Line #53 Series/TheCarolBurnettShow


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/carolburnett_905.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:[[CatchPhrase "Let's bump up the lights..."]]]]
3
4	->''"I'm so glad we had this time together\
5	Just to have a laugh or sing a song\
6	Seems we just get started and before you know it\
7	Comes the time we have to say, 'So long.'"''
8
9	A hit VarietyShow starring ([[TheEponymousShow who else?]]) Creator/CarolBurnett, which aired for 11 seasons (1967–78) on Creator/{{CBS}}. The show followed a simple format of weekly guest stars, {{sketch comedy}}, movie and TV parodies, and musical numbers. What set it apart was how off-the-wall the cast and writers would take things. Basically anything went, as long as it was funny (and could air on TV, of course). Many also consider it to be the first comedic variety series centered around a woman.
10
11	The regular cast initially consisted of Burnett, Creator/HarveyKorman, Creator/VickiLawrence, and Creator/LyleWaggoner; Creator/TimConway (who'd appeared numerous times as a guest) succeeded Waggoner in Season 8, while Creator/DickVanDyke replaced Korman for the 11th and final season. Creator/JimNabors (whom Burnett regarded as her "lucky charm") appeared as the guest for the first episode of each and every season. One of the show's more popular recurring sketches spun off into the sitcom ''Series/MamasFamily''.
12
13	After a failed one-skit anthology series called ''Carol and Company'' (1990–91), CBS attempted to simply reboot ''The Carol Burnett Show'' in its original format in 1991 for a total of 9 more episodes.
14
15	----
16	!!Let's bump up the tropes:
17
18	* AccidentalMisnaming: One "Family" sketch has the character of Mavis Danton (played by guest star Creator/MadelineKahn) constantly refer to Eunice as "Bernice".
19	* AdjectiveAnimalAlehouse: In a sketch about a man trying to get his car's license plates at a government agency, he asks the female clerk if he can take her to lunch and she says for him to meet her at the Whispering Escargot[[note]]French for "snail"[[/note]] restaurant.
20	* AdolfHitlarious: The "Interrogator" sketch, in which a Nazi commandant (Tim Conway) interrogates a POW (Lyle Waggoner) using an Adolf Hitler hand puppet.
21	* AffectionateParody: Given [[SketchComedy the type of show]] this is, the bulk of its film and TV parodies firmly place themselves in [[DeconstructedTrope deconstruction]] [[DeconstructiveParody territory]].
22	* ArgentinaIsNaziland: The "Cafe Argentine" sketch with Creator/LucilleBall is this, condensed down to a single high end restaurant. The fact that our main waiter opens up with a German accent, calls Carol and Lucille "Fraulein", runs the place like the SS, and the food is more in line with German cuisine than typical Argentinian should have given it away even ''before'' [[UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler the manager]] shows up.
23	* TheArtifact: The initial premise of the "Carol & Sis" segments was Carol trying to take care of her much younger sister Chrissy (played by Vicki Lawrence), with the help of her reluctant husband Roger (Harvey Korman). Over time, however, the focus of the sketches became more about Carol and Roger, their up-and-down marriage, etc. With Chrissy only being there to [[DeadpanSnarker make snide remarks.]] In fact, in many of the last "Carol & Sis" segments, Chrissy doesn't appear at all, [[ChuckCunninghamSyndrome nor is she even mentioned.]]
24	* AuthorAvatar: The Charwoman.
25	* BitsOfMeKeepPassingOut: "The Dentist Sketch" in which a hapless dentist (Conway) keeps accidentally injecting various parts of his body with Novocaine.
26	* BlackComedy: Characters could die, or meet horrible fates, and it would always be PlayedForLaughs. For example, the sketch where Harvey Korman is a [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII WWII]] air-bomber, who jumps out of a plane, but ends up losing his parachute. Obviously he's a dead man. The sketch ends with this:
27	-->'''Tim Conway:''' [[LackOfEmpathy Well, at least he landed]] [[SkewedPriorities on the enemy target.]]
28	* BlandNameProduct
29	** One sketch parodies commercials where a character is approached by a stranger asking them to try a new product. Carol plays a housewife who has multiple people enter her kitchen and ask to to try items like Leg & Hammer (Arm & Hammer) baking soda and Borito (Purina) Dog Chow.
30	** In a sketch with several dolls, one is named Barbrie (Franchise/{{Barbie}}) and one is named G.I. Jack (Franchise/GIJoe).
31	* BlatantLies: Invoked during a Q&A segment.
