The mother of all comedy acts
Double the laughs with Vicki Lawrence and ‘Mama’ in Lincoln City
When she first donned a gray wig and a frumpy housecoat to play a grandmother, Vicki Lawrence was 24 years old.
She honed the character, a matriarch who pulls no punches, throughout the next few years during her time on “The Carol Burnett Show.” But it was when she was given the chance to play the character as the leading role in “Mama’s Family,” that Lawrence cemented her place in television history.
Get to know the comedian and her alter ego in “Vicki Lawrence and Mama: A Two Woman Show,” live at Chinook Winds Casino Resort this Friday and Saturday Jan. 13 and 14.
“You could turn on ‘Mama’s Family’ and know you were going to just laugh for a half an hour,” she said, adding that Harvey Korman, her co-star in “The Carol Burnett Show,” was a big part of her decision to keep the character alive after “Mama’s Family” ended.
“For many years, Harvey would say ‘Put together a show that is just yours and you will love it.’ So I contacted Monty Aidem, who had been the writer on my talk show. I said I wanted the first part to be me and the second part to be Mama. We put it together and it turned out pretty funny.”
Over time, the show evolves to reflect current events.
“Mama comes out and rants about things going on,” Lawrence said. “It’s been fun to push her into the modern world. There’s always some new technology for her to get upset about.”
Though it has been a few decades since “Mama’s Family” was on the air, Lawrence says thanks to re-runs, she still gets fans of all ages.
“I came out to perform one night and there was a whole row of recent college grads in the front,” she said. “After it was over they told me, ‘We would never have gotten through it without Mama.’”
Lawrence also speaks to women’s organizations, where she shares her experiences and lessons learned.
“I talk to women’s groups about depression because so many women go through it,” she said. “It can be from empty nest syndrome, or the fact that the kids won’t leave, or a change in work status. I went into a depression because of what happened when my talk show was canceled. It was going well, but I worked for a man who was verbally abusive. Because I complained about it, they fired me. It never occurred to me they would protect him instead of me and the show. Back in the day, that’s how it was.”
In 1973, Lawrence recorded the hit song “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia.”
“I sing that song in the show because when you have one big hit, people kind of expect to hear it,” she said. “But don’t get your expectations up, my voice is not what it used to be and honestly I wasn’t a great singer to begin with.”
For her appearances on “The Carol Burnett Show,” Lawrence received multiple Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominations, winning an Emmy in 1976.
Through the years she made appearances on other television programs, such as “Laverne & Shirley,” “Roseanne” and “Hannah Montana” and most recently, starred in the 2018/19 TV series “The Cool Kids,” created by Charlie Day. The series received favorable reviews and was a hit with viewers but only lasted one season.
“I was the first person cast and I didn’t even know Charlie was there.” Lawrence said. “I was like, ‘Look at all these adorable guys.’ I wish it had been on a different network because it might have lasted. There was no cuter cast than ours, it was a great experience.”
Not only a successful actress, Lawrence is also involved in many causes close to her. She was the honorary head of the D.A.R.E program, raised money to protect widows and families of slain police officers in Long Beach, California, supports the Humane Society and works with the American Heart Association. Her efforts to protect women’s rights were recognized in 1988 when she was the first woman to be honored as Person of the Year by the Coalition of Labor Union Women.
But her favorite accomplishment continues to be connecting with the people that appreciate the laughter and inspiration she has brought to people throughout the years.
“I still get crazy amounts of fan mail,” she said. “People often come to the show with a preconceived notion of what they will see because they know about me from the different things I’ve done. I feel like I always walk into a room of fans and walk out with a room full of friends.”
“Vicki Lawrence and Mama: A Two Woman Show,” is intended for audiences aged 16 and over. Tickets, $25 to $40, are available at chinookwinds.com or by calling 1-888-624-6228. Shows start at 8 pm at Chinook Winds Casino Resort, located at 1777 NW 44th Street, Lincoln City.