Johnny Carson News

Comedy icon Joan Rivers met her fans on Thursday, January 29th at the Barnes & Noble at Lincoln Square, as she signed copies of her two newly published titles. BroadwayWorld.com's cameras were there to spend the evening with the entertainment legend! Rivers' books are MEN ARE STUPID...AND THEY LIKE BIG BOOBS...A WOMAN'S GUIDE TO BEAUTY THROUGH PLASTIC SURGERY and MURDER AT THE ACADEMY AWARDS...A RED CARPET MURDER MYSTERY.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on December 12th, 2008, that Hugh Jackman will host the 81st annual Academy Awards. The film and stage superstar spoke to Entertainment Weekly about hosting the legendary telecast, including his sure-fire secret to television success, 'nudity'.

The Academy of Magical Arts is proud to annouce that Neil Patrick Harris is both co-producing and hosting the Academy of Magical Arts Awards (The Oscars of Magic) on March 8th. Neil is giving the traditional event a face lift and bringing an entirely restructured format for the program to a new venue. Also, although not common knowledge, Neal is also an amature magician.

The Magic Castle announces a special engagement of 'The First 80 Years are the Hardest,' an intimate evening with Carol Channing on March 2nd & 3rd at 8pm. Miss Channing will be launching Cabaret at the Castle which is being developed as additional theatre space (currently boasting five theatres from the Parlour of Prestidigitation to the Palace of Mystery) in the Magic Castle's lower level, known as The Inner Circle (7001 Franklin Avenue, Hollywood, CA 90028).

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Joan Rivers 'made the rounds' in New York during the '50s, appearing in a few off-off Broadway plays (including one where she played a lesbian opposite an equally unknown Barbra Streisand), surviving sleazy agents, tawdry clubs, and hostile audiences. A 1965 booking on 'The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson' led to her hosting one of the first syndicated talk shows on daytime TV, 'That Show with Joan Rivers' in 1968. In the '70s Joan wrote the TV-movie The Girl Most Likely To (starring Stockard Channing) and then wrote and directed her first feature film Rabbit Test, casting Billy Crystal in the lead. In 1983 Joan became the permanent guest host on 'The Tonight Show.' Later, she headlined in Las Vegas, sold out Carnegie Hall, produced a Grammy nominated comedy album, and wrote two best-selling books. In 1989 the Tribune Corporation launched Joan in her own syndicated daytime talk show. She won an Emmy and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 1994 she wrote and starred on Broadway in Sally Marr and Her Escorts, for which she received a Best Actress Tony nomination. Since then, Joan has written three more best-selling books, maintains her own jewelry line on QVC, provided fashion commentaries for E! and The TV Guide Channel, and filmed a special for Bravo. Currently, she has two new books on sale (Men Are Stupid . . . And They Like Big Boobs: A Woman's Guide to Beauty Through Plastic Surgery and Murder at the Academy Awards). She will be a contestant on Celebrity Apprentice 2 beginning March 1st. Later this year, she will also host the new reality TV series How'd You Get So Rich? on TV Land.

On February 7, 2009, the Lyric Stage League presents CABARET '09: THE LEGENDARY DAYS OF LAS VEGAS, the annual fund-raising event for Lyric Stage. Marilyn Maye, fresh from her latest New York City triumph, will headline this year's gala at the beautiful Four Seasons Resort and Club. Billy Stritch, direct from his engagement with Liza Minnelli on Broadway at the Palace Theater, will accompany Ms. Maye. Call 972-594-1904 for tickets or more info. Marilyn Maye was one of the brightest lights of television, supper clubs and the recording industry during the 1960's. She became a fixture on THE TONIGHT SHOW with Steve Allen and Johnny Carson and enjoyed a great recording career with RCA. After an absence of over 15 years, she made a triumphant return to New York City last fall. THE NEW YORK OBSERVER's Rex Reed proclaimed 'This woman has everything. She can belt, and she can sing ballads with the kind of warmth that makes your heart smile. She has a theatrical flair that captivates and enthralls, and jazz-spiced chops that can reach notes most singers one-third her age can't even hit in their dreams. The standing ovations were unlike anything I've seen since the halcyon days of Lena Horne at the Waldorf. She's the real deal.'

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Joan Rivers 'made the rounds' in New York during the '50s, appearing in a few off-off Broadway plays (including one where she played a lesbian opposite an equally unknown Barbra Streisand), surviving sleazy agents, tawdry clubs, and hostile audiences. A 1965 booking on 'The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson' led to her hosting one of the first syndicated talk shows on daytime TV, 'That Show with Joan Rivers' in 1968. In the '70s Joan wrote the TV-movie The Girl Most Likely To (starring Stockard Channing) and then wrote and directed her first feature film Rabbit Test, casting Billy Crystal in the lead. In 1983 Joan became the permanent guest host on 'The Tonight Show.' Later, she headlined in Las Vegas, sold out Carnegie Hall, produced a Grammy nominated comedy album, and wrote two best-selling books. In 1989 the Tribune Corporation launched Joan in her own syndicated daytime talk show. She won an Emmy and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 1994 she wrote and starred on Broadway in Sally Marr and Her Escorts, for which she received a Best Actress Tony nomination. Since then, Joan has written three more best-selling books, maintains her own jewelry line on QVC, provided fashion commentaries for E! and The TV Guide Channel, and filmed a special for Bravo. Currently, she has two new books on sale (Men Are Stupid . . . And They Like Big Boobs: A Woman's Guide to Beauty Through Plastic Surgery and Murder at the Academy Awards). She will be a contestant on Celebrity Apprentice 2 beginning March 1st. Later this year, she will also host the new reality TV series How'd You Get So Rich? on TV Land.

