In Such Good Company

Eleven Years of Laughter, Mayhem, and Fun in the Sandbox

By: Carol Burnett

Narrated by: Carol Burnett

Length: 8 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

Winner of the 2017 Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album

Comedy legend Carol Burnett tells the hilarious behind-the-scenes story of her iconic weekly variety series, The Carol Burnett Show.

Who but Carol Burnett herself has the timing, talent, and wit to pull back the curtain on the Emmy Award-winning show that made television history for 11 glorious seasons? In Such Good Company delves into little-known stories of the guests, sketches, and antics that made the show legendary as well as some favorite tales too good not to relive again. Carol lays it all out for us, from the show's original conception to its evolution into one of the most beloved primetime programs of its generation.

Written with all the charm and humor fans expect from a masterful entertainer like Carol Burnett, In Such Good Company skillfully highlights the elements that made the show so successful in a competitive period when TV variety shows ruled the airwaves. Putting the spotlight on everyone from her talented costars to her amazing guest stars - the most celebrated and popular entertainers of their day - Carol crafts a lively portrait of the talent and creativity that went into every episode.

Here are all the topics listeners want to know more about, including:

• How the show almost didn't air due to the misgivings of certain CBS vice presidents
• How she discovered and hired Harvey Korman, Vicki Lawrence, Lyle Waggoner, and Tim Conway
• Anecdotes about guest stars and her close friendships with many of them, including Lucille Ball, Roddy Mcdowell, Jim Nabors, Bernadette Peters, Betty Grable, Steve Lawrence, Eydie Gorme, Gloria Swanson, Rita Hayworth, and Betty White
• The people behind the scenes, from Bob Mackie, her costume designer and partner in crime, to the wickedly funny cameraman who became a fixture during the show's opening Q&A
• Carol's takes on her favorite sketches and the unpredictable moments that took both the cast and viewers by surprise

This audiobook is Carol's love letter to a golden era in television history through the lens of her brilliant show, which won no less than 25 Emmy Awards! Get the best seat in the house as she reminisces about the outrageous tales that made working on the show as much fun as watching it.

Includes cast interviews, a conversation with Dick Cavett, and much more!

©2016 Carol Burnett (P)2016 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“In this light, behind-the-scenes memoir, [Burnett] pays tribute to the many talented individuals responsible for the show's enduring success, [sharing] some of the hilarious impromptu moments on the set and sheds light on the many memorable sketches, including the movie parodies that have become classic TV.” —Kirkus Reviews

"The great comedian [Carol Burnett] filled America’s living rooms with pratfalls and Tarzan yells.... Carol Burnett’s new memoir, In Such Good Company, captures this zaniness with relish. Written in Burnett’s laughing voice, the book chronicles how she prepared her weekly dose of mayhem.... Resonating with Burnett’s lively enthusiasm, In Such Good Company captures the excitement of being there once again, and it’s a joyous addition to her earlier memoirs." —The Washington Post

Enjoyed the insider's view, too reperepetitive

I recommend this audio book, however, I had to set my playback speed to 1.85 to get through it.

Carol Burnett is a national treasure!

Carol Burnett is a national treasure! I love hearing her memories of her television show!

Fun with Carol

It was a delight hearing so many stories about the show and the guests through the late '60s and '70s.

Wonderful Book

Would you listen to In Such Good Company again? Why?

I found this book to be very enjoyable. It was so nice to hear Carol read it herself and to hear the input of her guests in their own words.

What was one of the most memorable moments of In Such Good Company?

Again I have to say it was hearing the book in Carol's own voice.

Have you listened to any of Carol Burnett’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No this was my first.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No unfortunately it was over several attempts.

Loved it

Very funny and entertaining! took me back to my childhood. loved her show...miss her show. That was true television!

I'm so glad we had these memories together…

(As posted in GoodReads)
Carol Burnett has long been one of my favorite performers! In this book, she points out the humorous and serendipitous locations and people who helped her make her comedy show as good as it was. She describes some of the famous hysterical things for which she has gone down in history, and listening to it has brought back a whole flood of memories, and this has demonstrated the amount of pressure that she and the characters of the show approached with humor and grace! Now it makes me want to go back and watch all of her old shows!!

Well worth the time

What can I say... It's Carol Burnett!! The laughs and insights she shares are just fabulous.

so much fun

loved hearing the stories. this was a magical time. so many exceptional talents. thanks for taking me back.

Comedy at it's finest!

I just hated to have to turn the book off! I loved revisiting the hysterical sketches that made for some of the best T.V. moments ever captured! Hearing the back stories makes me want to see them all over again!

Funny and entertaining as expected

What did you love best about In Such Good Company?

The fact that Carol Burnett herself was the narrator! It made all the stories that much more real since she was the one who had lived them.

What did you like best about this story?

All the back-stage stories that most of us don't get to know about regarding the stars she worked with along the way, and some of the funnier moments that never make it on the air. But also about the personal relationships they all had together and the sense of family among the cast members.

What does Carol Burnett bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

You get to hear her own words in her own voice, so you know the emotions in those moments she describes are very real, whether it is laughter or tears or both.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

There were several times when I literally laughed out loud at her descriptions of certain situations. The whole story of how they discovered and hired Vicki Lawrence was particularly interesting too, and I was glad they included excerpts from actual interviews with several of the people Carol worked with.

Any additional comments?

I love Carol Burnett, so I expected this to be entertaining, and I was not disappointed!