January 29, 2009

Puppet dictator

Friday nights during the 70's would most often find me and my little sis' watching The Carol Burnett Show. Without a doubt, the cast member who had us in stitches most frequently was Tim Conway (followed closely behind by Harvey Korman). This is a particularly funny skit in which Conway, as was typical, goes off script and cracks up the other performers (Lyle Waggoner is the victim here). I'm not sure folks would find this humorous today, and that can't be a good thing:

7 comments:

Unknown said...

Loved the Carol Burnett Show, so thanks for posting this-- the Hitler puppet is hilarious. Perhaps the humor is dated-- not to my ear, at all-- still find it laugh out loud funny-- but just based on the unfortunate fact that these shows have never been released on dvd (or hadn't been the last I knew).

Great post as always-- always look forward to your posts coming up on Google Reader.

Thanks.
J Hayes

Chris said...

It's hard to believe they've not been released on DVD. If not, I'm sure they will be eventually. Either way, I'm glad you enjoyed seeing it!

Leigh said...

Still hilarious. Some real comic genius on that show, I thought, and an excellent example of ensemble cast. Really demonstrated the principle that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

Chris said...

Absolutely, they were an ensemble, in the truest sense of the word. Shows like hers (Carol Burnett) just aren't made anymore, although didn't Rosie O'Donnell just try and fail miserably?

S R Management said...

Oh, I thought these were tapes of us "torturing" prisoners at Gitmo.
Seriously though, or should I same non-seriously,Tim Conway and Harvey Corman (along with Carrol Burnette and crew) were the best of Televisions true golden days. Absolutely hillarious without anything rude or insulting. Humor like this is never out of date. I still laugh at Carrol's take on Gone With The Wind! and the skits about Tim as the old boss and Carrol as the secretary.

Chris said...

But, but, the U.S. doesn't torture...

No doubt about it, Carol Burnett and Co. were great. The Gone with the Wind parody definitely ranks up there with the most memorable/amusing!

Anonymous said...

These are - or were - available on DVD from Columbia House. I have 50 episodes (25 dvds). And this sketch is my favorite, ever, hands down. I have seen it a million times, and I laugh so hard I cry STILL. Conway's timing is absolutely unmatched.