TITLE: Is the join of two irreducible varieties is irreducible? (reference + real fied)
QUESTION [9 upvotes]: The following definition and theorem are taken from J.M. Landsberg, Tensors: Geometry and Applications, Graduate Studies in Mathematics, v. 128  (p. 118)
Definition 5.1.1.1:
The $join$ of two varieties $X$, $Y$ is
$$
J(X,Y)=\overline{\bigcup\limits_{x\in X,\ y\in Y,\ x\ne y} \mathbb P^1_{xy}}.
$$
Theorem 5.1.1.4: 
Joins and secant varieties of irreducible varieties are irreducible.
For the proof the author refers to p.144 of
Joe Harris, Algebraic Geometry: A First Course.
But this book contains the proof only for secant varieties.
I have not found any other books or papers where the statement
`` Join of two irreducible varieties is  irreducible''
is formulated explicitly. And I have not found the proof.
Question 1: Where I can find the proof for joins of intersecting varieties?
Question 2: Does the statement hold over $\mathbb R$? I will appreciate any references here.

REPLY [3 votes]: I am going to prove that the join of two irreducible varieties is irreducible, but first, I am going to give a definition of join that is more easy to drive.
Let $X,Y\subseteq\mathbb{P}^{n}$ be two irreducible varieties. Let us consider
$$
S^{0}_{X,Y}:=\{(x,y,z)\in X\times Y\times \mathbb{P}^{N}:x\neq y, z\in\langle x,y\rangle\},
$$
and
$$
S_{X,Y}:=\overline{S^{0}_{X,Y}}\subseteq X\times Y\times\mathbb{P}^{N}
$$
(where the line means Zariski closure). Let us consider the projections
$$
\pi_{1}:S_{X,Y}\rightarrow X\times Y,
$$
$$
\pi_{2}:S_{X,Y}\rightarrow \mathbb{P}^{N}.
$$
We define the join of $X,Y$ to be 
$$
S(X,Y):=\pi_{2}(S_{X,Y}).
$$
The fibers of $\pi_{1}|_{S^{0}_{X,Y}}$ are isomorphic to lines, so they are irreducible of the same dimension. In consequence, $S^{0}_{X,Y}$ is irreducible. Accordingly, its Zariski closure $S_{X,Y}$ is irreducible, and the image of $S_{X,Y}$ under a morphism is irreducible too. In particular, $S(X,Y)=\pi_{2}(S_{X,Y})$ is irreducible, as we wanted to prove.