Joan Rivers Asks the Beastie Boys How Their Parents Feel About Their Music in a 1987 Interview

While promoting their new album License to Ill in 1987, the Beastie Boys appeared on The Late Show With Joan Rivers. After an energetic performance of “Fight for Your Right”, the young band members crowded around the host, who humorously cracked, “I’m enjoying you because it’s not my house”. After discussing how they met and their huge success, Rivers asked the three young men how their parents felt about their careers.

How are your parents taking all of this because it must because it must be incredible for them to think ‘Here’s a kid who sat around the house and threw ice cubes’ …None of you look like I would pick you for success. No offense …your parents must be six of the happiest people in the world, because it was this or Leavenworth. …I’m trying to find out how your parents are taking this…