Current:Home > Contact-usCarol Burnett recalls 'awful' experience performing before Elvis: 'Nobody wanted to see me'-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
Carol Burnett recalls 'awful' experience performing before Elvis: 'Nobody wanted to see me'
View Date:2024-12-23 22:31:39
Elvis Presley is a tough act to follow — or, as Carol Burnett once learned, to precede.
The television legend, 90, stopped by "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" on Tuesday and chatted about one of her previous times at the Ed Sullivan Theater: when she appeared on "The Ed Sullivan Show" on the same episode as Presley. This was when Presley was in the army, and "they did a whole big thing" with him, she explained.
Unfortunately for Burnett, she went on before Presley, so audience members were anxious to see the singer and had no interest in her.
"Nobody wanted to see me," she recalled. "'Elvis! Where the hell is Elvis? We want to see Elvis!' I bombed. Oh my God. It was terrible. It was awful."
On the bright side, Burnett met Presley that night and got his autograph for her sister. "He was very sweet," she told Colbert.
"The Ed Sullivan Show" originally aired from 1948 to 1971. Colbert noted that Burnett was on the show seven times, a number that surprised her. "I was?" she asked. Burnett's own self-titled variety show ran on CBS from 1967 to 1978.
While chatting with Colbert, Burnett remembered another awful television appearance, although this time, it was awful on purpose. The "Carol Burnett Show" star explained that when she was nervous to be a guest on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson," she decided that she would intentionally be the "world's worst guest" without telling the talk show host beforehand. So during the show, Burnett repeatedly answered Carson's questions with "yes" or "no" answers.
Carol Burnettturns 90 with TV songs, laughs and Cher rocking Bob Mackie: 'I wanted it this way'
"Of course, he caught on, and he started asking all kinds of interesting questions, to which I could just say, 'Maybe. No,'" she said.
Speaking of Presley, Burnett also looked back on when she performed a song on TV called "I Made a Fool of Myself Over John Foster Dulles," which imagined a young girl obsessing over the "dull" U.S. secretary of state the way most girls did about Presley.
Carol Burnettdishes on 'Mad About You' reunion with Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt
"All hell broke loose" after Burnett performed the song on the Jack Paar and Ed Sullivan shows, she said, recalling that it "was front-page news" at the time.
The Emmy winner's television career has spanned more than 60 years, and her latest role is opposite Kristen Wiig in "Palm Royale," now streaming on Apple TV+.
veryGood! (949)
Related
- Martin Scorsese on faith in filmmaking, ‘The Saints’ and what his next movie might be
- Collapse of Baltimore's Key is latest bridge incident of 2024 after similar collisions in China, Argentina
- Apple announces Worldwide Developers Conference dates, in-person event
- Mississippi Senate Republicans push Medicaid expansion ‘lite’ proposal that would cover fewer people
- Horoscopes Today, November 9, 2024
- Warriors’ Draymond Green is ejected less than 4 minutes into game against Magic
- Garrison Brown's older brother Hunter breaks silence on death, Meri discusses grief
- Lea Michele Is Pregnant, Expecting Baby No. 2 With Husband Zandy Reich
- Powell says Fed will likely cut rates cautiously given persistent inflation pressures
- Biden administration will lend $1.5B to restart Michigan nuclear power plant, a first in the US
Ranking
- Elon Musk responds after Chloe Fineman alleges he made her 'burst into tears' on 'SNL'
- Schools in the path of April’s total solar eclipse prepare for a natural teaching moment
- Why Jennifer Garner's Vital—Not Viral—Beauty Tips Are Guaranteed to Influence You
- What is the 'Mob Wives' trend? Renee Graziano, more weigh in on TikTok's newest aesthetic
- What does the top five look like and other questions facing the College Football Playoff committee
- Settlement reached in lawsuit between Disney and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ allies
- 1 of 2 suspects in fatal shooting of New York City police officer is arrested
- Transform Your Clothes Into a Festival-Ready Outfit With These Chic & Trendy Accessories
Recommendation
-
Artem Chigvintsev Returns to Dancing With the Stars Ballroom Amid Nikki Garcia Divorce
-
'Why wouldn't we?' Caitlin Clark offered $5 million by Ice Cube's BIG 3 league
-
Louisville finalizing deal to hire College of Charleston's Pat Kelsey as men's basketball coach
-
Ski town struggles to fill 6-figure job because candidates can't afford housing
-
Stop What You're Doing—Moo Deng Just Dropped Her First Single
-
Selling Sunset's Chelsea Lazkani Files for Divorce From Husband After Nearly 7 Years of Marriage
-
Celeb Trainer Gunnar Peterson Shares 4-Year-Old Daughter's Cancer Diagnosis
-
Jill Biden wrote children’s book about her White House cat, Willow, that will be published in June