-03-28. The comedienne sat down as a guest on the late-night show for the first time since Johnny Carson banned her decades ago._


---

Jul 27, 2023 4:20 PM UTC

---

## More From This Series

[All Videos](https://time.com/video/)

[Late-Night Highlight: Jimmy Fallon And Other Show Hosts Remember Joan Rivers](/video/KOh4c72E/)

### Late-Night Highlight: Jimmy Fallon And Other Show Hosts Remember Joan Rivers

[Fred Rogers On The Tonight Show with Joan Rivers](/video/uALMIdVj/)

### Fred Rogers On The Tonight Show with Joan Rivers

[The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson](/video/L25m4gW3/)

### The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

---


## Transcript

For your late night highlight, after a 26- year ban, Joan Rivers appeared as a guest on The Tonight Show Thursday. And in her comeback, the comedian didn't play it safe. They sent this big stretch Mercedes limo for us and it got stuck and I'm thinking you know the Germans killed 6 million Jews. You can't even fix a [ NOISE ] carborator? [ LAUGH ] Welcome back to the network Joan. Yes. Typical Joan. Rivers made a brief appearance on Jimmy Fallon's debut back in February, but this was her first down interview since Johnny Carson banned her decades ago. Jay Leno stuck to the ban, but Jimmy is moving on.

And, Rivers thanked the new host for bringing her back. She used to be a regular and credits Carson for helping her make it big, but the two had a falling out in the 80s when she got her own late night show. On her YouTube channel, the 80 year old spoke about coming back on Fallon's debut. It was such a moment for me and it was 46 years to the time I'd first come on the show. Oh my gosh. By mistake. Oh my gosh. Isn't that great? That's incredible. February 17th, someone tells me, you know, it's 46 years to the day you first were on the show. Well, you're back, Joan, in a big way. Thanks for watching.

I'm Lauren Zima.

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