In March 1974, The Carol Burnett Show introduced a new sketch called “The Family.” It featured Vicki Lawrence as belittling, sarcastic Thelma “Mama” Harper, who was constantly at odds with her neurotic daughter, Eunice, played by Carol. Mama proved so popular she eventually got her own sitcom, which ran from 1983 to 1990.
Fifty years after the character’s first appearance on TV, Mama’s still earning laughs in Vicki Lawrence and Mama: A Two-Woman Show, Vicki’s touring production. “It’s a part I can grow into; it’s not a sexy young girl,” Vicki, 74, tells Closer. “As you get older, you certainly feel you’ve earned the right to say what you’re thinking because you don’t have time to mince words. And as I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to understand that more.”
Your dad worked in the historic Max Factor cosmetics building as an accountant. Did he bring home free samples?
“Yes, absolutely! They used to put out a limited-edition purse compact every Christmas, and my mom had quite a collection. And then my science projects in school were all about ‘How is lipstick made?’ and ‘How does nail polish stay on?’ Scientifically important stuff!”
Did that job come with any other perks?
“My father got me tickets to see the Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl in 1965. When I was a freshman in high school, my pen pal in London had sent me this clipping about these four crazy-looking guys with long hair. She said they were coming to America, and a nanosecond later they invaded.”
Do you think there is any correlation between your dad’s job at Max Factor and your marriage to a makeup artist?
“I never thought about that. I think he was just handsome. I met Al at CBS. He walked by Carol’s dressing room looking pretty adorable, and she told her assistant to find out who he was. Carol basically commandeered him for me.”
What’s your secret to a long marriage?
“Marry a friend. Marry someone who makes you laugh. Love is lovely, but it ebbs and flows. When you’re going through the hard stuff, it’s so nice to have your best friend there.”
As a member of the Young Americans singing group, you performed “Born Free” at the 1967 Oscars. Did you see any stars?
“I remember seeing Elizabeth Taylor at the buffet table backstage. Our musical director kept telling us, ‘Get away from the table and leave her alone!’ We weren’t bothering her; we just wanted food.”
You had a number-one hit with “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia.” Did the lights ever go out when you were performing it?
“[Laughs] No, but we had a fire start once. We were playing at a casino in Laughlin, Nevada, and it started getting smoky. I thought they were doing some cool smoke effect to make it look mysterious, and then it got so bad that we all evacuated. A light had caught a curtain on fire. The next day when we went back, there were ashes everywhere.”
You’ve appeared on a lot of game shows. Do you have a favorite memory?
“Carol and I were both game fanatics, and one time she made us do Eunice and Mama on Password. I was traumatized having to play the game in character, but I think we won. You had to win with Carol.”
Carol hired you for her show after you wrote her a fan letter. Do you think fate had a hand in it?
“It certainly was very serendipitous. I think I’d addressed my letter, ‘Carol Burnett, Hollywood.’ It was like sending a letter to Santa and it just got there. I did end up asking Carol, ‘Why my letter?’ and she said, ‘You will find that the number of letters that you can actually read that actually have something interesting to say are very few and far between.’”
In your mind, how old is Mama?
“I used to always say she was 69 and holding, but now I’m sure she has to be much older. 69? She’s a kid! The fun thing about writing for Mama is she’s very certain of her opinions, but she sometimes gets things just a little bit wrong.”
What’s the oddest thing that’s happened during your Vicki Lawrence and Mama live shows?
“One night a 6-foot-4 Eunice charged the stage — this big, tall, gangly guy in drag. Security, of course, jumped up, but the audience and I were just howling. Sometimes there can be an entire row of Mamas who come to see the show.”
Do you think that Mama was an inspiration for Tyler Perry’s Madea character?
“I believe Tyler says she was. I just wish I could talk him into doing Mama and Madea [together] because I think we could do a helluva Thelma & Louise kind of a movie going across country and getting in all kinds of trouble. I’ve pitched it to him, but he thinks he’s done with Madea.”
You played Miley Cyrus’ grandmother on Hannah Montana. What’s she like?
“She was this little sponge and would soak up any words of wisdom. Our first scene was in a kitchen putting a meal together, and I said, ‘I’m going to teach you the first thing Harvey [Korman] ever taught me, and that is, make your props your friends.’ You will find if you pay attention to what you’re saying when you touch each prop, it’s way easier to learn your lines.”
What do you like most about being the age you are now?
“I read a funny joke the other day: ‘The best thing about growing old is that it doesn’t last that long.’ I don’t know. I guess I’m smarter, wiser and much more self-confident.”
What’s left on your bucket list?
“My daughter and I have said that when we go back to Italy we must take a few days and take a cooking class, which would be a lot of fun. And I’d like to start working on a book about all the ridiculous stuff that happens to women as we get older. You gotta keep laughing or otherwise you’ll end up slitting your wrists.”