32	-->'''Audience member:''' Do you ever get nervous before a show?\
33	'''Carol Burnett:''' No. ''(promptly mock-faints'')
34	%% * BreakTheHaughty: Eunice. %%
35	* BrieferThanTheyThink: The Mrs. Wiggins sketches were only part of the show for the final three seasons.
36	* BulletDancing: A sketch with John Byner has him as a gunslinger who enters a bar and takes over. It ends with him ordering everyone to dance as he fires around their feet. Lyle Waggoner is the bartender, Harvey Korman is one of the patrons, and the others are played by the Ernie Flatt Dancers. They all do a very well-choreographed number.
37	* BullSeeingRed: In the second part of a recurring skit about a construction worker (Tim Conway) trying to off his wife (Carol), he buys her a vivid red dress with all the accessories including shoes and a silk handkerchief, then tells her to wear it because he's going to take her dancing. He sneaks a bull into their back yard, then convinces her to practice the flamenco in their kitchen. He opens the back door and tries to coax the bull to look at her. When he fails, he grabs the handkerchief and goes outside, waving it. Naturally, the bull attacks him instead.
38	%%* BunnyEarsLawyer: A literal example.
39	* TheChewToy: Most of Tim's and many of Carol's characters, mainly the Oldest Man and Stella Toddler, respectively. [[TheTapeKnewYouWouldSayThat And yes]], the two characters ''did'' cross over.
40	* ChromaKey: Used (and PlayedForLaughs) in some closing mini-musicals from later seasons, like "Beach Blanket Boo-Boo".
41	* CostumePorn: Bob Mackie did virtually all the outfits on the show, from the grand to the silly. In the case of "The Flasher" sketch, Bob Mackie literally was a costume porn-artist.
42	* CrazyPrepared: Initially, the director in "Rhoda Dimple":
43	-->'''Rhoda Dimple:''' Wait a minute, hold it, von Megaphone Mouth, we ain't through with the picture yet!\
44	'''Director:''' I want to thank the sound department for their excellent work...\
45	'''Rhoda Dimple:''' I'm talkin' to you!\
46	'''Director:''' The lighting department for ''their'' excellent contribution...\
47	''(Rhoda kicks the director in the shin, but he doesn't react to it)''\
48	'''Director:''' The Los Angeles Dodgers for the shin guards...\
49	''(Rhoda punches him in the gut, but this makes a metallic sound)''\
50	'''Director:''' ...and the chest protector!\
51	''(Rhoda angrily bites his hand)''\
52	'''Director:''' And also Dr. Dondelhoit for the ''rabies shot''!
53	* CrossOver: One "Family" sketch had Eunice be a contestant on ''Series/TheGongShow'', with appearances by Chuck Barris, [[Series/{{MASH}} Jamie Farr]], Jaye P. Morgan, and ''[[Series/{{Password}} Allen Ludden]]''. This is especially brilliant when you remember that Ludden's wife (now-widow) is Creator/BettyWhite, who played Eunice's sister Ellen in the "Family" sketches and on ''Series/MamasFamily''.
54	%% ** [[http://pull.imgfave.netdna-cdn.com/image_cache/1318644377600457.jpg This]] CrossOverPunchline.
55	* CurtainClothing: The famous parody of the "curtain dress" from ''Film/GoneWithTheWind'', where Starlet walks down the stairs in a gown made from her velvet curtains...with the 6-foot long curtain rod still attached across her back.
56	-->'''Rat:''' That gown is gorgeous.\
57	'''Starlet:''' Thank you. I saw it in the window and just couldn't resist it.
58	* DisasterMovie:
59	** [[ParodiedTrope Parodied]] in several sketches, most notably "Disaster '75", which skewers the ''Film/{{Airport}}'' series ''six years'' before ''Film/{{Airplane}}''.
60	** In addition, "Disaster '75" features [[Film/SunsetBoulevard Nora Desmond and her servant Max]] among the passengers (alluding to Creator/GloriaSwanson's role in ''[[Film/{{Airport}} Airport 1975]]'') in a mild CrisisCrossover.
61	* DitzySecretary: Mrs. Wiggins, Mr. Tudball's bimbo of a secretary. One sketch opens with her just staring vacantly into space. Tudball's constant remarks about her intellect fly over her SarcasmBlind head.
62	* DysfunctionalFamily: The ''Series/MamasFamily'' sketches, which almost always featured some level of conflict, usually between Eunice and Mama.
63	* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness
64	** The first season, with Vicki Lawrence not appearing outside the "Carol and Sis" skits, other skits being performed on the main show stage, and Clark Jones directing instead of Dave Powers, is definitely this.
