Carol Burnett is the comedy queen of television with red hair, who succeeded the renowned Lucille Ball.

Although nobody could make America laugh harder than Carol Burnett when she came to take her place in television royalty, Lucy Burnett created a show that could make her laugh.

This iconic show from the 1970s acted as a predecessor to the popular modern Live Night Saturday, offering audiences a combination of short musical acts and comedy skits performed by an entire cast of comedians.

Even now, she continues to perform. Despite starting her career in the 1950s, Carol Burnett is still alive and thriving. Indeed, she remains alive.

Burnett was born in San Antonio, Texas on April 26th, 1933 to Ina Louise Creighton and Joseph Thomas Burnett.

However, she wouldn’t spend much time with her parents due to their acute alcoholism and was sent to live with her grandmother.

While living in a boarding house in Hollywood, they formed an incredibly close bond with her grandmother and Burnett during the Golden Age of cinema.

The condition of her grandmother resembled a descent into darkness, where she was unsure of which path to take. In an attempt to guide her, Burnett presented her with a roadmap, hoping to rescue her from the grips of addiction and improve her life.

Carol Burnett started her acting journey in high school at a club theater. Although she was initially fearful of her nature, she overcame it. However, as a child, she was sensitive and shy.

Since she was young, Burnett realized that her preferred roles were the ones that made people laugh the most.

Following graduation from high school, Burnett enrolled at the University of California to pursue a degree in journalism.

However, her innate gift and passion for performing arts motivated her to switch her field of study from journalism to theater.

While searching for comedic roles in Hollywood, Burnett would frequently entertain audiences in nightclubs.

During that period, John Foster Dulles held the position of Secretary of State. In front of him, I embarrassed myself by performing my own song, titled “I Made a Fool of Myself”. Following a performance at a nightclub, Jack Paar and Ed Sullivan took notice of her.

Despite her entertainment career beginning in the 1950s, Burnett is still performing to this day.

She has been featured as Windbreeze in Trolls Holiday, Harmony in All Together Now, and Chairol Burnett in Toy Story 4. She was most recently in the movie Trolls Holiday.

Getting Her Start As An Actress

Prior to her television acting career, Carol Burnett aspired to become a Broadway performer.

Burnett never thought that her dream of moving from New York City to Hollywood would come true due to financial struggles and how expensive it was.

Throughout her college years, Burnett would perform exclusive shows at individuals’ residences in the vicinity of Hollywood.

On Broadway, she would talk about her desire to perform in productions and her plans after graduation, which is a question she would frequently receive.

After moving from New York City to Hollywood, Burnett approached her predominant businessman husband and he offered her enough financial support to continue her private shows in San Diego, one of which was successful.

They were ready to give Burnett $1,000, but she would have to fulfill three commitments to the couple.

In order to reach New York, she would solely utilize the funds, and she would never disclose the identities of her patrons. The initial commitment was to keep the identities of her supporters confidential, while the subsequent commitment was to solely utilize the funds.

The young entertainers who helped her in the same way she helped them made a solemn promise to her, which was the most important and crucial thing for them all, ensuring their support would last.

Carol Burnett quickly made her way to New York City, where she’d get her first notable role in the production of Once Upon a Mattress, off Broadway on Broadway.

During the second evening of the show, Burnett noticed Lucille Ball among the spectators.

After the performance ended, Ball discovered Burnett behind the scenes and the female comedians instantly formed a connection.

Prior to departure, Ball instructed Burnett to contact her in case she ever required assistance.

In order to meet the requirements, she reached out to none other than Lucille Ball when CBS informed Burnett that she could have a one-hour comedy special on their network if she could secure a renowned guest.

Helping Others Fight Addiction Across The World

Carol Burnett has devoted her life not only to the realm of showbiz, but also to aiding individuals in their struggle against addictions.

In 1988, Burnett expanded her battle against dependency worldwide by introducing Alcoholics Anonymous to the Soviet Union.

When Burnett embarked on her international journey, there were 4.5 million registered individuals suffering from alcoholism in the Soviet Union.

As a component of a campaign for Alcoholics Anonymous, Carol Burnett starred in a movie about alcohol misuse.

The film explored how Burnett, who tragically lost her parents to substance abuse and came close to losing her daughter to the same problem, had been impacted by an alcohol addiction.

She spent more than three hours on telephone calls with a Soviet newspaper, wanting to talk about what a truly anonymous alcoholic program could do for a suffering country.

