Joan Rivers Blames Sarah Palin After FOX News Cancels Appearance; Network Calls It A Booking Mistake

Joan Rivers and FOX News have become the latest parties battling it out in a Hollywood feud.

Rivers started the war of words on Wednesday after Tweeting her claim that the channel canceled her Thursday appearance on “FOX & Friends” after she was caught on camera telling TMZ that Sarah Palin, a FOX News contributor, should bear some blame for the Tucson, Ariz., shootings that left six dead and Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords hospitalized.

“I was cancelled from Fox for saying Palin is ‘stupid and a threat’. Wait till I REALLY shock them with Aretha Franklin is a bit chubby!” Rivers Tweeted on Wednesday after she first learned her Thursday booking was no longer going to happen.

“Outcome: DON’T PISS OFF SARAH PALIN,” Rivers added, placing the blame for her cancellation on the former Alaska Governor. “She’s apparently ‘very powerful,’ and is obviously still smarting from the end of her reality show.”

On Wednesday, shortly after Rivers’ claims broke, Lauren Petterson, the executive producer of “FOX & Friends,” claimed that Palin had nothing to do with the announcement.

“Due to the volume of news topics tomorrow morning and a full show, our booker mistakenly canceled Joan’s appearance instead of re-scheduling her for Friday’s show. We’re in the process of booking her on an upcoming show,” Petterson said in a statement to Access Hollywood.

Rivers continued to Tweet over the cancellation, writing, “I’m feeling very nostalgic right now. I was cancelled from a Fox show today. Ahhh…..the 80’s really ARE back in style!!!”

On Thursday, a FOX News spokesperson told Access that Rivers is still welcome on their network, hinting they re-asked Rivers to come on “FOX & Friends.”

“If Joan doesn’t want to come on the morning program, where she was invited, to push her next project, that’s no problem. We have plenty of people begging for on cable’s number one morning program,” the statement from Fox News to Access read.

UPDATE: Rivers’ rep told Access on Friday (January 21, 2011), that FOX News did call them to try and reschedule. The rep said she called them back, but has yet to hear back from anyone at the network.