CAROL BURNETT SHOW, THE {THE POINTER SISTERS} (TV)
Summary
One in this series of comedy/variety programs starring Carol Burnett. This program features special guests The Pointer Sisters.
The episode begins as Burnett takes the stage and chats with the audience, assisting an elderly guest with a seat switch, joking about her role in "The Front Page" (1974), and showing a young guest one of her signature "dance" moves.
The first sketch explores the most "unforgettable" television commercials of the year, spoofing such products as laundry detergent, "Buffercin" painkillers, vitamins, car batteries, the "Mellow Pages" phone book, and credit cards. After this, the Pointer Sisters perform "Save the Bones For Henry Jones."
Next, Harvey Korman portrays a city councilman's running mate whose important speech is repeatedly interrupted by the noisy antics of his fellow candidate, played by Tim Conway, who snacks, smokes and drinks loudly before finally tumbling out of a nearby window. Burnett then portrays a timid woman, Harriet, who lunches with her friend Felicia and tries to explain her sense of being constantly overlooked, which is proven as the wait staff repeatedly ignores her and forgets her orders, leading Harriet to frantically announce to the restaurant at large that she is, in fact, "a somebody."
Finally, in "Cinderella Gets It On," a groovy reinterpretation of the classic fairy tale, the Pointer Sisters join Vicki Lawrence as an ultra-cool family who denigrates their extremely square younger sister, Cinderella, forcing her to do chores as they head out to the disco. When she laments her situation, Cinderella is visited by her decidedly Yiddish fairy godmother and wishes to be a "hip chick;" her godmother transforms her appearance and reminds her that the spell will break at 12:00 – noon. She heads to the Rock Palace, where her stepmother and sisters are partying with the Prince of Rock, Elton John, and everyone is amazed by the newcomer, who is "Tina Turner and Cher combined." Cinderella and the fairy godmother charm Elton and the crowd by demonstrating the newest dance craze, "the Schlump." The next day, Cinderella's relatives are shocked to learn that Elton is desperately searching everywhere for the glamorous stranger from the party, having only her forgotten platform shoe as a clue. He arrives at their "pad" and finally matches the shoe to Cinderella, but as she has returned to her original uncool state, he immediately rejects her. Devastated, Cinderella begs her fairy godmother for help; though she points out that there are "other gefilte fish in the sea," she transforms Elton into an equally awkward nerd (who resembles Mr. Tudball), and he happily reunites with Cinderella.
Burnett then closes the show by singing her signature good-night song and adding her guests' autograph to her guest book. Includes commercials.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: November 30, 1999 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:00:28
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:10394
- GENRE: Comedy/Variety
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy/Variety; Music; African-American Collection - Music
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1967-1978
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold tablets
- TV - Commercials - Bell System telephone services
- TV - Commercials - Bic lighters
- TV - Commercials - Brim decaffeinated coffee
- TV - Commercials - Bulova Accutron watches
- TV - Commercials - Chef Boyardee ravioli
- TV - Commercials - Clorox bleach
- TV - Commercials - Ford automobiles
- TV - Commercials - General Mills Chex cereals
- TV - Commercials - Master Charge credit cards
- TV - Commercials - Nuance Coty perfume
- TV - Commercials - Schick Pro hair dryers
- TV - Commercials - Spray n’ Wash stain remover
- TV - Commercials - Tab soft drinks
- TV - Commercials - Timex watches
- TV - Promos - "Bronk"
- TV - Promos - "Good Times"
- TV - Promos - "Joe and Sons"
- TV - Promos - "Switch"
- TV - Promos - "The Late Show”
CREDITS
- Joe Hamilton … Executive Producer
- Ed Simmons … Producer
- Robert Wright … Associate Producer
- Dave Powers … Director
- Gary Belkin … Writer
- Roger Beatty … Writer
- Bill Richmond … Writer
- Gene Perret … Writer
- Arnie Kogen … Writer
- Ray Jessel … Writer
- Rudy De Luca … Writer
- Barry Levinson … Writer
- Dick Clair … Writer
- Jenna McMahon … Writer
- Ernest Flatt … Choreographer
- Carol Burnett … Host, Cast
- Pointers Sisters, The … Guest, Performer
- Harvey Korman … Cast
- Vicki Lawrence … Cast
- Tim Conway … Cast
- Elton John