Actress and comedian Carol Burnett is a champion for the television comedy of the 1960s and ‘70s.
Her long-running comedy sketch program, “The Carol Burnett Show,” was featured on air alongside hit series such as “All in the Family,” “The Bob Newhart Show,” and “M*A*S*H.”
Burnett, 91, recently reflected on why these programs received acclaim.
The “Annie” star then explained how she thinks the modern-day style of comedy can miss the mark.
“I’m not a prude, but sometimes I think some of the stuff today and recently has been kind of easy to get a laugh by being a little blue. I don’t mind it if it’s within the character, but if they do it just to say a bad word, I think it’s boring and it’s not funny,” she said.
“Funny is ‘Dick Van Dyke Show.’ Funny, again, is Mary [Tyler Moore], Bob Newhart, ‘All in the Family’—funny,” she said. “And they hold up today. And some of our sketches hold up today.”
The 91-year-old recently received her 25th Primetime Emmy nomination for her role as Norma Dellacorte in the comedy-drama series “Palm Royale.”
The series also stars Kristen Wiig, Laura Dern, Allison Janney, and Ricky Martin.
Burnett launched “The Carol Burnett Show” in 1967. Running for 11 seasons, the show featured film parodies, musical numbers, and various comedy sketches. The comedian recalled the show’s impact on past and present fans.
“A lot of the fan mail too, which touches me, is that so many say, ‘You know, when our family was unhappy or things were not going well, we watched your show and you guys, and it was the one time during the week that we laughed,’” she said. “It breaks my heart but it’s such a sweet thing to say.”
Nearly six decades after the launch of her variety show, Burnett has no plans to leave the entertainment business—on one condition.
Burnett’s Career
Burnett attended the University of California, Los Angeles before moving to New York City to pursue professional acting. For the first few years, she landed gigs on programs such as “The Paul Winchell and Jerry Mahoney Show,” “The Tonight Show,” and “The Ed Sullivan Show.”In 1959, Burnett got a break after appearing in the Broadway musical “Once Upon A Mattress” and was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance. In 1962, she won an Emmy Award for outstanding performance in a variety or musical program or series for her work on “The Garry Moore Show.”
After appearing in more shows and making her film debut in “Who’s Been Sleeping in My Bed” in 1963, Burnett was offered her own variety series with CBS in 1967. The program would go on to earn 25 Primetime Emmy Awards.
Burnett sought drama roles after her show ended, appearing in the film “A Wedding” (1978) and the TV movie “Friendly Fire” (1979). She appeared on “Mama’s Family,” a spin-off of “The Family” sketches featured on “The Carol Burnett Show.” The spin-off ran from 1983 to 1990.
In 2019, Burnett was honored by the Golden Globes through the creation of the namesake Carol Burnett Award for outstanding contributions to television. Due to her trailblazing efforts, Burnett was announced as the first person to receive the award.
