NBC to Air Joan Rivers Special Tonight

In a special edition of NBC's Dateline, "Celebrating Joan Rivers" will look back at the extraordinary life and legacy of Joan Rivers, airing tonight at 9pm/8c. Friends and fellow comics will pay tribute to the legendary comedienne and television host, including KATHY Griffin, Dick Cavett, Donald Trump, Don Rickles, Gilbert Gottfried and Lily Tomlin.

Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb will co-anchor tonight's one-hour special broadcast. "Celebrating Joan Rivers" will also feature memorable moments and interviews throughout Rivers' groundbreaking career, as well as additional reporting on the day she entered Mount Sinai Hospital.

Rivers died earlier this week at the age of 81. She was long a fixture on the New York scene, with numerous standup appearances, benefit appearances, and a long association with the theatrical community. She was a constant presence at opening nights and special events, and never hesitated to express her love for theatre and live entertainment.

Her Broadway credits include Fun City, Broadway Bound and Sally Marr...and her escorts, for which she received a Drama Desk Nomination as Outstanding Actress in a Play and a Tony Nomination for Best Actress in a Play.