Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your accountsSaved for Latersection.
Joan Riverss first memoir,Enter Talking, ends with her finally making it onThe Tonight Show.
She is not surprised.
And shes not done.
Tune in toGood Oneevery Thursday onApple Podcasts,Spotify,Stitcher,Overcast, orwherever you get your podcasts.
What did America represent to you professionally?It meant no limits.
In England, I was successful.
Not even 12 months later, he was a multimillionaire selling out stadiums.
And then even if they did fuck up, then that industry would go to,I dont know.
We tried this Black guy.
It didnt work out.
I always wanted to live in America since I was like 4 years old.
Even when I worked as an engineer, I worked for Otis building elevators.
Otis is an American company.
I want to go to America and swim with the sharks.
I want to compete with the big boys.
Even the half-hour special that I did for Netflix, they gave me two weeks notice.
Basically, somebody else must have dropped out.
Who can we get to?
And then I got a call saying, Can you put a special together in two weeks?
And I was like, Yeah, I stay ready.
I never felt that wanted.
I never felt like they came for me, that they respected my stand-up.
I didnt ask any questions because I was like,I dont give a shit Im ready.
Ive got my set, and theyll pay me a nice check.
Lets go.Im still waiting for somebody like Netflix to say, Lets go.
Heres a big fat check.
We respect your stand-up.
Do you think that it will?I dont know.
Ive got the sitcom, and its going really well.
Im heading into season three.
Its a very successful sitcom.
Its kind of disappointing to me because Ive got one more really great special.
What does that mean to you?
Ive gotten into television.
Im going into writing and producing, and Im enjoying that.
Im enjoying that aspect.
I feel like Im getting older, and my career may be going in a different direction.
I love my stand-up.
Ill always love my stand-up.
So the swan song should be big.
I want the big fucking check.
I want Netflix to go, Youre amazing.
Weve got three of your specials on here, and theyre really good.
We want to pay you a ton of money to make the next special.
Because two of the specials that are on there, I made them myself.
Im as good as any of those people.
Yeah, Ive got specials.
Iliza Shitslinger all of them.
Im as good …betterthan a lot of them.
