Joan Rivers Returns to The Tonight Show — FALLON LIFTS BAN

It’s no secret that Joan Rivers has a complicated history with The Tonight Show. The comedic legend got blacklisted when she launched a competing show against Johnny Carson, who saw her choice as a betrayal. In fact, Rivers herself admits she neglected to get Johnny’s blessing, and given that Johnny gave Rivers her first break, it was probably not the greatest move. In retrospect, Rivers might have mishandled the delicate situation, but in today’s competing climate, this type of move would be expected. Because Leno and Conan respected the ban during their reign as host, Rivers remained on the outs. But Joan stayed relevant long enough to return when Fallon welcomed her back. Watch below.