Despite being on the phone for a total of three hours, each individual phone conversation lasted no more than three minutes each.

She may have been speaking to people in a different language and country, but the addiction has affected families around the world in the same way.

In 1985, President Mikhail Gorbachev of the Soviet Union aimed to decrease the number of suffering citizens through the reduction of alcoholism in the country’s commercial alcoholic production, with the hope of restoring hopes.

However, the citizens responded by cutting production in order to create their own beverage called Samogon, which is an alcohol sold anywhere, forming massive lines.

President Gorbachev made fighting alcoholism a top priority throughout his presidency, and he was desperate to bring programs such as Anonymous Alcoholics and self-help initiatives.

The members of the Soviet-U.S. Joint Conference on Alcoholism and Drug Addiction recommended the idea of bringing Carol Burnett to the Soviet Union.

While in Moscow, Burnett and her daughter Carrie Hamilton arranged a private event for people who are in the midst of conquering their struggle with alcohol dependency.

When the Soviet division of Alcoholics Anonymous started, there were only 20 participants.

Carol Burnett On The Passing Of Betty White

When creating a compilation of the foremost female comedians, it is simply not feasible to disregard Carol Burnett or Betty White, renowned for her portrayal in Golden Girls and her commitment to animal protection.

Throughout their careers in the entertainment industry, Burnett and White often collaborated and developed a strong friendship.

Burnett was filled with sorrow to bid farewell to yet another dear companion upon receiving news of Betty White’s demise on December 31, 2021, at the age of 99.

White’s reunion with her deceased husband, Allen Ludden, is the source of her current happiness, which has aided Burnett in coping with the sorrow of losing her friend.

Burnett and White had been friends for a longer period of time compared to White and Ludden’s relationship.

From the very beginning of their relationship, White knew that Ludden was perfect for Burnett and there was no one happier on the planet.

White had been married two times prior, but Burnett asserts that White perceived those marriages as errors.

Betty White wanted to make sure that Ludden Allen truly loved her before she accepted his marriage proposals, so Burnett was there to watch multiple proposals from Ludden Allen to Betty White.

Despite Ludden’s deteriorating health due to cancer, Burnett remained concerned for her friend, even though she continued to soldier on with a smile on her face every day.

Betty White would arrive on the set and then promptly depart after shooting to be with her spouse in the hospital.

Burnett witnessed firsthand the impact of White’s husband’s death on her.

Ludden and White had always been so devoted to each other that not having him around constantly wore heavily on White’s heart.

Despite her personal struggles, Betty White watched her friend Burnett’s show to focus on the entertainment and her love for animals.

Keeping Her Promise And Giving Back

Carol Burnett is someone whose use of popularity and wealth continues to cause a multitude of people to give her back, and her story is the perfect rags-to-riches tale.

While Burnett is most famous for her efforts in combating substance abuse, she also contributes to various charitable endeavors.

Broadway Barks Across America was one of Carol Burnett’s recent charity events.

Barks Broadway, the largest pet adoption event in New York City, was established in 1998 by Moore Tyler, Mary, and Peters Bernadette.

The biggest personalities in the showbiz and theater world come together to support the adoption of pets from different areas across the nation.

At the occasion, 85% of them found homes, and there were over 2,000 felines and canines ready for adoption at the gathering.

The guest list included McDowell Charlie and Salonga Lea, Jackman Hugh Mackie Bob, Goldberg Whoopi, Crow Sheryl, Collins Lily, Fierstein Harvey, Groban Josh, Close Glenn, and Baldwin Alec, alongside the renowned Burnett Carol.

Because of the pandemic, this marked the second consecutive year when the social gathering occurred virtually rather than in physical presence.

Celebrities were still excited to benefit animal rescues such as Shelter Animal Valley, including the Long Island Golden Retriever Rescue and the Yankee Golden Retriever Rescue.

In 2014, Carol Burnett became the celebrity ambassador for the Gold Ribbon Campaign of the Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation.

The institution prioritizes aiding families who are impacted by pediatric cancer.

As a mother who has lost her daughter to Burnett cancer, she knows how difficult it is for parents to watch their children suffer through one of the most painful and deadly diseases.

The Golden Ribbon Campaign aimed to showcase the impact of childhood cancer on the whole family by garnering the backing of notable personalities, enterprises, and healthcare experts.

Becoming The Comedy Queen Of Television

Gaining the approval of America’s favorite funny lady at the time was a massive step in the right direction for Carol Burnett.

