Double Emmy Award-winning and Grammy-nominated comedienne Kathy Griffin has been tapped as Roast Master for this year’s “Comedy Central Roast Of Joan Rivers,” in honor of one of comedy’s most trailblazing female performers, comedy icon Joan Rivers.
“It will be my distinct pleasure to honor a true comedy legend. The One and Only, The Great, Joan Rivers,” said Kathy Griffin. “I mean, not that Pam Anderson wasn’t a comedy legend or anything … Let’s just say it will be an evening of highs and lows. I will be roasting Joan with more gentleness and tenderness than her latest chemical peel and, on the other hand, I will give her a verbal pap smear and god only knows what I’m going to find down there.”
Chicago native Griffin, a multi-faceted performer with a rapid fire wit, is probably best known for her four-year stint on the NBC sitcom “Suddenly Susan” as Vickie Groener, Brooke Shields’ acerbic colleague. In 2007 and 2008, “Kathy Griffin: My Life On The D List” won Griffin two back-to-back Emmy’s for Outstanding Reality Program. Recently, Griffin released a comedy CD called “For Your Consideration” which garnered a Grammy nomination for Best Comedy Album. Griffin’s fifth season of “My Life On The D List” is currently airing Monday nights on Bravo.
Comedienne Joan Rivers, who is currently appearing on NBC’s “Celebrity Apprentice” and celebrating the publication of her two new books ‘Men Are Stupid And They Like Big Boobs’ and ‘Murder At the Academy Awards,’ is billed as one of the hardest working celebrities in the world. The Tony-nominated actress’ professional credits include best-selling author, Emmy Award-winning television talk-show host, playwright, screenwriter, motion picture director, columnist, lecturer, syndicated radio host, jewelry designer and cosmetic company entrepreneur, red carpet fashion laureate, businesswoman and, most importantly to her, mother and grandmother.
Griffin will steer the Roast and Rivers cap the evening off with a spitfire rebuttal.
“Comedy Central Roast Of Joan Rivers” tapes in Los Angeles at CBS Studios – Radford on Sunday, July 26. The program airs on Sunday, August 9 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.