The Carol Burnett Show Season 8 Episode 2 with Steve Lawrence
- September 21, 1974
The Carol Burnett Show season 8 episode 2 features special guest Steve Lawrence, a popular singer and actor. The episode opens with Carol Burnett performing a musical number with dancers before she transitions to a comedy sketch about a couple going on vacation where they encounter odd characters in their hotel.
The episode also includes a series of comedic skits such as a parody of the show "Queen for a Day" where Carol Burnett plays the host of the show, a sketch where a group of women attend a movie theater only to discover it's a nudist theater, and a mock commercial for a pill that gives you energy but also makes you incredibly jittery.
Steve Lawrence performs several musical numbers throughout the show including a version of "The Sweetest Sounds" and a duet with Carol Burnett on "Can't We Be Friends." In one skit, Steve Lawrence and Harvey Korman play astronauts preparing for a space mission but are interrupted by a preening third astronaut, played by Tim Conway, who keeps insisting on taking selfies.
The show also features a recurring segment called "The Family," which is a parody of a typical American sitcom. In this episode, Mama (Vicki Lawrence) is preparing to attend her high school reunion but is ashamed of having no accomplishments to boast about. The family rallies around her to make her feel better, only for her to accidentally embarrass herself at the reunion.
The episode concludes with a musical ensemble performance featuring the cast and Steve Lawrence singing "Everything Old Is New Again." Throughout the episode, the cast engages in their trademark improvisation and ad-libbing, making for a lively and unpredictable show.
Overall, this episode of The Carol Burnett Show is a classic example of the variety show format popular in the 1970s, featuring musical performances, comedic skits, and celebrity guests. Steve Lawrence's charm and talent make him an engaging addition to the show, and the cast's comedic timing and chemistry create an entertaining and memorable episode.
