Joan Rivers, Lucille Ball, Nancy Reagan, Michele Lee Interview - 10/30/1986 

I played in a band that played for Mrs. Reagan in DC for a Just Say No Fundraiser. It was truly an honor to do so.

Lucy should be an example to every young person in how to conduct themself. I was born in 1990 and she has been my role model since at least age two.

I met Michelle Lee backstage after a Kitty Carlisle Hart concert. She was quite engaging, but did not try to step into the spotlight in any way. I said "Hello" to her, and she gave me this big smile and returned my greeting. She came across as quite engaging and authentic.

"Did they frisk you? I asked for them to frisk me," Lucy. That was quick and sharp. Lucy was no B.S. which I respect.

Joan. So brilliant. RIP. You will never be forgotten

"no matter where you point on me the answer is, NO!" gotta love Joan for being real!!!

This is the most amazing episode of Joan rivers ever! First the amazing Nancy Reagan, Joan just gets her comfy and settling right in to the adorable story of how Nancy and Ronald met. Then we move into two old friends talking and making each other laugh…. Seriously Joan and Lucy could have their own show together. Best episode ever!! ❤️

Now that's a guest list!

I'm so happy to see this footage has been restored. This very same interview was here on RU-vid before but it looked like something that was recorded off an old VHS tape - the sound was all muffled, the color was off and the tracking was shaky. This looks and sounds so much more clear.

Watching this in 2021 makes me long for the good old days when everyone had their own unique personality, funny but classy.

I love Lucy's laugh! It is so deep and genuine.

"Just Say No"...I remember the jokes about it. I grew up in the 1970s and, like Nancy, I didn't know about most of it; however, I did know about some. This was way before Nancy's campaign, but what stopped me from taking drugs when I was a teenager was in 1973 or 1974 I was allowed to stay up to watch "Go Ask Alice" on television. It was a made-for-television movie and at the time I was nine or ten years old. Remember, in those days there were thirteen channels and three networks. Each network showed a "Movie Of The Week" . One movie on one night; sometimes a theatrical film from five years ago; sometimes an original made-for-tv movie. "Go Ask Alice" made a huge impact on me at that young age. A few years later in my teenage years I would be offered to take this or take that or smoke this or smoke that, it was the mid to late 70s; but I never did because all I could think of and remember is "Go Ask Alice"....you can't, she's dead.

I enjoy how genuinly Lucille Ball always laughed.

Joan was a wonderful chat show host. You could tell she truly listened intently and drew out great anecdotes & information from her guests. She deserved better success in that realm than she wound up with. (At least the daytime show was a better experience.)

Lucy took the bad reviews and the cancellation of Life With Lucy hard. She felt like the public didn't want her anymore. Three years later, when she was in the hospital, right before she passed away, she got so many letters and gifts from the public telling her to get well soon and wishing her a speedy recovery and sending her so much love. She must have known because she was doing well in the hospital at first so I'm sure she knew that the public still loved her.

Lol, the entrance Lucie Ball made, hahaha! I did not see that one coming, probably the most funny entrance ever. Joan loved people with a no bullshit attitude, which was clearly visable on her face! Epic!

This really shows how things have changed. Nancy Reagan says marijuana should not be legalized. Now look at our country. And all the years she looked after the President while he was ill. She really was a marvelous person.

As a healthcare provider My gratitude and praise to Nancy for bringing attention to addiction....very sad she met resistance because it was politicized resulting in funding battles. If only...if only...and what if?

Loved Lucy in the I love Lucy Show! Great woman!

Interviews with great questions and thoughtful answers. Not like the last 5 years of daily lies hatred anger and ugliness.

Nancy Reagan was so naturally relaxed I felt when she was being interviewed by Joan, she seems as if she was talking to a friend .I hadnt ever seen Nancy or heard her voice , she seemed like real nice lady .

Lucille Ball was Total Class! Love her!

I love Michele Lee. She is brilliant. We ought to see more of her on TV

This is so 80s. Love it.

The First Lady Nancy Reagan was so eloquent and a perfect wife, I always thought, how much they cared about each other. When the President died, I recall seeing her just caressing his casket for what seemed like a long time.

Nancy Reagan was probably the classiest First Lady this country has ever had. She and the President are my favorite first couple. God bless them both, may they Rest In Peace.

Thank you for the post. I love them both.

Joan once told the story of how Nancy Reagan got her husband's body released: “I said, ‘I can’t get Edgar’s body out of Philadelphia.’ She [Nancy] said, ‘Let me see what I can do.’ “The next day, his body came back to L.A. You don’t ever forget that, especially when the chips are down. She’s older now. I’m going to California next week, and I’ll see her.”

Lucy speaks about feeling hesitant following 1st Lady Nancy Reagan.... Joan (so accurately) reply's, "No One Could Do It But You"!!

Priceless. Thanks for posting.

Wow, you can hear all those years of smoking cigarettes in Lucy's voice. Talk about something to "just say no" to.

I was worried about Lucy's health coming back at 75 even if it was great to see her back on TV, via a non rerun!

Especially now that I am 60, I just cannot believe that Lucy was criticized for going back to work in her 70's. My grandmother lived to 98 so 70's are young to me and what does age matter anyway? Shame on the people who made her cry and sent her off in such a disrespectful way. I hope they realize now what a-holes they were.

I don’t know why but when I watch Lucy I get John Wayne vibes

TWO trailblazing WOMEN!💜💜💜

Thanks what a show! Love from the UK! xxx

So lovely when the President and First Lady were treated with respect. Nancy Reagan was a lovely lady.

Its so interesting looking at the Reagans in their prime. I come from a very Democratic family, but my parents and grandparents all voted for Reagan and even when you look at the elections, he won by 30 million votes.

