Johnny Carson's Practical Joke on Joan Rivers - Margaret Thatcher Impressionist (about 1983)

Johnny Carson plays an elaborate practical joke on Joan Rivers (about 1983). Because of her many jokes about the British Royal Family, Johnny Carson hires British actress Janet Brown - notable for playing Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher - to fool Joan Rivers into thinking she is the Prime Minister, who confronts and scolds Joan Rivers about her material.

Rivers' late husband Edgar Rosenberg is briefly seen in this video. In her panic while being confronted by "Margaret Thatcher", Rivers says: "Edgar, why don't you sit here?"

Due to the falling out between Joan Rivers and Johnny Carson after she left her position as permanent guest hostess on his show to host her own competing talk show on Fox, this has not been broadcast since 1985.

Category:

Comedy

Tags:

• Johnny
• Carson
• Joan
• Rivers
• practical
• joke
• Margaret
• Thatcher
• British
• Royal
• Family
• Edgar
• Rosenberg
• Janet
• Brown

[qwertyuiopz123]

WOW!! she plays margaret thatcher spot on

[jklein9823]

@qwertyuiopz123 Yes, in later interviews, Joan Rivers said she really believed it really was Margaret Thatcher "at first". But then she noticed that "she was wearing a wig", and she began to have doubts. But she played along with it, in case it really was Margaret Thatcher. This is a great video.

[jklein9823]

This is a hoot. Joan Rivers nearly sh** in her pants. ;-)

[jklein9823]

Glad you liked it. I am thankful that I saved it on a VHS tape all these years and was able to post it on YouTube.

[ttiiyy]

@jklein9823 If Rivers did somehow believe that it's real Thatcher, it would be really juicy since she had the nerves to say to Britain's prime minister that the US helped Britain during WWII. That always pisses off Britons :P

[ttiiyy]

Janet Brown's better than Streep as Thatcher. I love Streep, but she's just not as convincing.

[onceIhadalove]

OH MY GOD, am I seeing Johnny Carson with missing lower teeth???!!! His lisp is very strong and then I noticed his teeth! Did he forget to put his dentures in? I am not being mean, I love Johnny. This just really surprised me!

[Vergon3256]

Joan was fuckable back then

[n0wave]

Thank you for posting this! LOL at the WW2 comment (7:10), I can't believe she had the guts to say that to (who she thought was) Margaret Thatcher

[terminator0]

@jklein9823 Thanks a million my friend. We would appreciate anything else you have :).

[Leoneidas]

Oh man, its funny all over again!  Johnny crossed no lines.

[Leoneidas]

This one of the all-time great classics! Thanks for FINALLY putting this legendary joke up for new generations to enjoy.

[Holdenon3]

The last moment was the best.

I don't blame Joan one bit for being angry with Johnny for his dishonesty -- even though it led to a brilliant hoax.

You have to trust your friends, no questions asked. Johnny crossed the line at Joan's expense.  Bad Johnny! Bad bad Johnny! :-D

[maszlagma]

Wow that impersonator was very good!