Television keeps changing in a variety of ways

In the last week of April we said “good-bye” to the depths of network television and “happy birthday” to its heights.

That was the week in which Jerry Springer, the architect and sole proprietor of what was widely acclaimed “the worst TV show of all time,” died at the age of 79. But also the week CBS aired a special to celebrate the 90th birthday of Carol Burnett, the star of No. 17 on TV Guide’s list of “60 Greatest Shows of All Time.”

The less said about the Jerry Springer Show the better. Anyway, what more needs to be said about a program whose topics included, “Woman in Labor Confronts Mistress,” “The Woman Who Amputated Her Own Legs” and “I Married a Horse.”

But the Carol Burnett special reminded us of an era when network television brought us sketch comedy, music, dancing, magic acts, ventriloquists and even jugglers, all wrapped up in something called a “variety show.”

I’m not sure what happened to variety shows. But they started to fade in the ’70s, when television’s networks conducted the so-called “rural purge,” in which shows that appealed to more rural and older audiences were canceled as part of a greater focus on appealing to wealthier demographics.

Until then, variety shows were a staple of network television. Without them poor old farmers might never have seen Elvis, the Beatles, the Muppets or Balkan gymnasts who juggled plates while riding on unicycles.

The shows were hosted almost exclusively by middle-aged white men. Andy Williams. Dean Martin. Garry Moore. But it was a white newspaper columnist named Ed Sullivan who helped introduce us to newcomers such as Diana Ross, James Brown and Harry Belafonte.

In 1967, despite the misgivings of CBS executives who believed hosting variety shows was men’s work, Carol Burnett followed in the high heels of Dinah Shore to become one of the few women to push against that particular glass ceiling. She succeeded historically. And hysterically. Eleven years and 287 shows. Twenty-five Emmys. Guests that ran the gamut from Michael Jackson to Minnie Pearl.

And some of the most memorable comedy sketches ever. Mrs. Wiggins, the gum-chewing secretary. Harvey Korman’s Mother Marcus. Castmates literally fell out of their chairs as Tim Conway described the plight of two mythical Siamese elephants joined at their trunks.

Today, the closest we have to a variety show is Saturday Night Live.

But the good news is that, on YouTube, you still can see Carol, as Starlet O’Hara in “Went With the Wind,” walking down that staircase wearing curtains, complete with an attached curtain rod.

The bad news is clips of “I Married a Horse” are available there, too.