Carol Burnett

“Life goes on and things come to an end, but then you have to be grateful that it all existed. That you were able to make your dreams real. I’ll always be fortunate. I think about the pandemic and selfishly, I think, I’m kind of glad that I’m the age I am. Because I was able to do what I wanted to do and not be shot down in the middle of it, the way so many people are today.” – Carol Burnett, episode 187 on Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso

The legendary actress, comedian, singer, and writer Carol Burnett joins us this week! After seven decades in the industry, she sits down to discuss her upbringing in the Hollywood Arms Apartments (3:30), a mysterious envelope of money that allowed her to study at UCLA (7:15), a generous loan that catapulted her to New York City (12:33), her “big break” in 1957 (23:25), how Julie & Carol at Carnegie Hall came to be (30:13), finding her place in “a man’s game” on network television (43:20), her fond memories of The Carol Burnett Show and everyone who made it possible (49:33). Finally, before we leave, a conversation on divine intervention (1:01:15) and what she’s grateful for at age 87.

 

Show-notes:

  • Watch Carol’s I Made A Fool Of Myself Over John Foster Dulles
  • Watch a clip of Julie & Carol at Carnegie Hall 
  • Watch a clip from the final episode of The Carol Burnett Show in 1978
  • Check out The Carol Burnett Show YouTube channel.
  • Purchase her two memoirs here.

Illustrations by: Krishna Shenoi.

Music by: Dylan Peck

Subscribe on: Apple Music, Spotify, Stitcher. 

 

Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso is a free, independently produced podcast. We are supported by our listeners. So, if you can, consider donating to our show here.