Joan Rivers (born Joan Alexandra Molinsky; June 8, 1933) is an American comedian, actress, talk show host and businesswoman. She is known for her brash manner and loud, raspy voice with a heavy metropolitan New York accent. Rivers' comedic style relies heavily on poking fun at herself and other celebrities.

Rivers was born Joan Alexandra Molinsky in Brooklyn, New York, the daughter of Russian Jewish immigrants Beatrice (née Grushman) and Meyer C. Molinsky, an M.D. She was raised in Brooklyn, New York, and her family later moved to Larchmont, in Westchester County, NY. She attended Connecticut College, between 1950 and 1952, and graduated from Barnard College, in 1954, with a B.A. in English literature and anthropology. During college, a friend took her to see Lenny Bruce do stand-up comedy, and, as Joan describes it, "It was an epiphany." Before entering show business, Rivers worked at various jobs such as a tour guide at Rockefeller Center, a writer/proofreader at an advertising agency, and as a fashion consultant at Bond Clothing Stores. During this period, an agent named Tony Rivers told her to change her name, so she suggested, "Joan Rivers," as her new name.

Her first marriage was in 1955 to James Sanger, the son of a Bond merchandise manager. The marriage lasted six months, and it was annulled on the basis that Sanger did not want children and had not told Rivers before the wedding. Her second marriage was on July 15, 1965. to Edgar Rosenberg, who committed suicide in 1987. Their only child, Melissa Warburg Rosenberg (now known as Melissa Rivers), was born January 20, 1968. Rivers is a supporter of animal rights and an active member of PETA.