Today marks the 90th birthday of Carol Burnett, the revolutionary comedian who has entertained us for years. Despite her age, Burnett is still vibrant and is celebrating her special day in a grand way. NBC has planned to broadcast a tribute show, Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter and Love, honoring the legendary icon. On the red carpet, numerous famous personalities from Hollywood showed up to express their admiration for Burnett.
Julie Andrews, the iconic star of The Sound of Music, attended the event as one of the guests, expressing her fondness for Burnett. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Andrews joked on the red carpet that she brings out the best in Burnett and vice versa, despite their contrasting personalities. Andrews reminisced about their first meeting at a Chinese restaurant where they immediately bonded, and their friendship has lasted ever since.
Another guest, Cher, discussed her friendship with Burnett and the pranks they used to play on each other. Jane Lynch, another actress, revealed her admiration for Burnett when they first met.
The guest list for the show, which was recorded in March, includes various notable names from the entertainment industry such as Lily Tomlin, Steve Carell, Laura Dern, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Oprah, Michelle Obama, Steve Martin, Martin Short, Allison Janney, Jimmy Fallon, and Ellen DeGeneres. The Playbill also announced that several Broadway stars, including Bernadette Peters, Billy Porter, Sutton Foster, and Kristin Chenoweth, will perform musical numbers in honor of Burnett.
Burnett expressed her excitement about the birthday tribute show, stating that she is delighted to share this momentous occasion with her closest friends and relive many of the highlights of her illustrious career. As a Broadway veteran, Burnett received Tony nominations for Once Upon a Mattress and Moon Over Buffalo.
In a statement, Burnett expressed her excitement about NBC hosting a birthday celebration for her, which would allow her to revisit numerous cherished memories from her career with her dear friends. She expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to share this special night with everyone.
Carol Burnett reflects on reaching the age of 90
Carol Burnett gained widespread recognition for her revolutionary variety/sketch show, The Carol Burnett Show, which aired for 11 seasons on CBS. As the first female host of a show of this type, she is regarded as a pioneer for female comedians.
Her contributions to the entertainment industry have earned her numerous lifetime achievement awards, including the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor and the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award. In 2019, the Golden Globes named their television lifetime achievement award after Burnett, making her the first recipient of the “Carol Burnett Award.”
Despite her age, Burnett doesn’t feel old compared to her peers, referring to herself as a “late bloomer” in an interview with People Magazine. She’s thrilled to be turning 90 and feels grateful to have maintained her physical and mental health.
Burnett returned to television in a significant guest role on the final season of Better Call Saul last year.
