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Oct 2023
43m 30s

Joan Rivers and Johnny Carson | 18

Wondery
About this episode

They were the king and queen of late-night TV until it all came crashing down. Johnny Carson reigned supreme as the host of "The Tonight Show," and by his side was Joan Rivers, his trusted protégé who became a star with her biting comedy routines. But in 1986, Joan did the unthinkable—she left to start her own rival late-night show. Her shocking exit provoked Johnny's wrath; he reacted by imposing a lifelong ban from his show, severing ties permanently, and refusing to utter another word to her. In this episode, we're diving into the ego trips, power struggles, and sexism that fueled one of Hollywood's most infamous feuds. But the story doesn't end there—Joan's legacy still packs a punch, inspiring shows like "Hacks" and "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel."


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