Laughter and Reflection: A Conversation with Carol Burnett Where the Audience Asks the Questions

Carol Burnett is ready to spend more time together with fans
By Neal Justin, Star Tribune READ PREVIEW

Ask her anything: When Carol Burnett stops in the Twin Cities, she'll field questions from the audience
By Amy Carlson Gustafson, Pioneer Press READ PREVIEW

Carol Burnett, the six-time Emmy Award-winning actress, comedienne, singer and author will appear in “Laughter and Reflection: A Conversation with Carol Burnett Where the Audience Asks the Questions.” Renowned for her expansive humor and the long-running CBS variety hour, “The Carol Burnett Show,” Burnett will offer audience members the rare opportunity to engage in hilarious banter, the way in which she opened her weekly TV show. Burnett says, “I love the spontaneity of these evenings. I never know what anybody is going to say or do or ask.”

Burnett’s appearance coincides with the April 2010 publication of her new book “This Time Together—Laughter and Reflection,” in which she relates one funny, touching and memorable story after another about an enchanted life that has also seen its share of sadness. It is a memoir filled with engaging anecdotes about growing up poor and her remarkable friendships with stars such as Jimmy Stewart, Lucille Ball, Cary Grant and Julie Andrews. Her previous book, “One More Time,” was a best-selling 1986 memoir.

“The Carol Burnett Show” debuted in 1967 and ran for 11 seasons, garnering 25 Emmy Awards with its mix of comedy sketches, movie parodies and off-beat characters created by Burnett with an all-star ensemble including Tim Conway, Harvey Korman, Vicki Lawrence and Lyle Waggoner. The 2001 reunion program, “The Carol Burnett Show: Show Stoppers,” attracted nearly 30 million viewers and was nominated for three Emmy Awards including Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special.

Americans fondly consider Carol Burnett a true living legend in entertainment, having bestowed more People's Choice Awards upon her than any other woman in the award show's history. Burnett has demonstrated such versatility in her career that she is now as widely recognized for her dramatic abilities as she is for her comedic and musical talents, moving easily from the Broadway stage to television, and from feature and TV films to music and comedy specials. The multi-talented actress has earned five Golden Globes, the Peabody Award for "Friendly Fire" and the Ace Award for "Between Friends" with Elizabeth Taylor. She was awarded the 2005 Presidential Medal of Freedom, received 2003 Kennedy Center Honors and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

This evening with Carol Burnett is part of Hennepin Theatre Trust’s new Living Legends series featuring live appearances by artists of distinction.