Joan Rivers at Tribeca: 'I Was Never the Pretty One'

The conversation eventually moved on to the trajectory of Rivers's career, which, for her taste, has intersected far too rarely with the types of serious roles she says she wants and deserves. Reed picked the subject up and sprinted with it.

"Jim Carrey," he said, "has gone on record as saying if there was anything he would do over again, he would not start out in stand-up comedy, because it really did affect his ability to be taken seriously as a good actor. Do you feel that way, too?"

"Yes, of course," Rivers answered. "But also, you're given such recognition with the comedy that it allows you -- it entitles you -- to go out and do a play or go into summer stock. I took over Broadway Bound from Linda Lavin, you know? So it gives you a chance to be that."

"But there are comic stand-ups who have become fine actors," Reed said. "Robin Williams, Lily Tomlin. Why hasn't that happened to you? That worries me. You deserve that."

"Nobody ever comes to me for anything," Rivers said. "You know that. I've never been offered a sitcom or television series. I've never been offered a role in a movie. But you're not going to dwell on that -- boo-hoo. Meanwhile, look what I have had come to me. But no one has ever come to me and said, 'Would you like to do a sitcom?'

"But that just seems like a natural: Joan Rivers in a sitcom."

"I think so, too," she said. "But Betty White, that bitch. And she's not 88! She's 82! She's just lying to get better parts. Wouldn't that be funny if it were the other way around? She's 88? Well, you bitch, I'm 106."

Pages: 1 2