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Tag: Carol Burnett Show

September 2: Steve Martin: The Carol Burnett Show and The Midnight Special

Just in case you wondered how Steve Martin got from the first clip to super stardom, here’s two more tv clips from the 1970s.  The first clip, from the Carol Burnett Show,  aired Monday, March 05, 1978 on CBS, two years after he hosted Saturday Night Live for the first time.

The Jerk, his first feature film as a writer and star, came a year after the Carol Burnett Show appearance. For another take, check out this clip from The Midnight Special.

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August 26: “Charo” on the Carol Burnett Show and Charo on the Jerry Lewis Telethon

I wish this was the original skit. Unfortunately it’s gone, though not with the wind. Ahem.

In its place, here’s a clip of Carol Burnett AS Charo.

Followed by Charo herself, doing the other thing for which she is famous.

I remember seeing the original when it first aired (Sep 22, 1973 on CBS). Tim Conway and Lyle Waggoner costar with Carol in that skit. If it ever returns, I’ll fix the link.

If you haven’t seen these, or it’s been a while, swallow the drink.

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August 25: Carol Burnett Show ~ Norma Desmond: The Eulogy

Well, dang.

Carol Burnett has an official YouTube channel, and a lot of the older clips I highlighted are gone. “Simba” is one of them. First airing November 23, 1974, in the eighth season, this spoof of the movie Born Free is representative of the lengths Tim Conway had to go (not far, really) to crack up his co-stars.

You’ll have to live with Norma Desmond instead. I think you’ll survive, if you don’t crack a rib laughing.

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August 24: Carol Burnett and Roddy McDowall

From 1967 to 1978, Carol Burnett and her gifted co-conspirators wove together some of the funniest, most iconic moments in the golden age of television. 

Originally aired Monday, March 16, 1974 on CBS, in Season 7, this is a perfect segue between last week’s sort of random surprise comedy and music, with Carol and her amazing show.

The clip below is from the beginning of the show. Stick all the way through (not just because it’s funny but because you will see what Roddy had to go through to do this performance). Hilarious AND educational!

In March, I got the chance to watch PBS’ American Masters highlighting Carol’s career. The show, CAROL BURNETT – A Woman of Character ~ PBS – American Masters, aired after their feature about Mel Brooks, which I missed by that much. I’d seen it once, but couldn’t turn it off.

Carol was in my house every week, first during the original run and later in reruns. I adored watching the show. Today’s television is such a wasteland, it’s a shame there isn’t more of this. I wonder how much better our world would be with a lot more humor and a lot less “reality.”

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