Joan Rivers, who died on Thursday, was one of late-night television's true pioneers. And inextricably tied to her legacy of trailblazing is her relationship with The Tonight Show, and the long shadow that Johnny Carson cast over her career. In the mid-1950s, at age 23, Rivers ran away from home to become an actress. By 1958, she had decided on comedy. But she auditioned for The Tonight Show seven times - as a favor to her manager's other client, Bill Cosby - before she was put on Carson's show in 1965 as a gag writer. "It was a mercy booking," she told...
- 9/4/2014
- by Alex Heigl, @alex_heigl
- PEOPLE.com
Joan Rivers, who died on Thursday, was one of late-night television's true pioneers. And inextricably tied to her legacy of trailblazing is her relationship with The Tonight Show, and the long shadow that Johnny Carson cast over her career. In the mid-1950s, at age 23, Rivers ran away from home to become an actress. By 1958, she had decided on comedy. But she auditioned for The Tonight Show seven times - as a favor to her manager's other client, Bill Cosby - before she was put on Carson's show in 1965 as a gag writer. "It was a mercy booking," she told...
- 9/4/2014
- by Alex Heigl, @alex_heigl
- PEOPLE.com
Chicago – Anyone who considers Joan Rivers to be little more than a plasticized sight gag is advised to check out Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg’s wonderful documentary, a sorely deserving (and unfairly snubbed) contender in this year’s Oscar race. The film invites viewers to look under Rivers’ immobile Botox mask and observe the angry, brilliant, brutally honest and fiercely insecure woman hiding beneath.
Though her dreams of becoming a serious actress have remained unrealized, Rivers’ trailblazing comedy paved the way for cutting-edge female comics from Kathy Griffin to Sarah Silverman. It becomes quickly apparent that Rivers’ deformed features are the result of a desperate spirit that refuses to grow old, retire and be labeled a legend. She’s gradually become the punch-line of her own jokes about age, beauty, identity and especially plastic surgery. Some time after her husband Edgar committed suicide, Rivers joked that she was the reason he did it,...
Though her dreams of becoming a serious actress have remained unrealized, Rivers’ trailblazing comedy paved the way for cutting-edge female comics from Kathy Griffin to Sarah Silverman. It becomes quickly apparent that Rivers’ deformed features are the result of a desperate spirit that refuses to grow old, retire and be labeled a legend. She’s gradually become the punch-line of her own jokes about age, beauty, identity and especially plastic surgery. Some time after her husband Edgar committed suicide, Rivers joked that she was the reason he did it,...
- 12/21/2010
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Joan Rivers' former manager is suing the comic for $2.2 million (£1.5 million), alleging he is owed money for resurrecting her "dormant" career.
Billy Sammeth, who was hired by the outspoken funnywoman in 2002 and fired in 2009, filed a lawsuit in a New York court earlier this week (begs21Jun10) claiming he is owed unpaid commissions.
In the filed papers, the agent lists the jobs he allegedly landed Rivers and states he is still owed 10 per cent of her earnings, totalling $200,000 (£133,000).
He is also seeking $2 million (£1.5 million) in exemplary and punitive damages, accusing the star of defaming him in her recent TV documentary, Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work.
Sammeth goes on to claim he rebuilt Rivers' career at a time when she was struggling to land jobs - insisting she went from working 12 shows a year to 40.
A rep for the comedienne says, "This is the claim of a former personal manager, who was properly terminated over one year ago. Billy Sammeth is now making claims for money to which he is not entitled, and I am confident that the judicial system will dispose of Mr. Sammeth's lawsuit in the appropriate manner."...
Billy Sammeth, who was hired by the outspoken funnywoman in 2002 and fired in 2009, filed a lawsuit in a New York court earlier this week (begs21Jun10) claiming he is owed unpaid commissions.
In the filed papers, the agent lists the jobs he allegedly landed Rivers and states he is still owed 10 per cent of her earnings, totalling $200,000 (£133,000).
He is also seeking $2 million (£1.5 million) in exemplary and punitive damages, accusing the star of defaming him in her recent TV documentary, Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work.
Sammeth goes on to claim he rebuilt Rivers' career at a time when she was struggling to land jobs - insisting she went from working 12 shows a year to 40.
A rep for the comedienne says, "This is the claim of a former personal manager, who was properly terminated over one year ago. Billy Sammeth is now making claims for money to which he is not entitled, and I am confident that the judicial system will dispose of Mr. Sammeth's lawsuit in the appropriate manner."...
- 6/24/2010
- WENN
Joan Rivers' former manager is suing the comic for $2.2 million, alleging he is owed money for resurrecting her "dormant" career. Billy Sammeth, who was hired by the outspoken funnywoman in 2002 and fired in 2009, filed a lawsuit in a New York court earlier this week claiming he is owed unpaid commissions.