Her initial TV appearance occurred on The Paul Winchell Show in 1955.

Burnett made her television debut in the 1950s comedy show Stanley, alongside Buddy Hackett, Jane Connell, and Frederic Tozere, where she portrayed the character Celia Howard. This marked her initial foray into acting on television.

In the 1960s, Carol Burnett was performing alongside Lucille Ball in The Lucy Show.

Burnett would portray the recurring role of Carol Bradford, who initially began as Lucy’s flatmate in the television series.

Shortly after her tenure on The Lucy Show, she would proceed to portray Carol Barnes on Gomer Pyle: USMC.

When Lucille Ball would return to the television screens across the United States, Carol Krausmeyer of character would take on a new role and appear alongside Burnett in Here’s Lucy once again.

By the 1960s, she had solidified her reputation as one of the top female comedians of that era.

In 1967, Carol Burnett had achieved her own comedy program, which she named The Carol Burnett Show.

The Carol Burnett Show, unlike Lucille Ball’s shows, was made up of a variety of skits and musical numbers instead of following one consistent story.

Without The Carol Burnett Show, programs such as Saturday Night Live might not have come into existence.

The cast comprised of Carol Burnett, Vicki Lawrence, Harvey Korman, Tim Conway, Stan Mazin, Ernie Anderson, Lyle Waggoner, Don Crichton, and The Ernie Flatt Dancers.

Carol Burnett received a total of 40 awards for the television show, which comprised Primetime Emmy Awards and Golden Globes.

Some of the Emmy Awards won by the show include Excellent Accomplishment in Choreography, and Excellent Writing in Comedy-Variety or Music Series, Excellent Comedy-Variety or Music Series, and Excellent Accomplishment in Special Musical Material.

Struggling With Multigenerational Addiction

Dependency would prove to be a prevalent issue for Carol Burnett’s family.

Her experience with dependency began with her parents’ severe alcohol addiction, which led to Burnett moving in with her grandmother.

While Erin and Carrie, daughters of Hamilton Burnett, struggled with alcohol addiction, their parents also battled with drug addiction.

Despite never being a drug user herself, Carol Burnett was heartbroken when her eldest daughter started to misuse substances.

When Carrie Hamilton’s name initially gained fame, it wasn’t due to her acting but instead her dependency on Quaaludes and cocaine.

Over a span of two years, Hamilton battled against her addiction and the adverse scrutiny she had garnered.

Joe Hamilton and Carol Burnett decided to end their marriage, with one of the reasons being that later on, Hamilton’s drug issues would be listed.

Assisting her daughter through her substance abuse problem is what strengthened the deep connection between Burnett and her oldest daughter.

Before passing away from lung and brain cancer at the age of 38, Carrie Hamilton, a popular television actress, went on to become wiser and more mature over the years.

Nonetheless, this would not be Burnett’s final encounter with addiction within the household.

In 2020, Erin Hamilton, the youngest daughter of Carol Burnett, would start facing her own struggle with substance abuse.

Due to their daughter’s reliance, Burnett and her spouse Brian Miller commenced the procedure of acquiring lawful guardianship of their 14-year-old grandson.

Burnett hopes to assist her grandson and her daughter, just as Burnett’s grandmother took care of her when her parents’ dependencies became overwhelming.

Offering advice to anyone struggling with a child who is addicted to drugs is a way to show your love, even if you dislike them, and it means providing the necessary treatment they require.

Her Plans For 2022

Carol Burnett, despite being 88 years old, has no plans to reduce the pace of her entertainment career in the near future.

After the pandemic hit, Carol Burnett had planned to go on a tour in 2020, but had to postpone it to 2022. The evening of laughter and reflection, where the audience asks questions, was eagerly anticipated by her.

After dedicating her time to her family, it has been quite a while since Burnett last embarked on a tour.

Although touring across the country may seem like too much for someone in her late 80s, Burnett claims she has missed touring.

Burnett’s current tour had her most excited about the way the audience kept her on her toes with their questioning.

It prevents each performance from being too alike to the previous one.

With the demise of Betty White, numerous individuals are eagerly watching Hollywood’s enduring performers.

However, Burnett has demonstrated to her supporters that she is not planning to leave anytime soon.

Carol Burnett has an abundance of things in her life that help her stay youthful and energetic, such as keeping Americans entertained and supporting her grandson.

She intends to amuse the world and improve it until her final day on this Earth.

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