65	** "The Family". Any ''Mama's Family'' fans unfamiliar with the sketches are likely to be surprised at Mama's nastier demeanor (though it did continue into ''Mama's Family'''s early episodes) and much of the focus being on Eunice, who's presented here as more sympathetic. Also, in addition to Eunice and Ellen, a number of other Harper children are introduced, but [[ChuckCunninghamSyndrome are never seen again]], most notably Philip Harper ([[Creator/RoddyMcDowall Roddy [=McDowall=]]]), who was originally the focus of the first sketch.
66	* EndingTheme: Sung by Carol herself, although there was an instrumental version for syndication. The lyrics are quoted above.
67	* EveryEpisodeEnding: At the end of the show, Carol would get on stage to sing the ending theme, then go on to collect autographs from all of her special guests from the episode.
68	* TheEponymousShow
69	* FacePalm: During the infamous "Siamese Elephants" sketch, Burnett does a sort of "OhCrap" version of this when Conway starts in on his spiel.
70	* FakeGuestStar: Tim Conway only became a full cast member in season 9, but was already a frequent guest by then.
71	%%* FancyDinner: A notable example being with the Harper-Higgins. Needless to say, HilarityEnsues.
72	* FunnyForeigner: Mr. Tudball (and by extension Mrs. Tudball).
73	* GameShowAppearance: Outside the show, Carol, Vicki, Tim, and Jim once [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jofSQdo0Wm8 randomly dropped in on an episode]] of ''Series/MatchGame'' (they both taped at CBS Television City), and they sat on the floor and played for a round.
74	* GenderBender: Occasonally used on ''Series/TheCarolBurnettShow''. It's PlayedForLaughs, of course. Notable skits include [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFg_hIVqvVY the Godfather Honeymoon skit]] (season 6 episode 9) and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnvzAyZIqRc the Star Trek Estrogena 7 Parody]] (1991 reboot episode 6). Also, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NL6IqubGzo deleted]].
75	* GetAHoldOfYourselfMan: "Went With the Wind" has a running gag in which Sissy panics about everything, until Starlet slaps her. Eventually, Sissy slaps ''herself'' to calm down. [[spoiler:At the end of the sketch, ''Starlet'' starts panicking, until Sissy slaps her.]]
76	* GirlScoutsAreEvil: A recurring sketch with Carol playing a Girl Scout who blackmails people into buying lots of cookies. One of those people being played by ''Creator/VincentPrice''.
77	* GrandFinale: "A Special Evening with Carol Burnett", which included highlights from the show's run, reminisces from the cast, a pair of new "Mrs. Wiggins" and "Family" sketches, and a surprise appearance by none other than Creator/JimmyStewart.
78	* GroinAttack: In the "Lost in the Sahara" sketch, Tim Conway goes mad from the heat, takes out a gun and shoots Harvey Korman. Conway then sticks the gun down the front of his pants.... it goes off.
79	* HelplessWithLaughter: ''The Carol Burnett Show'' was famous for the cast "breaking up" (known as {{Corpsing}} among the profession) during the skits. This results in people finding it necessary to hide their faces so as to avoid breaking character; Harvey Korman, Tim Conway, and Burnett herself were the most likely to react in this manner, while Conway and Vicki Lawrence were the most likely to cause this reaction in others.
80	* IdenticalStranger: During one Q&A intro, one audience member pointed out another audience member who bore an uncanny resemblance to Creator/BeaArthur.
81	* IneptTalentShowContestant: As mentioned, Eunice has a spot on ''Series/TheGongShow'' and is so convinced that her singing talent will be her ticket away from her family that she does a lot of bridge-burning before the show. ''Bad'' idea.
82	* IronMaiden: Played for laughs in one sketch. Tim Conway plays an incompetent torturer who gets trapped in his own iron maiden. Another character absentmindedly puts weight on the lid and forces the spikes into the torturer's body.
83	* IWasQuiteALooker: [[WesternAnimation/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs Snow White]] and PrinceCharming in a sketch set 15 years after their fairy tale ended. Snow White in particular got demoted from the Fairest of Them All to #906.
84	-->'''Snow White:''' Oh, well that's up three over last week's chart!\
85	'''Magic Mirror:''' That's because Literature/TheThreeLittlePigs died.
86	* KneelPushTrip: A sketch had Carol playing former Queen of England, UsefulNotes/ElizabethII, trying to reward a very picky soldier. He didn't want a medal, he wanted a pony. When he specified he wanted a blue pony, Elizabeth (after having a royal fit) whispered something to Prince Philip, who then casually walked behind the soldier [[NotSoInnocentWhistle while whistling "Rule Brittania".]] Philip then knelt so Elizabeth could push the annoying soldier.
