Burnett gets help from kids on Netflix
Carol Burnett and her Tarzan yodel returned to series TV for the first time in decades with the recent arrival of Netflix’s “A Little Help With Carol Burnett.” The unscripted chat show features Burnett and a rotating cast of pre-K and grade schoolers candidly discussing everything from the meaning of love to technology to parenting advice: “Bribery always works,” said one of her more astute co-stars.
The 12-episode series, which was created by Burnett, also features regular Russell Peters and guests such as Wanda Sykes, DJ Khaled and Lisa Kudrow.
Burnett, who got her first big TV break as a regular on the “Garry Moore Show,” co-created and hosted what’s now considered the gold standard of variety comedy, “The Carol Burnett Show.” The show, which debuted in 1967 and ran for 11 seasons, was recently celebrated in a 50th anniversary special on CBS.
Today Burnett is touring the country, as she has done for decades, engaging audiences in the sort of hilarious and honest Q&A routine that made her a fan favorite.
The bubbly, animated Burnett, 85, sat down before a taping of her Netflix show to talk to us. The following is an edited transcript.
A: I just love kids, especially at this age because they don’t censor themselves. At the top (age range) we have 8-year-olds, and they start as early as 5. So whatever comes out is just gold. You know, when they get to be a little older they start to be aware: “I should say this, or I shouldn’t say that.” Life gets in the way. This just appealed to me because it’s so simple, it writes itself and you just never know what’s going to come out of their mouth. country quite often during the year and do Q&A (sessions) without having any plants in the audience. I’m used to flying without a net. But it’s the kids that are the (stars). I’m just kind of the wrangler.
A: I’m happy we were when we were, because something happened that just wouldn’t now: The network left us alone. It wasn’t judged by committee. Now all the execs want to get in on it. There are 45 writers, and everybody has a hand in it. And we just barreled through like a live show. And CBS left us alone.