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Everything in Washington, D.C. isn't caught in Congressional constipation. The Kennedy Center announced Tuesday that the 2013 "Mark Twain Prize for American Humor" will be awarded to actress, comedian and bestselling author Carol Burnett.
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That's relevant for us, because she actually began her career as a comedic songstress.
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Burnette became a national phenomenon the first time around, even making the cover of Life Magazine, when she wrote and sang a song about being in love with a nationally-prominent bureaucratic diplomat. He was Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, easily the most boring man in America. (Dulles International Airport is named for him.)
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The public roared with laughter at Burnette's song. She performed it live on TV and radio, and a recording was popular on radio for weeks.
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A regular spot on TV's "Garry Moore Show" followed for her, then plenty of other high-profile work before she landed her own "Carol Burnette Show" on CBS. It ran more than a decade, with her stellar on-camera team of Vicki Lawrence, Harvey Korman, and Tim Conway, and epitomized the television sketch-music-dance variety show at its zenith. Conway always rehearsed the lines written for him, then improvised, cracking-up Korman and sometimes Burnette, whose improvised responses and facial reactions were audience favorites.
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Some of the bits from that show are in the pantheon of the great. If you've never seen Burnette's send-up of "Gone with the Wind," wearing Scarlett O'Hara's dress made from the drapes, go find the bit on YouTube. It's creative comedic genius.
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So, how did she greet news of the award? Burnette lost no time commenting (in a statement), "I can't believe I'm getting a humor prize from the Kennedy Center. It's almost impossible to be funnier than the people in Washington."
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Tickets to attend the event in D.C. are horrendously expensive. But, fitting for Carol Burnette, we'll all be able to watch free, on TV.
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Entire contents copyright (c) 2013,
Lawrence Wines and Tied to the Tracks.
All rights reserved.
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Check the other two current feature stories, each at a separate click, and the FULL edition of LIVE MUSIC EVENTS, available right here (also at a separate click). There's news of the coming weekend's FESTIVALS, plenty of concerts and club gigs, and events waaaay beyond this week.
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2 comments:
Called my mom, the world's biggest Carol Burnette fan. Asked her about that Dulles song. She remembered it. She was like 10 but she remembered it. Guess when I'm old somebody will ask me about Tina Fey doing Sarah Palin, and hopefully everyone will go 'Sarah WHO?'
THE DRESS WITH THE CURTAIN ROD!!! OMG!!! LOL JUST THINKING OF IT!!!
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