From Nikki Glaser to Aubrey Plaza: Everyone headlining Joan Rivers all-star tribute show

Comedian Joan Rivers shall be honored with a special, Dead Funny: An All-Star Tribute to Joan Rivers, that will be dedicated to her legendary career. The special, which shall air on May 13, is set to include an all-star lineup of the best comedians in the industry.

Joan Rivers was known throughout her career for her hilarious and often controversial takes on various topics. She passed away in 2014 after a routine surgery procedure turned fatal. She was rushed to the Mount Sinai Hospital but passed away after. Now, this fearless comedian is being honored for her decades-long comedic career.

More about the stars headlining Joan Rivers' tribute show

Joan Rivers, who began working in the industry in the 1960s, shall be honored in the new special undertaken by her daughter, Melissa Rivers, who is serving as the executive producer for the tribute show. In January, during an interview with People Magazine, Melissa recounted grabbing her mother's Emmy award during the evacuation for the Palisades fire:

"To be 100% honest, I grabbed my mom's Emmy, a photo of my Dad and a drawing that my mother had done of...my son and I. And dog food, cat food and that was it."

The Joan Rivers special was filmed last year at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem and was shown at the New York Comedy Festival. Comedians like Nicki Glaser, Tiffany Haddish, Jeffrey Ross, Aubrey Plaza, and Chelsea Handler shall appear on the NBC special on May 13.

Melissa Rivers, in a statement shared by Variety, explained why she chose this particular way of honoring her mother:

"This tribute is everything my mother would have wanted — hilarious, unfiltered and filled with people she respected (and roasted). And as usual, she was still the funniest person in the room."

She further added:

"It’s incredibly moving to see so many iconic comedians come together to celebrate her legacy, especially the women whose careers she helped make possible by breaking down so many doors. I know she’d be thrilled to see how far things have come, and she’d still have notes. This is more than a tribute. It’s a reminder of the trail she blazed and the joy she brought to so many.”

Melissa had previously said in an interview, that after Joan Rivers' death, she had found a letter left by her later mother expressing her wish to be honored fittingly. In the letter, the Late Night host, as shared by Deadline, wrote:

"Given that I'm dead, I assume someone will finally decide to honor me. Well, it's about time."

Jay Neal, the Executive Vice President of Live Events and Specials at NBC, said in a statement why they had decided to partner on this venture to honor the trailblazing comedian:

"Joan Rivers is deserving of her status as one of the funniest and most influential comedians of all time. She paved the way for so many women who came after her and this special is a way to honor her for all of her incredible achievements both on the stage and off."

Joan Rivers, who began her career by performing in nightclubs, received her big break when she joined The Tonight Show, hosted by Johnny Carson, where she would become an intricate part of the show.

Joining the tribute to Joan Rivers’ comedic legacy are several beloved names, including Rachel Brosnahan, Neil Patrick Harris, Rita Wilson, Margaret Cho, and more.

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According to NBC, more comedians shall feature in an uncensored version of the show that will air on Peacock a day later.

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