Harvey takes his wife played by Carol Burnett to dinner for the first time in a long time and she seems determined to get him back behind bars!
If you were one of the millions of fans who gathered around the living room to guffaw at The Carol Burnett Show back in the day, you surely remember the years of joy it brought to you.
In this classic skit, “The Parolee,” comedy royalty Carol Burnett and Harvey Korman play a married couple on a date a local diner to celebrate his prison release. With two cops dining near them, Harvey is on pins and needles, fearful that any controversy might cause him to lose his temper and get sent back up the river.
Unfortunately for him, Carol’s an opinionated, gum-chomping, loudmouth who just can’t keep her thoughts to herself. When she goes from loudly condemning their drinks (“How can a person get in trouble just by telling the BARTENDER that his MARTINIS taste like GATORADE?”) to belittling the beat cops on their way out the door (“Good night, flatfoot!”), a helpless Harvey tries to mediate and avoid trouble.
Things only get worse when surly waitress “Flossy,” played by funny gal Vicki Lawrence, gives Carol a run for her money in the obnoxiousness department. Harvey soon finds himself dealing with not one dangerous woman but two.
Just when he thinks things couldn’t get any worse, a tough guy “biker,” played by Lyle Waggoneer, saunters into the diner and takes a seat behind them. When Carol can’t resist the urge to insult him, you won’t believe what happens next.
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Here’s a fun fact for you. Were you aware that Burnett wanted Harvey Korman for her series when it debuted, but he was already spoken for, working as a regular on The Danny Kaye Show?
Carol went in person to corner Harvey in the CBS parking lot to implore him to come to her show instead. Boy, was she surprised when he let slip some confidential info: Danny’s show was nearing its end and was about to be canceled. Turns out Harvey was on the prowl for a new job and was thrilled by Carol’s offer.
Carol didn’t realize that Korman had a reputation for being difficult on the set. Despite her show’s high ratings, she wound up firing Harvey because his “dark moods” had become intolerable. Happily, for us, they buried the hatchet and Harvey soon returned to the show.
At any rate, The Parolee sketch from the Carol Burnett show is going to tickle your funny bone from start to finish. Recently released online by The Carol Burnett Show Official Channel, this clip is already getting tons of views and laughs.
Prepare to laugh yourself silly and watch Carol and Harvey’s comedy masterpiece, “The Parolee,” and when you’re done, share this laugh with a friend. Classic comedy like this is just too good to keep to yourself.
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