With the closing of The Cutting Room, legendary comedian JOAN RIVERS brings her her live stand-up act to The Lower East Side. Beginning February 3rd, Rivers presents an evening of her newest and most outrageous riffs on Hollywood, pop culture, celebrities, and award show fashions at The Slipper Room, 167 Orchard Street (on the corner of Orchard and Stanton Streets, one block below Houston -- accessible from the F&V trains at 2nd Avenue). Rivers performs live every Tuesday at 7:30pm from February 3 - 24. Tickets are $30 with a portion of the proceeds going to Joan Rivers' favorite charities: God's Love We Deliver and Guide Dogs for the Blind. For reservations call 212-352-3101 or visit www.SpinCycleNYC.com. Doors open one hour before showtime, with food and a full bar available.

Billy Crystal visits The Late Show with David Letterman tonight, Monday January 12th at 11:30pm (EST).

The 92nd Street Y announces casting for the 2009 season of Lyrics & Lyricists, the Y's legendary American Songbook series. Polly Bergen, Lucie Arnaz, Tom Wopat and Marilyn Maye are among the storied cast members who will sing the songs of Richard Rodgers, Ira Gershwin, Mel Torm?, DeSylva, Brown & Henderson, David Zippel and others. This is the first season curated by new series artistic director DEBORAH GRACE WINER, and her inaugural line-up of guest artistic directors - MARTIN CHARNIN, DAVID ZIPPEL, ROBERT KIMBALL, REX REED, and BILLY STRITCH.

Dancing with the Stars host Samantha Harris told People when that her ideal Dancing with the Stars contestant would be the one and only Hugh Jackman. 'He's a song and dance man. He's a Broadway guy. He's got charisma and you know he can move' she told the entertainment magazine.

Variety is reporting that Hugh Jackman has removed himself from discussions to star with Catherine Zeta-Jones in 'CLEO,' a 3-D live action musical which Steven Soderbergh will direct as his next project. There had been buzz for the last number of weeks regarding Jackman joining the film.

August: Osage County, winner of five 2008 Tony Awards as well as the 2008 Pulitzer Prize, is proud to welcome Tony Award winner, ELIZABETH ASHLEY who joins the cast beginning Tuesday, February 3, 2009 at 7:00 pm. ASHLEY, celebrating her fifth decade on Broadway, will play the role of 'Mattie Fae Aiken.'

The 92nd Street Y announces casting for the 2009 season of Lyrics & Lyricists?, the Y's legendary American Songbook series. Polly Bergen, Lucie Arnaz, Tom Wopat and Marilyn Maye are among the storied cast members who will sing the songs of Richard Rodgers, Ira Gershwin, Mel Torm?, DeSylva, Brown & Henderson, David Zippel and others. This is the first season curated by new series artistic director DEBORAH GRACE WINER, and her inaugural line-up of guest artistic directors - MARTIN CHARNIN, DAVID ZIPPEL, ROBERT KIMBALL, REX REED, and BILLY STRITCH.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has confirmed that Hugh Jackman will host the 81st annual Academy Awards.The Academy said Friday that the 40-year-old Australian actor, recently named People magazine's 'Sexiest Man Alive,' will host the Oscars.

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences' Hall of Fame Committee has selected Bea Arthur, Dan Burke, Larry Gelbart, Merv Griffin, Tom Murphy and Sherwood Schwartz to be inducted into the Television Academy's Hall of Fame, it was announced today by John Shaffner, Chairman/CEO of the Television Academy.

Tony Award nominated Broadway star, Patricia Marand, who graced the stage with theatre greats like Yul Brynner, as leading lady Anna in 'The King & I,' and Alfred Drake, as the sultry Aldonza in 'Man Of La Mancha,' and twice opposite Jack Cassidy, passed away yesterday due to brain cancer

TV Land has green lit the new non-scripted original series, 'How'd You Get So Rich?,' produced by Mark Burnett and featuring Joan Rivers.

Billy Porter returns to Joe's Pub for an evening of song, featuring new American Broadway standards, gospel, and soulful originals.

It was announced today that the 5th Annual Broadway Unplugged will feature a special guest appearance by the legendary nightclub entertainer that Johnny Carson famously called a 'Super Singer' -- Marilyn Maye.