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

As a cameraman I worked with Joan for promos for the Joan Rivers Show in the 90s. We shot in Los Angeles on a stage with her. She got the star treatment from the producers. For lunch they brought in a trailer on the lot and catered lunch for her. When we cut and they called lunch, Joan announced she wanted to stay on the stage and have lunch with the film crew. Sitting around on apple boxes and folding hard chairs, she regaled us with jokes and stories all though our lunch break never going to her star trailer. She knew all our names. She was just the most fun, real and sweetest star I ever worked with. Loved Joanie Rivers.

WOW!! she plays margaret thatcher spot on

The way Joan reacted when she found out it was all a prank. She was just perfect. A woman genuinely into humour and fun. The way she stood up to "Thatcher" was just amazing. An absolutely brilliant bright and humorous lady. RIP.

Joan, you didn’t owe your entire career to him, you owed your entire career to you. You were a genius. Love you. Miss you.

Joan was, by far, the best guest host ever on the Tonight Show. Her quick witted humor always killed. So sad they didn't speak for all those years. I do miss them both!!

The woman playing Margaret Thatcher was awesome. She had to carry the entire charade.

holy ..I just about cracked up when Joan slapped Johnny and he went to the floor..what a pair... funny stuff..

Maggie Thatcher laughing her ass off is everything! Although it's just Janet pretending to be Maggie.

This actress is absolutely GREAT...she really imitates Thatcher perfectly. What a great practical joke and so complicated to orchestrate. I never saw something like this ever from Carson...and that SLAP at the end really looked convincing What comedic geniuses.

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 RU-vid.

Great ending! It never got better than when Johnny had Joan as a guest. It was an event.

This was very funny. How sad it was that their friendship would end with no reconciliation.

Seeing Joan and Edgar together, alive, no words can express my gratitude. She was the star of that era. What a tragedy when we lost her. But she is with Edgar, her beloved husband... Great memories of a great lady.

I just watched this for the first time. It's hilarious! Rest in peace guys. You've provided us with many laughs over the years.

Now do ya all see why the 70's we're so great! Love ya Johnny! Love ya Joan!

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

Pwn!! That Thatcher double was excellent!

That lady was a very convincing Margaret Thatcher, looks and manner of speaking

Janet Brown, what a brilliant impressionist.

Janet Brown was so good, so believable in every way.

I thoroughly enjoyed that, it made me forget all my troubles as miss rivers once said " making someone laugh is like giving them a little vacation"

"But rrrreallllly, an artist of YOUR standing, ......." I love, love, love the rhetoric and language in this prank! SO amazing!

“Oh, grow up!” One of the best trademarks out there.

Boy did I need a laugh! Thank you Joan! We miss you!

I liked when Joan goes "no offense but we helped you during the war a lot!..." Joan had such a quick wit. I miss her!

Rest in peace and thanks for all the laughs, Joan.

Great seeing Johnny Carson in something I'd never seen before and didn't know existed, especially off the Carson Show set. Loved the ending, tears down my cheeks.

I would have loved to have seen M. Rivers live. She is one of thee classiest, happiest, gorgeous, fun, with brains and more, there never was, is or ever will be another like M. Rivers. Thank you for being your amazing selves everyone, peace and much love sent from Ontario, Canada.

ALL of you, now, bow down to the King of Comedy ! Mr. Johnny Carson, Thanks for the laughs and memories and may you Rest In Peace

Masterful!!! The key to accomplish this is that the British actress plays a totally convincing Margaret Thatcher. I watched Joan Rivers since she first appear in Johnny Carson's show back in the mid 1960s and I've never seen Joan sweating bullets like she is in this prank. I remember seeing this when it first came out. I guess i'm getting old, but nobody can touch these guys today.

RIP Joan and Johnny

I grew up watching Johnny Carson and I've never seen this. This is absolutely hilarious. This is a jewel on RU-vid.

Miss them both...class acts all the way. May they rip.

This is the stuff legends are made of...

Brilliant impersonation by the late Janet Brown, a perfect likeness

OMG This is so funny, RIP Joan I love you so much!

I miss Joan! and Johnny! and Rickles!...I also miss that our society has lost a true sense of humour and so many have such thin skins about every little thing.

