Carol Burnett is an icon whose comedy and charisma has touched millions of people—including Oprah, who is wishing Burnett a happy 90th birthday.
Last night, on Burnett’s birthday, NBC aired a special event, Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love, in celebration of her life and career. Now available to stream on Peacock, the special featured a slew of celebrity guests who came together to pay tribute to Burnett. It was an event filled with exactly what the title suggests: laughs, music, and a whole lotta love.
“I feel like I’m 11!” Burnett told Page Six in an interview about the special. “I was absolutely gobsmacked by the evening. It was incredible. It’s not a birthday party. It’s not a roast. It’s a variety show.”
Musical stars like Bernadette Peters, Billy Porter, Kristin Chenoweth, Jane Lynch, and Katy Perry gave live performances. Performers who saw Burnett as a role model—Kristen Wiig, Allison Janney, and Laura Dern, to name a few—paid tribute, too.
“It was fantastic,” Burnett told NBC in an interview. “As I have said before, I didn’t want a birthday party with a cake and balloons and confetti... I wanted it to be kind of an old-time variety show with live entertainment. We had a 90-piece orchestra. We had funny clips and wonderful guests who came on and were funny.”
Burnett’s longtime friend Julie Andrews was there, as well as comedians and actors like Bill Hader, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Steve Carell, Taraji P. Henson, Sheryl Lee Ralph, and many more. Oprah joined via video, along with other celebrities like Dolly Parton, Steve Martin and Martin Short, Jimmy Fallon, and Michelle Obama.
“Carol, getting to turn 90 in great health—what a powerful testimony for living strong, living well, living with laughter,” Oprah said. “Thank you for all the joy you’ve brought to all of us all these years. God bless. Happy birthday.” Watch her video below, or stream the entire birthday celebration on Peacock here.
Cassie Hurwitz (she/her) is an assistant editor at Oprah Daily, where she covers everything from culture to entertainment to lifestyle. She can typically be found in the middle of multiple books and TV shows all at once. Previously, Cassie worked at Parents, Rachael Ray In Season, and Reveal. Her love language is pizza (New York slices, Chicago deep dish, and otherwise).
