FUNNY WOMAN

The comedienne Cally Beaton tells us how Joan Rivers provided the inspiration for her triumphant Second Act

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It took a powerful comment from the late Hollywood star Joan Rivers to transform the second stage of Cally Beaton's life, in ways the comedienne could never have envisaged.

“Not everyone gets their Second Act ushered in by a feminist celebrity,” says Cally, 56, a former TV executive, talking to Ateh Jewel on this week's edition of HELLO!’s Second Act podcast.

“I sat on the board of some big TV companies and used to meet some of the people who fronted our shows. One person I had the pleasure of working with was the late, great Joan Rivers.

“We were having dinner and she said I should try stand-up. I said: ‘I'm a single parent of two kids. One of my kids has special needs. I sit in the boardroom every day. It’s too late.’”