I've never seen Joan Rivers at a loss for words... A classic Joke, Johnny! :D

HILARIOUS to hear Joan back-pedaling in that husky nervous voice. Tearjerking.

My gosh how I miss Johnny, this is the best, Johnny got her good 😂😂😂 The late great legendary icon, Queen Joan Rivers, a comedic genius, sorely missed and beloved by many😢💖

I was wondering if I was ever going to see this again. I've only seen this once before and it was years ago. I loved the joke itself. But it was what she did at the end that really blew my mind. That was a real slap!!! Man! I was in shock!!!

Oh and Joan looks so beautiful in this clip; she was such a critic of her own looks and the funny thing is she was also gorgeous!

I remember watching this back in 83, hadn't seen it for years as it was lost to time until RU-vid came along. So funny to see this again, and such a shame about their falling out, they were great friends at one time.

She's a very convincing Margaret Thatcher

I've never seen this footage, I amazed to see Joan near speechless. I didn't think that woman would recoil like that, prime comedy.

That SLAP though! Looked way real.... =) I miss Joan Rivers. And Johnny Carson. They've been gone 5 years and 14 years, respectively. Seems like yesterday...

This was beyond entertaining. Honestly these two were one of the funniest people in the English speaking world for a very long time. The gag was hilarious and the Thatcher impersonator excellent. These two look so happy here it is such a shame the feud that occurred. Perhaps they are laughing and reconciled on the other side.

I miss her so much. I never saw this. WOW she really slapped him hard. 😂😂😂😂

Thanks for all the laughs Joan. RIP

Great gotcha. Around this time there was a satirical show running in the UK called Spitting Image which was really savage to Thatcher and the Royal Family. I think Joan's material was tame compared to what they were getting back home. Thanks for the laughs Joan xx

Loved this. Fabulous. Joan was so gracious.

Joan about prince Charles: "I hope it works out." Implying a royal divorce. If you didn't get that, it was a balls-to-the-wall burn on marriage, the royalty and prince chuck all in one. She's a fucking hero of comedy

This was awesome... For those of you who think the slapping at the end was planned, it was. But Joan slap him for real (By accident, wink wink!) and he was very surprised and called her a Bitch, which obviously was bleeped. She talked about it while she was guest hosting following when this was aired on Bloopers and Practical Jokes. I really miss Joan, she was a badass! Thank you ENTERTAINMENT BUFF for posting this gem!

She stands her ground. Hats off.

Now these are real comedians. And Joan Rivers and Johnny Carson are both true Americans. Love how she mentioned, We did help you out with the war. Good times.

Great clip - and what a slap Joan gives Johnny at the end!

Priceless!

They made best friends look good. may they both be in heaven laughing together . loved them both.

And THANK YOU, for uploading this!!! She was still really fast on her feet! The actress was fantastic!

Oh man that ending, Johnny was fearless with his physical comedy.. amazing.

Johnny Carson at the end: "Huuuh Jesus! You hit vicious!". He knew that this was coming but he didn't see that one coming.

That slap looked pretty real!! This was when things were good between them, obviously; but it really shows how much Carson loved her! It’s a well thought out n crafted prank one would only invest that much energy in for a beloved friend to make them laugh! Which makes it more understandable (rightly or wrongly) how crushed n betrayed Johnny did feel later.

I just died for Joan! It was too convincing!

Joan is smart and she has done her act for a long time and she will never give up doing it hard work to keep a act going this long.

I vividly remember this prank and the slap in the face at the end but I had never seen it again! Thank you so much for posting! That was a rather cruel joke (but hilarious)! I'd bet Joan Rivers had nightmares about it for years!

House dress and a crown! Im dead! 😂🤣😂

This is great. I miss Joan and Johnny. I miss great comedy.

Johnny is a master if he orchestrated this, Janet is the most convincing double I've ever heard. Best joke I've ever seen between friends.