87	* LodgedBladeRemoval: One skit features Carol and Creator/TimConway as a clumsy couple trying to save money by renovating their mountain cottage themselves. As they enter, Tim is carrying a bunch of tools, including a big screw driver. Carol bumps into him, shoving its blade into his gut. She asks if he's bleeding, he says, "only internally" and pulls it out and tosses it aside. He suffers no ill effects, but bumbles around not accomplishing much other than hitting Carol on the head, knocking her down, and so forth. It ends with the entire cottage falling in after they toss paper cups into the unfinished fireplace.
88	* ManOfSteelWomanOfKleenex: Spoofed in the "Super Guy" sketch, where the titular superhero's long suffering wife has to deal with his uncontrollable strength ruining the house, her health, and their marriage despite the fact that [[AndCallHimGeorge he loves her to bits]]. She has to go to sleep in ''armor'' just to keep herself from being cuddled to death at night and has tried to murder him at least once.
89	* MockCousteau: The "Jacques Too Close" sketch staring Harvey Korman and Tim Conway.
90	* NiceCharacterMeanActor: Played in-universe by Creator/ShirleyTemple [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed parody]] Rhoda Dimple, who acted like a total brat when the cameras were off.
91	* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed
92	* OhCrap: Surprisingly [[AvertedTrope averted]] in "The Little Foxies", a takeoff on ''Theatre/TheLittleFoxes''. Burnett's character, having supposedly become the last-surviving heir of her family, opens her late husband's safe, but instead of riches she's encountered by ''a loaded cannon''. The [[BreakingTheFourthWall resulting]] deadpan [[ReactionShot reaction]] is far more within MyGodYouAreSerious territory.
93	* OnceASeason: Carol would always have her good luck charm in the form of Jim Nabors guesting the first episode of each season. This was hilariously [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] in the final episode of the series-- each of the archived clips from Nabors-guested episodes would comprise of Carol introducing Jim, and then cut to a mere still frame of him. Simply put, [[Film/SuburbanCommando Jim Nabors was frozen today]].
94	* PimpedOutDress: Many of Mackie's outfits were very fancy, especially if worn by a rich woman.
95	* PoliticianGuestStar: Then-Governor of UsefulNotes/{{California}} UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan appeared onstage during one episode's question period.
96	* PrecisionFStrike: What finally caused everyone to crack up in the famous "Elephant Story" blooper.
97	-->'''Vicki Lawrence (as Mama):''' You sure that little asshole's through?
98	* PrettyInMink: Quite a few well off ladies wore furs. This includes playing Queen Elizabeth II in one sketch, and her white fox wrap flings around a little as she starts yelling at her idiot guard.
99	%%* SelfDeprecation: The ending to one sketch.
100	* {{Revival}}: A short-lived one ran on CBS for nine episodes in 1991. Notably, one of the sketches was a {{Gender Flip}}ped spoof of the original ''[[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries Star Trek]]''.
101	* ShotgunWedding: Eunice and Ed are implied to have had this:
102	-->'''Eunice:''' ''(to Ed)'' It is time we satisfied [Mama's] curiosity! Go on! Go on, just tell her what happened that night that I went with you and then later on, we ''had'' to get married!\
103	'''Mama:''' I get your drift, Eunice. ''Welcome to the club''.
104	* ShirleyTemplate: A recurring sketch has Burnett play a parody of Temple, aptly named "Shirley Dimple", later named "Rhoda Dimple" likely due to legal issues. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GP7eGdxfZZ0 One such sketch]] mocked Temple's unsuccessful bid for politics.[[note]]Temple ran as an independent candidate for a congressional position at the time, albeit as a conservative Republican.[[/note]]
105	* SignatureTransition: Carol closed every episode by singing the EndingTheme and tugging one ear, which was a nod to her grandmother. The credits rolled after the ear tug.
106	* SignificantMonogram: At least one version of the AnimatedCreditsOpening took the CBS in "From CBS Television City" and used the letters to write ''The '''C'''arol '''B'''urnett '''S'''how''.
107	* SimpletonVoice: Often used by Vicki Lawrence.[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WDb7_TNKvc For example, in "Caged Dames".]]
108	* {{Slapstick}}: Carol regularly participates in a lot of physical humor throughout the show.
109	* SoapInAShow: The recurring sketch "As the Stomach Turns," complete with SoapOperaOrganScore.
110	* SpinOff: As mentioned, ''Series/MamasFamily''.
