After that show was cancelled in 1985, Rivers was offered a job as an entertainment reporter for WPIX-TV New York City. Then in 1987, he was hired as a VJ by the American cable television channel VH1. Executives there utilized his comedic and interview skills which led to his own show on the network the following year called "Watch Bobby Rivers". Stephen Holden of "The New York Times" called him "...a master interviewer with a gift for banter." On VH1, he interviewed Paul McCartney, Kirk Douglas, Meryl Streep, Mel Gibson, Carlos Santana, Raúl Juliá, Michael Caine, Mel Blanc, Jodie Foster, Liza Minnelli, Marlo Thomas, and Norman Mailer, among others. He hosted veejay segments with the network's new addition, Rosie O'Donnell until 1990.