In the filed papers, the agent lists the jobs he allegedly landed Rivers and states he is still owed 10 per cent of her earnings, totaling $200,000. He is also seeking $2 million in exemplary and punitive damages, accusing the star of defaming him in her recent TV documentary, "Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work".
Sammeth goes on to claim he rebuilt Rivers' career at a time when she was struggling to land jobs - insisting she went from working 12 shows a year to 40.
A rep for the comedienne says, "This is the claim of a former personal manager, who was properly terminated over one year ago.
In the filed papers, the agent lists the jobs he allegedly landed Rivers and states he is still owed 10 per cent of her earnings, totaling $200,000. He is also seeking $2 million in exemplary and punitive damages, accusing the star of defaming him in her recent TV documentary, "Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work".
Sammeth goes on to claim he rebuilt Rivers' career at a time when she was struggling to land jobs - insisting she went from working 12 shows a year to 40.
A rep for the comedienne says, "This is the claim of a former personal manager, who was properly terminated over one year ago.
- 6/24/2010
- by AceShowbiz.com
- Aceshowbiz
Joan Rivers -- Under Attack in Nasty Lawsuit
Joan Rivers is being sued by a bitter ex-manager -- who claims he was never compensated for resurrecting Joan's "dormant career" ... but it's clear this lawsuit is as much about hurt feelings as lost money.
The guy going after Rivers is Billy Sammeth -- Joan's longtime "personal manager" -- who claims he "took [Joan's] dormant career" ... and found a way to get her more work and more money ... only to be stiffed out of $179k and humiliated in a recent documentary about Joan's life.
In the docs, Sammeth claims he never got his 10% cut from several paydays Joan received -- including a $200,000 check Joan received from winning "Celebrity Apprentice."
Sammeth also claims Joan and the people behind the documentary "Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work" -- defamed him by making him appear to be a "disappeared" manager.
Sammeth is suing both Joan and...
Joan Rivers is being sued by a bitter ex-manager -- who claims he was never compensated for resurrecting Joan's "dormant career" ... but it's clear this lawsuit is as much about hurt feelings as lost money.
The guy going after Rivers is Billy Sammeth -- Joan's longtime "personal manager" -- who claims he "took [Joan's] dormant career" ... and found a way to get her more work and more money ... only to be stiffed out of $179k and humiliated in a recent documentary about Joan's life.
In the docs, Sammeth claims he never got his 10% cut from several paydays Joan received -- including a $200,000 check Joan received from winning "Celebrity Apprentice."
Sammeth also claims Joan and the people behind the documentary "Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work" -- defamed him by making him appear to be a "disappeared" manager.
Sammeth is suing both Joan and...
- 6/24/2010
- by tmz
- Gossipvita
Joan Rivers is being sued by a bitter ex-manager -- who claims he was never compensated for resurrecting Joan's " dormant career " ... but it's clear this lawsuit is as much about hurt feelings as lost money. The guy going after Rivers is Billy Sammeth -- Joan's longtime "personal manager" -- who claims he "took [Joan's] dormant career" ... and found a way to get her more work and more money ... only to be stiffed out of $179k and...
- 6/23/2010
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
We have three new clips in from IFC Films' "Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work" documentary. Ricki Stern and Anni Sunberg direct the film which includes Joan Rivers, Jocelyn Pickett, Billy Sammeth, Larry Thompson, Graham Reed, Kevin Brennan, Debbie Brennan Analie Berthel and Sean Foley. The film sees limited venues on June 11th. “I Am a performer. When I am on stage, it is the only time I am truly happy.” -- Joan Rivers Joan Rivers - A Piece Of Work takes the audience on a year long ride with Joan Rivers in her 76th year of life; it peels away the mask of an iconic comedian, laying bare both the struggle and thrill of living life as a groundbreaking female performer. Filmmakers Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg (The Devil Came On Horseback, The Trials Of Darryl Hunt) expose the private dramas of this irreverent, legendary comedian as she...
- 6/1/2010
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Former Emmerdale star Hayley Tamaddon has admitted that she was inspired to lose weight after being taunted about her size on Soapstar Superstar. The actress, who played Delilah Dingle on the ITV1 soap, was shocked to receive criticism over her appearance from Soapstar judge Billy Sammeth when she competed in the 2007 contest. She later discovered that posters on an internet forum agreed with his comments. Tamaddon told Take 5 magazine: "People were saying, 'She's definitely not a size 10 - a 14 more like'. I was a size 10 then and all right, I was curvy. I watch the show back now and think how massive my boobs were. Now I've gone down a whole cup size. Those comments did upset me, but they gave me a kick up the bum." Hayley has lost a stone in weight since she (more)...
- 7/14/2008
- by By Daniel Kilkelly
- Digital Spy
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.