I was reading somewhere how Joan Rivers has the catchphrase "Can We
Talk?"

Apparently this started due to that phrase getting a huge laugh when
she used it in a particular situation.

What was the situation?

---

Request for Question Clarification by sgtcory-ga on 14 Feb 2003 19:32 PST

Hello markabe,

Great question!

I am certain I have found the context in which the phrase became
popular, however I can not find documentation for the very first
instance or situation she did this in. Would you like more
documentation in this direction, or are you looking for a documented
first use?

Thanks for the clarification -
SgtCory

---

Clarification of Question by markabe-ga on 16 Feb 2003 23:41 PST

sgtcory,

Try the context in which the phrase became popular.

I couldn't find the context of the first use. But this is a link to
trademark record for "Can we talk".
http://tarr.uspto.gov/servlet/tarr?regser=serial&entry=73583179

It lists the date of first use as 1983-09-12

Backing into this a bit...

"As an aspiring comic in the early 60's, "the queen of barbed
one-liners" auditioned seven times unsuccessfully for The Tonight
Show."
http://www.celebritytheatre.com/press.php?ID=94

*************

"I didn't have a closer in my set and now I've finally learned how to
write two punch lines for one set-up, and that takes years. Joan
Rivers found "Can we talk?" after nine years of stand-up."
http://www.girlcomic.net/dec2k1/dec2k1_bigones_jen2.php

*************

1968:  That year, Joan got one of the first syndicated talk shows on
daytime TV.  http://www.joanrivers.com/joan/timeline/default.asp

*************

According to that timeline, it would place her as writer/star of "That
Show (w/Joan Rivers)."  She did 260 half-hour talk shows for NBC from
1968-1971.  http://tinyurl.com/6a9v

*************

As for context, I thought it was used initially in reference to her
stock character, Heidi Abramowitz. 
http://www.ozcomedy.com/journal/21saper.htm