Carol Burnett and the late great Lucille Ball are widely considered to be two of the greatest comediennes of all time. What many fans might not know is that behind the scenes, the two of them were close friends for decades.
In a new interview, Burnett is reflecting about her strong friendship with Ball. She’s also opening up about Ball’s death, which occurred on Burnett’s 56th birthday back in 1989. Hours later, Burnett received a message from Ball that truly said it all when it came to just how much the I Love Lucy icon loved The Carol Burnett Show star.
Burnett Reflects On Friendship With Ball
“The woman who influenced me probably the most was Lucille Ball,” Burnett began. “She came to see me in Once Upon a Mattress, which was my first Broadway break, and she was there the second night, and I was more nervous that she was in the audience than I was the night before, when all the critics were.”
Afterwards, Ball made a point of coming backstage to meet Burnett. The two bonded immediately, and it was clear that Ball saw great talent in Burnett.
“We sat and we talked for about a half-hour and she was so supportive and she said, ‘Kid…’ — she called me kid, she was 22 years older than I was — and she said, ‘Kid, whenever you need me, give me a call,'” Burnett recalled.
Burnett took Ball up on this a few years later when she was preparing for a television special.
“Just a few short years later, I was lucky enough to be given a special if I could get a major guest star. And I got up the nerve and called her, and she said, ‘Hey kid, you’re doing great. What’s happening?'” Burnett recounted. “And I was so nervous and I kind of flustered … and she said, ‘When do you need me?’ “
“She came on the show and then later on, years later, I did her show after I Love Lucy, and she was a guest on my show when I got my variety show,” Burnett added.
Related: Carol Burnett And Lucille Ball Fight Over Tim Conway In This Hilarious Skit
Ball’s Final Message For Burnett
Their friendship lasted for decades until Ball passed away at the age of 77 on April 26, 1989. Hours later, Burnett was stunned to receive one last message from Ball.
“We were very close, and she always sent me flowers on my birthday,” Burnett said. “So this one morning I got up, turned on the television set — it was my birthday — and she had died that morning, on my birthday. And that afternoon, I got the flowers that said, ‘Happy birthday, kid.'”
How sweet is that?!
Watch Burnett talk more about this in the video below.
Related: Watch Carol Burnett And Lucy Try To Escape The Original ‘Soup Nazi’ Harvey Korman
‘Having Fun Was So Important To Us’
This isn’t the first time that Burnett has discussed her friendship with Ball. Indeed, Burnett previously talked to Fox News about the unique dynamic that she and Ball shared.
“She never tried to give me any advice,” Burnett recalled of Ball. “She was not one to give any kind of advice…she just supported me. And we had fun working together. Having fun was so important to us.”
Burnett and Ball are truly two of the most hilarious women to ever live. We’re so glad to see that behind the scenes, they shared a beautiful friendship that was one for the ages!
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