Why We’re Still Watching The Carol Burnett Show After All These Years
“You must never reveal my name.., you must use the money to go to New York, …if you are successful, you must promise to help others out.”
How could you not notice Carol Burnett? She’s tall, she’s a redhead, she’s feisty, and she’s funny.
The now-87-year-old comedienne is a United States national treasure with many awards and accolades, including Peabodys, Emmys, Golden Globes, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
She’s a comic genius badass.
Burnett’s worked in television, on-camera film, voiceover film, and written several memoirs. One of the works she’s best known for is The Carol Burnett Show.
You can watch these on YouTube. More on that later.
Humble beginnings
My mother was very funny. My dad had a great sense of humor. My grandmother, too. Carol Burnett
Carol’s childhood was difficult in many ways. She got through it with imagination, love, and laughter. Her relatable comedy show is based in these experiences.
Comedy often originates in pain and discomfort — it’s a coping mechanism.
Burnett was born on April 26, 1933, in San Antonio, Texas.
Howdy, Y’all!
She was mainly raised by her grandmother. They were poor. Her parents were alcoholics.
From pain can come laughter — and healing
Erin, Burnett's daughter appeared in the news for being an unfit alcoholic mother.
People.com ran this article on August 20, 2020, addressing the addiction problems facing her daughter.
My childhood was rough, we were poor and my parents were alcoholics, but nobody was mean. I knew I was loved. We were on welfare, but I never felt abandoned or unloved. Carol Burnett
Comedy greats know behind the laughter there’s inherently human and profound. Comedy is born of resilience. As we giggle at the farcical The Carol Burnett Show sketches, we’re reminded of our own resiliency.
You have to go through the falling down in order to learn to walk. It helps to know that you can survive it. That’s an education in itself. Carol Burnett
Carol joked her way to fame — and our hearts
The Carol Burnett Show debuted in 1967 and ran for 11 seasons. She was one of the first female hosts of a comedy-variety show in a time when comedy was male-dominated. It was near-impossible for women to get into the industry.
In 2020, The Carol Burnett Show remains timeless. I posted to my Facebook wall on August 17, 2020:
“Who watched/watches The Carol Burnett show? Do you remember any favorite characters/episodes?”
The skit with Eunice and Mama, where Tim Conway’s character is describing the conjoined elephants.
The Tim Conway/ Harvey Korman dentist skit.
My 24 year old daughter loves that show!!
The dentist when he numbs himself. I am beside myself every time!
Tim Conway & Vicki Lawrence on the Carol Burnett show and then as Mama’s Family, as well.
The dentist, of course, and the gone with the wind one where she uses the curtains with the rod in them for a dress
LOVED!!! One of my all time favorites!!! Mamas family!
Evie [9 years old] adores Carol Burnett! The conjoined elephant skit had her rolling on the floor! I love the Gone with the Wind skit as well
Mama’s Family was also a hit. Carol Burnett is etched in our memories and hearts.
In 2016, Burnett began an official YouTube channel to share show reruns. The quality is a far cry from HDTV.
It doesn’t matter.
What makes Carol’s routines so timeless?
“Funny is funny. I dare anyone to look at Tim Conway and Harvey Korman doing the dentist sketch, which is more than 40 years old, and not scream with laughter.” Carol Burnett
“Because of YouTube, I’m getting fan mail from 10-year-olds and teenagers and college kids.” Carol Burnett
Carol’s YouTube channel (271K subscribers) offers
Tim Conway Sketches
Celebrity Interviews
Harvey Korman Sketches
Vicki Lawrence Sketches
Lyle Waggoner Sketches
Mrs. Wiggins Sketches
The Oldest Man Sketches
The Family Sketches
Full Sketches.
When she is in a sketch, it feels like we are there with Burnett for a moment, being invited to share in an inside joke.
To laugh at the absurdity of our times. Which are any times.
Great Humor stands the test of time. The Carol Burnett Show is great humor.
When is audience hazing acceptable?
In one episode of her show, Carol begins by teasing an audience woman from Missouri. Teasing her about the weather and how there were two empty seats at That Missouri Show. She happily plays along.
The television comedienne has a way of being comfortably familiar, razzing anyone as if they’re an old and dear friend in which the social contract of love is teasing.
“I really enjoy connecting with the audience.”
— Carol Burnett
I watched Carol’s show with my mom as a kid. While I found her skits funny, her audience interaction segments were my favorite. It felt like anyone could be Carol’s friend, even little ole me.
Mama was one of my favorite characters. These purely character-driven skits didn’t have jokes written into them, further demonstrating the talent of Burnett and Lawrence.
Improv, my friends. Improv can be anything — but easy.
Vicki Lawrence later starred in “Mama’s Family”, a sitcom spinoff of “The Family” sketches from The Carol Burnett Show— without Carol Burnett, there’d likely not have been any Mama’s Family.
That would be a shame.
The green curtain dress
Burnett’s “Went With the Wind” Gone With the Wind spoof featured a green curtain costume dress.
Can you imagine draping yourself in gaudy green curtains, sweating, laughing, and keeping your audience engaged?
I think I’m already having a panic attack.
The curtain dress is on permanent display, an important artifact of art and humor. It’s a tribute to designer Bob Mackie, too.
“Not only is the dress representative of Mackie’s decadently innovative designs, it’s a monument to the art of parody and the golden age of American comedy.” (bolding, mine)
Burnett received a unique honor in 2009. One of her costumes from The Carol Burnett Show was added to the collection of the Smithsonian’s American History Museum. The dress selected was from her famed spoof of Gone With the Wind. The following year, she looked back on her career with the autobiography This Time Together: Laughter and Reflection.
Carol Burnett thrives on empathy
The Carol Burnett Show empowered Burnett to pay it forward.
In college, she was anonymously gifted $1000 to go to UCLA. There was no way she or her family could afford that tuition.
Additionally, she was given a $1000 interest-free loan that came with three conditions:
“First of all, you must never reveal my name; second of all, you must use the money to go to New York; third, if you are successful, you must promise to help others out.”
It’s also selfish because it makes you feel good when you help others. I’ve been helped by acts of kindness from strangers. That’s why we’re here, after all, to help others. Carol Burnett
Without the kindness of strangers, Burnett may not have made it to the big time.
What a loss that would have been for us.
Lucile Ball, Carol Burnett, Betty White, and Lily Tomlin are Founding Queens of American Comedy. They paved the way for today’s comediennes. Burnett laughs with Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Kristin Wiig, and Maya Rudolph — a few of her favorites.
What can we learn from Carol?
Laugh and be kind whenever possible.
Now, turn on one of those YouTube clips and prepare to laugh.