Lucy and Carol Burnett

Lucy probably got the idea that people wanted to see her sing and dance when she was on Vaudeville, or perhaps it was when she starred in Mame or any one of the multiple successful musicals she was apart of. I assume you'll never read this probably because it's been 8 years since you posted it and not because you're a successful singing, dancing comedian who has enough experience to pass judgement on another artist.

Lucy and kids attend a taping of the Carol Burnett Show and put her on the spot by asking her to appear in a benefit to raise money for a new gym.

This is the only time Burnett appears on a LUCY series playing herself. Her responses to the "audience" in the Q&A section are corny but cute. Carole Cook plays an audience member who inexplicably sounds like she's got a mouth full of marbles. Cook dubs all of Lucy's singing in the musical numbers and her voice is totally recognizable.

In the show-within-a-show, Lucy and Carol's segment comes off best. Desi is not as adept at the musical comedy stuff as his sister, but their number here isn't that great anyway. There is lots of filler with various gymnasts showing their stuff. This was so the cast would be able to make costume changes but at least those guys will have something to show their grandchildren. Notice the diversity of the extras who are playing the high school kids. Lucy would have been a hit with Blackrock.

**Gale Gordon Cartwheel Alert**

All the humor in this episode is purely unintentional. Who ever or what ever gave Lucille Ball the idea that audiences wanted to see her sing and dance? It was only funny in "I Love Lucy" because she was so terrible! Here she tries to play it straight with the help of a game but in-over-her-head Carol Burnett -- and the results are woeful.

And of course Lucy plops her untalented teenage kids into the middle of it all! It's only funny for the bizarre costumes and song choices. The writers stole a punchline from Mae West's "Belle of the Nineties" and gave it to Burnett! The aged Lucille Ball in a high school play? Backed up by Burnett and cart-wheel turning Gale Gordon? This doesn't work on so many levels!

Cute musical numbers. Strangely they never said if they raised enough money for a new gymnasium which was the entire point of the musical.