All the Celebrities Appearing in Joan Rivers: A Dead Funny All-Star Tribute
Melissa Rivers said NBC's star-studded tribute is filled with people her late mother both “respected (and roasted).”
Throughout her trailblazing career, Joan Rivers touched countless people’s lives through her signature brand of comedy and quick wit. And a whole bunch of those people, who also happen to be the biggest names in comedy today, all came together to appear in NBC’s new special, Joan Rivers: A Dead Funny All-Star Tribute.
Melissa Rivers, the late legend’s daughter who’s an executive producer on the special, said in a statement that the star-studded tribute is filled with people her mother both “respected (and roasted).”
“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,” she added. “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.”
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So which celebrities can you expect to see make an appearance in Joan Rivers: A Dead Funny All-Star Tribute? Read on for all the details.
Who’s appearing in Joan Rivers: A Dead Funny All-Star Tribute?
More than a dozen celebrities are slated to make an appearance during NBC’s Joan Rivers: A Dead Funny All-Star Tribute. Here’s who you can expect to see:
- Rachel Brosnahan
- Margaret Cho
- Nikki Glaser
- Tiffany Haddish
- Chelsea Handler
- Neil Patrick Harris
- Bill Maher
- Howie Mandel
- Joel McHale
- Tracy Morgan
- Patton Oswalt
- Aubrey Plaza
- Sarah Silverman
- Melissa Rivers
- Jean Smart
- Rita Wilson
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The A-list group of comics got together to film the tribute special at the historic Apollo Theater in Harlem, which Rivers' daughter joked was an “amazing” feat to pull off.
“Backstage, it was so warm and so lovely,” Melissa told Jimmy Fallon during a May 2025 appearance on The Tonight Show. “To get a room full of comedians not all trying to one up each other and throwing elbows is amazing. But what was amazing was when the clips of my mom would come on, everybody would stop and watch. And we all walked away from the night saying, 'Still the funniest person in the room.’ It was amazing.”
Tiffany Haddish sings "Hava Nagila" during Joan Rivers: A Dead Funny All-Star Tribute
Ahead of the special’s premiere on May 13, NBC shared an exclusive clip with E! News of one of the celebrity acts in store: Tiffany Haddish singing “Hava Nagila" in honor of Rivers in front of a live audience.
"This isn't a funeral, guys; it's a celebration, alright?" Haddish tells the audience before singing the traditional, celebratory Jewish song. “Let's party for Joan for life!”
How to watch Joan Rivers: A Dead Funny All-Star Tribute
Joan Rivers: A Dead Funny All-Star Tribute airs at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Tuesday, May 13 on NBC.
An uncensored, extended version, featuring even more yet-to-announced celebrities, will also be available to stream on May 14 on Peacock.