111	* SplitScreenPhoneCall: Done masterfully in the "Hotel Operator" sketch, where Carol fields a series of exchanges between several hotel guests and a local tart (Vicki). Veers into TheOperatorsMustBeCrazy as Carol gets intrigued.
112	* StopTrick: In one sketch, Carol Burnett plays a bored housewife trying to crash a party next door. She goes into the bedroom in a bathrobe and curlers, and seconds later emerges completely dressed, coiffed, and made-up. Slightly averted in that the camera angle did change, but the effect was the same.
113	* SweetPollyOliver: In one sketch, two single women want to fly to Hawaii by taking advantage of a discount for couples. Carol's character dresses up like a man (she lost the coin toss) and has to put up with such things as the wrong bathroom and an unwanted admirer. Just as the plane is boarding, it looks like an airport employee is about to catch the two, but no, he's after the pair ahead of them. Turns out two men had the same idea to pose as a couple, so one of them was DisguisedInDrag.
114	** In another sketch from season 4 titled "Naughty Rosemarie" (a parody of Creator/NelsonEddy-Creator/JeanetteMacDonald musicals, particularly Film/NaughtyMarietta and Film/RoseMarie), Carol plays a princess hiding from her fiancé in the Canadian wilderness who briefly dons a PaperThinDisguise as a Mountie (she still has her hair and makeup done up and carries the character's distinctive pink fan). Her lover, a SingingMountie played by Harvey Korman, still ends up SweetOnPollyOliver, lamenting his feelings in song while Carol duets in [[LarynxDissonance reverse falsetto]].
115	* SyndicationTitle: ''Carol Burnett and Friends'', which edited the shows down to a half-hour by omitting the musical numbers. Probably the most common example of the trope, as it's the only version of the series that airs in repeats (at least in the US), to the point where some younger viewers might not even be aware this was an edited version of ''The Carol Burnett Show''.
116	* TilMurderDoUsPart: Played straight and/or parodied in several sketches. Most of these attempts go as well as you'd expect.
117	* TitleDrop: Twice in the ''Gone With the Wind'' parody.
118	-->'''Brashley:''' It went with the wind.\
119	'''Starlet:''' What wind?\
120	''(SuspiciouslySimilarSong to the "Tara theme" from ''GWTW'' plays)''\
121	'''Starlet:''' Well, that's pretty, but it doesn't answer my question!
122	** The second instance occurs between Rat and Sissy.
123	* ToiletSeatDivorce: [[https://youtu.be/XMTSbSrvcRg This Charmin commercial parody]] has Carol play a mom who learns that her family abandoned her since her preferred brand of toilet paper doesn't feel soft enough.
124	* ToiletTeleportation: Inverted in a spoof of ''Film/{{Jaws}}''. The shark is in a toilet. The Quint character fishes for it through the toilet hole, and gets pulled in to his death.
125	* TrashOfTheTitans: There's a recurring skit with a poor family, the father of whom (Creator/HarveyKorman) consumes a tremendous amount of beer in spite of them being on welfare. In every instance, he throws at least one empty can into the same closet, which never gets cleaned out. As time goes on, the cans begin spilling farther and farther into the room, to the point of covering half the sitting room floor by the end of the skit's run.
126	* TrueBeautyIsOnTheInside: Invoked for laughs in the [[Film/ValleyOfTheDolls "Valley of the Dollars"]] sketch when talking about the [[BrainlessBeauty Jennifer North]] character and how she possesses a lot of great qualities, talking about her exquisite beauty.
127	-->'''Neely:''' I'm a superstar and I'm only 20.\
128	'''Jennifer:''' [[BuxomBeautyStandard I'm at least a 38]]. \
129	'''Neely:''' Yeah, but you don't have inner beauty.\
130	'''Anne:''' That's not true. I've seen her X-Rays.\
131	'''Jennifer:''' [[MoneyDearBoy I only posed for them because I needed the money]].
132	%%* UnsettlingGenderReveal: The ending to one sketch.
133	* VarietyShow: In addition to the weekly comedy skits, solo artists, comedians and dance numbers are often featured.
134	* WaxingLyrical: A few characters in "Went With the Wind" quote folk songs. One instance, in which Rat recites "Dixie", gets lampshaded when Sissy suggests setting those words to music.
135	* WhatTheHellIsThatAccent: Mr. Tudball's weird accent was usually assumed by viewers to be Swedish, but WordOfGod is that it's Romanian (Tim Conway's mother's family was Romanian).
136	* WhiteDwarfStarlet: Nora Desmond, Carol's spoof of ''Film/SunsetBoulevard'''s Norma Desmond.
137	* WorldOfHam: "Went With the Wind".

Context Series / TheCarolBurnettShow