Late Night television and all television for that matter used to be so Great. Now all we have is biased news,trashy reality shows and garbage. So sad.

I'm a Democrat but who cares Nancy Reagan whas a class act Ronald also thank them both for keeping me safe growing up in early 80s it is what it is and I support them but I support Obama but go Regan's

My favorite Nancy quote. A very early Reagan kerfuffle was when his administration reclassified ketchup as a vegetable to scrimp on free meals for poor school children; ketchup would meet the vegetable requirement. Someone managed to ask Nancy if she thought ketchup was a vegetable. Nancy: "Well, I know it's not meat." What seemed outrageous then is pretty tame now.

Reminds me of my mother in law: graceful, beautiful and smart

Enjoyed this, thank you!

The 80's were a brilliant time. There are always difficulties, but they seemed like halcyon days, especially compared to the decades before and after.

WHAT A COMBO

Love these dames, don't make them like that anymore

That was a fabulous interview with Nancy Reagan!

Just say no was great and helped me. Thanks Nancy!

44:20 Joan Alexandra Molinsky covering up the microphone to engage in a private, respectable talk away from the press and broadcasters. Joan had way more class than the average person would ever know.

Why are people always so crass in their comments? It's not that we aren't adults, but always trying to seem self important by using their misguided opinions about well loved and successful people in the past to demean and belittle them. You can't measure the past by the present.

What a cool video!!

The best thing ever said about drugs, just say no.

I forgotten how it's was to have a first lady as a role model, one with class.

Michele Lee was a bore, and Lucy wasn't having her "white house menu" b.s. "You're losin' em" she says! lol

WOW TOGETHER THEY ROCK ! Two AMAZING LADIES 🙏🏼😇😇⭐️❤️💯💯💯🔥🥳😘🤩🤩🥰🥰😍😊

Joan was so excited to interview Nancy Reagan. So cute!

“Just say no”. Wow that one’s worked so well. Great work.

Nancy Regan......one polished first lady

Beautiful Ladies that entertained our Souls

Great episode!

I had never seen Nancy Reagan interviewed...she was ABSOLUTELY CHARMING.

RIP Lucille Ball ❤️ ❤️ ❤️

I absolutely adore Lucille Ball's pant suit....She looks so chic!🌟⭐🌠👈🏾

A Major Loss in the Entertainment Business ..we miss you Joan rip ! Nancy was pure class & elegance Michelle lee looked fabulous.. shes the only one alive here

And the first lady of late night comedy!

I loved what Lucy said about Nancy Reagan. What a classy lady.

What a wonderful lady, so wise!

This was fun and shot the year I was born.

Much beloved and admired women! RIP

I don't think ppl realized then how impactful this was back then, first woman to host a late night talk show on a major network and all female guest list.

I heard about the Just Say No campaign because of Punky Brewster.

This is so 80s.

I tried majiuana and thought what is all the hoopla about this. I never went on to anything else, thank God.

Nancy Regan is a wonderful person,soft spoken and very smart!

Fabolous❤️🎉

Nancy was a very engaging classy woman! She and The President are sorely missed! We luv Lucy!!!

Lmao Michele lee was lying she’s born in 1942, she wouldn’t have survived the internet era with that personality, she would have been constantly roasted lol

I’m here for Lucy. All the other guests have faded into history (not you Joan!)

Lucy was so embarrassed before the filming. Joan told her that the dress code would be casual. Obviously, Joan did not tell her that she and Mrs. Reagan would be decked out in full regalia, and when Lucy showed up in her casual pants suit outfit, she was mortified.

this is when we liked cnn

*me watching this nancy reagan interview high as shit when i came here for lucille ball* uh

Lovely woman with lots of sense!

I'm, glad, Nacy, spoke up, about drugs. It's, a real problem.

Nancy was a lovely lady....

Yeah that answer that statement that campaign, Oh how well they worked, depends on where in the chain you are.

2:52 aww

I've always loved Joan Rivers she was a total badass and love her dearly ... as an immigrant she is one of the very few I have hear talk about her immigrant roots as most totally forget and hide where they came from ..but not Joan she wanted her parents to see what a lil immigrant girl was able to do...from this point on Joan Rivers will become my way of seeing the American Dream she had humble roots and accomplished many things all while she made people laugh and never changed for any one long live my queen JOAN RIVERS

The sound is catastrophically low!!!

Mrs Reagan always had great wigs

I'm pretty sure the ones wearing the "just say no" pin were using some sort of drug, especially the musicians. 😒

Love the TV preservation theme but can't subscribe until I can hear it. Turn up the volume. I couldn't watch this because of that. Thanks, though.

Nancy seemed like the sweetest person ever to reside in the White House.

Long Healrhy life has to do with, "honor your father and your mother" and you shall have a long life.

lucy loved tht applause.... joan is on what? she alwys so nervous/hyper..

it’s so funny how they thought weed was hard back then

I came here for Michelle Lee

Say NO...sounds trite and stupid. But it's friends that usually introduce you to drugs, smoking, drinking. So you can join them...or say NO...and leave them. I was occasionally beat by my father. Not for doing something bad. But, not being smart enough. Unable to memorize a poem...etc etc... I would never classify him as a monster! It was the way he was brought up...he was a brilliant person. I was the opposite. I wish someone could love me, like Nancy loved Ronnie. Drugs are big business. They will never stop. All about 💰 💰💰💰💰💰💰💰 Not lives... Society is built on this foundation!

The duplicity of evil

Joan mentioned Edgar at the beginning. I thought he had already passed before this show??

Sorry but Lucy looks like the Joker here