Joan Rivers, 81, Is Dead

Comedian Joan Rivers died today at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Manhattan. She was in a medically-induced coma. She lost consciousness last week while undergoing a vocal chords treatment. She was rushed to intensive care and never recovered.

She became famous with her stand-up comedy, but most people will remember her as a television talk show personality. She co-hosted "Fashion Police" and starred in her own reality series "Joan & Melissa."

Like many comedians, Johnny Carson made her career by inviting her on "The Tonight Show" repeatedly.

She was well-known for her plastic surgery. The actual cause of death was likely cardiac arrest.