The first panel on the main stage featured the iconic Vicki Lawrence. Vicki’s career began in a truly unforgettable way—at just 18 years old, she wrote a letter to Carol Burnett pointing out how much she resembled her. That letter led to Vicki joining The Carol Burnett Show, where she quickly became a breakout talent. She later rose to massive fame as Mama, a character born from a Carol Burnett sketch that eventually led to the hit television series Mama’s Family. Over the years, Vicki has appeared in countless other roles across television, film, and stage.
As soon as Vicki Lawrence was announced for Missouri Comic Con, I knew I had to attend her panel. Her comedic timing has always been impeccable, and Mama remains one of my all-time favorite TV characters.
Due to traffic issues caused by Missouri Comic Con—particularly on the north side of Springfield—Vicki arrived about 30 minutes late to the panel. The delay was entirely out of her control, and the crowd was more than understanding once she arrived.
Vicki was interviewed by Unscripted Morning Show hosts Jeremy Rabe and Maddie Conklin, who had wonderful chemistry with her throughout the discussion. Their rapport helped make the panel feel relaxed, fun, and conversational.
During the panel, the Apple TV+ series Palm Royale was brought up. Vicki shared that she will be joining the cast for Season 2 and expressed how excited she was when she received the call. When she asked which character she would be playing, she was told she would portray Carol Burnett’s mother. Vicki joked, “Of course. What else would I play?”
One fan asked if she would ever release another music album. Vicki responded quickly and emphatically with, “NO!” She went on to explain how she ended up recording “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia.” Vicki shared that she was briefly married to songwriter Bobby Russell, who wrote the song but felt it was terrible. To prove him wrong, Vicki recorded a demo just to show it could be a hit. The studio loved her version so much that they insisted she release it herself. What started as an accident became a massive chart-topping success.
When asked about her early days on The Carol Burnett Show, Vicki said she still feels incredibly lucky that her letter was read at all. Because she was only 18, she was slowly introduced on the show. For the first season and a half, she mainly appeared as Carol’s younger sister in sketches before being given the opportunity to branch out into other roles.
Vicki was also asked about playing Mama both on Mama’s Family and The Carol Burnett Show. When asked her favorite sketch from The Carol Burnett Show, she replied without hesitation, “Mama, of course.” When asked what Mama would find annoying about today’s society, she responded perfectly in character: “What wouldn’t annoy me?”
She shared several fond memories of Tim Conway, including the legendary Elephant Sketch. Carol Burnett had warned the cast not to break character, yet Carol herself was the first to crack—while Vicki stayed completely in character. Vicki explained that the show was filmed twice each night, once before dinner and once after, allowing writers and directors to make adjustments. Before the second performance of the elephant sketch, the cast was warned it had been changed and were simply told, “Oh, good luck.”
One of the biggest laughs from the panel came when Vicki shared a story about flying to Australia with the cast. As the plane was landing after a very long flight, Tim Conway rolled down the aisle toward the cockpit—he had been a gymnast in college—wearing a sleep mask like a bra. He looked up at a flight attendant and said, “Rough landing.”
One of the final questions asked was, “What makes you laugh?” After a brief pause, Vicki answered simply, “Family.” She added, “My family always makes me laugh. We have a great time together, and that’s what makes it special.”
It was an absolute pleasure seeing the legendary Vicki Lawrence and hearing her incredible stories in person. Thank you, Vicki, for coming to Springfield and sharing your time with us.
Stay Geeky!
