MIKE ON KCRW: Talking DreamWorks on "The Business" and Tribute to Joan Rivers on "Hollywood Breakdown"

On Monday's edition of KCRW's The Business, Kim Masters and I discussed Turner Entertainment programming president Michael Wright's move to DreamWorks -- and what's next. Here's the rundown:

- A surprising pick to run DreamWorks. Michael Wright will be leaving the TV world--he was Turner’s president of programming-- to become the CEO of the production company.
- Netflix is paying big bucks for the streaming rights to a show that hasn’t even aired on television yet.

Listen below, including Kim's interview with "Star Trek's" George Takei:





Meanwhile, on "Hollywood Breakdown," Kim and I paid tribute to the late Joan Rivers:

Kim Masters and Michael Schneider remember Joan Rivers and listen to a clip of her interview on KCRW's The Business from 2010. At that time, Rivers was promoting the documentary Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work, which showed a tireless, irreverent performer, still working as a stand-up as well as writing books and hosting TV shows including E!'s Fashion Police. She died at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.

Listen by clicking the box below:

From 1966 and 1968: TV Guide Chronicles Joan Rivers' Early Career

"The Only Problem With Joan is to Quiet Her Down": Check out this picture feature from the March 5, 1966 issue of TV Guide magazine, as cameras followed a nervous Rivers on an early visit to "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson." Rivers, of course, would eventually become Carson's permanent guest host -- until she launched "The Late Show" on Fox in 1986.

Meanwhile, below, in the August 10, 1968 profile "The Last Girl in Larchmont to Get Married" -- featuring a photo of Rivers with her then 7-month-old daughter Melissa -- takes a deeper look at the comedienne, including Carson's prediction after her first "Tonight Show" visit in 1965 that "You're going to be a big star."

Throwback Thursday: RIP Joan Rivers Edition

As a kid, Joan Rivers first came to my attention as Johnny Carson's "Tonight Show" fill-in -- and then, of course, as the woman who left to launch her own competing show on this upstart new TV network called "FBC." Joan Rivers was the first star on Fox, launching the network on October 9, 1986. "The Late Show with Joan Rivers" didn't last long (after she was fired, Arsenio Hall stepped in for 13 weeks). But her place in TV history is secure. Here's that first episode.

Retro Friday: Fox's Ill-Fated Joan Rivers Experiment

In 1985, Joan Rivers -- who had served as Johnny Carson's permanent "Tonight Show" guest host -- got word that she wasn't likely a contender to officially replace Carson once he retired. At the same time, Rupert Murdoch had just bought the Metromedia TV stations and was preparing to launch a fourth TV network. Fox dangled a proposal Rivers couldn't refuse: Her own nightly talk show. Rivers split -- which caused a permanent rift with Carson, who never spoke to her again -- and on Oct. 9, 1986, the Fox network launched with a late night show: "The Late Show with Joan Rivers."

Above, it's Joan's show number one, which featured an eclectic guest list: Elton John, Cher, Pee-Wee Herman and David Lee Roth.

Alas, the show was not meant to be. Rivers and Fox quickly clashed... and by mid-1987, she and Fox parted ways. Fox relied on a series of guest hosts for a while -- but then settled on a young comedian, Arsenio Hall, to take over. Hall hosted for 13 weeks -- but then left to star in "Coming to America." He later came back with his own syndicated talk show, which ran from 1989-1994.

Below, here's what it looked like 25 years ago when Rivers was still the "Tonight Show" guest host.