Joan Rivers Dead at 81 Following Medical Procedure

The Queen of Sting in comedy has passed.

Joan Rivers, who made her mark with her rapid-fire standup comedy routine, often skewering herself on the topic of men and relationships, has died Thursday at 81.

She had slipped into a coma after a recent medical procedure.   She got her start as a regular feature on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, and other national television platforms.  Most recently  she had been the star of several cable network shows that pushed the boundaries.

While some felt in later years she had become rather outlandish,  she will always be remembered as perhaps THE most cutting edge female comedian, who paved the way for others for years to  come.

Here's a clip of her earlier days from the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, from 1986.