Yesterday the world lost comedian, talk-show host, author and actress Joan Rivers. Rivers’ sharp wit and humor made her an entertainment legend – she was the first woman to host her own show on late night television. Rivers broke the gender barrier in an industry previously dominated by men and pioneered a path for future women. With hard work and determination, she built her career into an empire. Today, Rivers’ countless achievements as well as her unique brand of humor are being remembered across America. Richard Brownell’s article in PR News demonstrates how Rivers’ life can be an example of what it takes to succeed outside of show business, especially in the field of PR. Below are our favorite lessons Brownell outlined:
- Revel in hard work. Rivers kept a pace that would put many people decades younger than her to shame, performing on stage and appearing on television with regular frequency. Whether it was her red carpet fashion commentary, her popular stage act, books or talk show appearances, Rivers was a machine when it came to show business.
- Go where others fear to tread. Receiving virtually no support from her parents, Rivers pursued her show business ambitions while making ends meet with jobs in advertising and fashion. She started in standup comedy in the 1950s when the industry was almost exclusively male. She eventually became a popular and frequent guest host of The Tonight Show, and later became the first woman with her own late-night program, The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers.
- Don’t be hobbled by failure. Rivers had a lot of doors slammed in her face in show business before catching the attention of Johnny Carson in 1965. But she never quit. Her personal and professional life plunged after her husband committed suicide in 1987. She regrouped, though, and started another TV show in 1989 that earned her a Daytime Emmy.
Read the full article here: http://www.prnewsonline.com/water-cooler/2014/09/05/5-lessons-pr-people-can-learn-from-joan-rivers/
