Who doesn’t love Carol Burnett? The first time I ever watched her was as Miss Hannigan in the movie-musical Annie. That was the start of the Carol Burnett rabbit hole I found myself in ever since.
This book was given to me as a gift a couple of years ago, and of course, I didn’t get to it until now, but I’m so glad I finally got to read it. At first, I wasn’t sure if I was going to enjoy it because it reads more like an encyclopedia rather than a memoir, but after a little bit of time, I found that I rather enjoyed the layout. It’s particularly great if you’re a fan of her show because you can go back a read about specific sketches or guests that made the show so great. My favorites to read about were Mickey Rooney and Betty White, but of course, there are hundreds to take your picks from.
The book itself is not so much about Carol’s life, but more focuses on her time during her show. She pays tribute to her castmates, her crew, and the fans that made it all possible. I haven’t watched every single episode of her show, as it ran for eleven seasons, but I do have multiple DVDs that highlight the best sketches during that time and I just love them. In Such Good Company does a great job of giving you a behind-the-scenes look at what it was like to put the show together week after week. From inside jokes between her and the crew to Harvey Korman being fired, the stories Carol tells in this book are fascinating.
If I can say one negative thing about this book it’s that Carol doesn’t give herself enough credit for what that show was. While she’s right that is was a group effort, that show would’ve been nothing without her. Her talent and charisma on the stage/television are what kept me engaged throughout every single episode and I think a lot of people would agree with that. So, for anyone who is interested in comedy or how a true comedy/variety show was put together, this is the book for you. If you weren’t appreciative of the First Lady of Comedy before, you will be as soon as you finish this book.
What did you all think of In Such Good Company? Let me know in the comments below!
November’s Book of the Month will be: The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware.
You can find a copy of it here.
***I do not own this photo
Comments