Johhny is still entertaining me even in the after life god bless him😊

I remember watching this TV special when it first appeared on NBC. The only other thing I remember about it was a "reenactment" Johnny did, where he recounted how some famous person had a special room in his house where everything was upside down -- sofas and chairs bolted to the ceiling, light fixtures coming out of the floor, pictures upside down on the walls, etc. Whenever the celebrity had a party at his house, someone would invariably get blackout drunk, and the other guys there would carry him into the room, put him on the floor and then watch through one-way glass as he woke up and stumbled around, confused as all hell. The show built a mockup of that room, and Johnny played "drunk" to show the viewers how the prank would usually play itself out. IIRC, the TV special where that prank and this one on Joan Rivers appeared was so popular that it led to the creation of "TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes," which I wish they'd bring back what with all the nostalgia shows on TV right now. One last thing as a bit of trivia: Janet Brown also played the British PM in the James Bond film "For Your Eyes Only."

I can’t wait to see this. I have never seen this before. Johnny Carson went all out for this one.

This is so so funny! Thanks for sharing! We watched Johnny Carson every night!

PLEASE, let's NOT get nasty & heartless. I have mixed feelings about Joan Rivers & her late husband Edgar, but I would NOT wish the suicide of a spouse on ANYONE. Depression is a SERIOUS mental illness, & Joan was desperately TRYING to get help for him. I wish he got treatment in time. I feel very bad for anyone who reaches a point where they take their life. Edgar was a flawed but talented, productive & creative man. Suicide can touch any of us at any time. Please by empathetic.

And there it was...the first incident described as "cringe worthy" because "awkward" just wasn't up to the moment.

OMG!! Thank you for uploading this Wonderful piece of History!! Loved Both of them 😍😍

...and they had US at the end! Hilarious! Thanks for posting. RIP to both of them. I hope Carson by now has accepted her apology.

I miss Joan Rivers. She could always make me laugh, no matter how I was feeling at the time.

When Johnny explains the setup and states, "the victim must not have time to analyze what is going on" really played out here when the imposter gave Joan the letter. If she was able to analyze the situation, she would have realized that there is no way that on a chance meetup that Margaret Thatcher could have had a letter prepared for her. I'm actually surprised that they risked this and didn't go with handing her a phone with Johnny on the end.

Loved you Joan,we will mess you ,you where one of the greats, and because of these recordings of you always will be,

DANG!! That slap at the end was a huge surprise!! I didn't expect THAT at all. Johnny must have told her to slap him for real for belivability and effectiveness.

Margret Thatcher was walking around London in the late 1990's when she saw a homeless man on the street. His sign read "Falklands War vet" She was so moved she gave the man 50 Pounds. He looked up, smiled and said, "Gracias."

Two of the funniest people who ever lived.

Mamma Mia ! That slap was no fake ! The impact is clearly heard !

As a child, I thought this interview, "got Joan". As an adult, I realize, you can't get Joan; "Well, we helped you during the war".. 😂 Joan didn't give a fuck. We were all free game!

Brilliant! RIP Joan!

Oh Joan! Please make the angels laugh! You will be missed!

8:28 "Can I get your autograph?" 😂😂😂 I love and miss her so much.

That was true comedy. I Loved it.

I love the ending when Joan let's Johnny have it !!!

My favorite practical joke on Joan was when they led her on for a few years about taking over the Tonight Show. Wish I could be with her when she found out Leno, the idiot, was taking over for Johnny.

THAT's excellent ... ! And dear Joan got trapped (for once!) Love it. Thanks for the post.

oh lord!! i just sat here and laughed!! couldn't help myself, and i don't do that very often. thanks!!!

Classic "good old Days" Very Funny!!

He was saying she "copped out" a couple times. But that was toward the end after she tried to explain over and over and over that they are just jokes and the woman was just going on and on. I don't think she was trying to "backpedal" so much as she was just trying to get the woman to shut up. We've all done it, after someone just won't accept what you're saying and just keeps going you just eventually give them the "uh huh! Yeah! Sure! No problem! Wow! Okay sure thing!" to end it all.

Thanks. This is gold, and I remember the broadcast. I seem to recall David Steinberg getting pranked. Great stuff.

Now that is funny. Thanks for posting.

[Prince Charles] "...and I hope it works out." Prescient perhaps - Joan was an astute observer of people, there's no doubt about that. Miss her :'(

Miss you Joan!!! R.I.P.

This was hilarious! Thank you for this

Priceless. There are NO words..OMG