Benjamin Spider
‘The Carol Burnett Show’ featured a funny skit about “PTA’ auditions at a local school. The Parent-Teacher Association has hired a special director for this year’s production from Season 7, Episode 21.
A woman walks into the room, trying to gather all the other women’s attention to tell them their little show will be directed by a professional. They all exclaim and welcome Mr. Ivan Leningrad, a Russian director played by Steve Lawrence.
Steve wears a long black fur coat, a black fur hat, and a scarf. He smokes his cigar and says with a Russian accent, “Ladies, ladies, ladies, ladies. Thank you very much.” He smiles and begins to speak about how he needs a lady who will sing, dance, and look beautiful.
Carol walks into the auditions wearing a bright yellow jumpsuit with a cheetah-print shaw and poofy blonde hair. She apologizes for being late, and the director asks who she is, and all the ladies laugh at him.
Carol announces that she’s ‘Blossom Butterworth,’ and she has starred in the last nine PTA shows. She is very smug, acting high and mighty. Another lady, played by Vicki Lawrence, asks when the auditions are starting, and she gets called up to the front.
The Russian director says, “Is America not the land for opportunity?” He asks her to show what she’s got. He plays the piano, and she sings beautifully. Carol looks disgusted and stands and quiets the other girls from clapping.
Carol tries to talk to them and convince them to vote for her while she fakes crying. Carol sings terribly, and the director picks Vicki Lawrence, and they go to grab a coffee. But the rest of the women vote for Carol, so she gets the part, and they clap for her while the director begs her not to sing again.
Share with your friends because sharing is caring.
