Harvey Korman Was “Beautiful When He’s Angry” – And It Nearly Broke The Carol Burnett Show
It all started innocently enough. The writers at The Carol Burnett Show had come up with a short, harmless skit about a man reluctantly dressing in drag for a PTA charity event. Five minutes of simple comedy — or so they thought.
What they didn’t plan for… was Harvey Korman’s legs.
The Scene That Should’ve Been Illegal
As the curtain lifted, the studio audience didn’t just laugh — they screamed. Standing there was Harvey, all six-foot-two of him, teetering in heels and dripping with reluctant glamour. His walk? A glorious disaster somewhere between a newborn deer on ice and a Vegas showgirl late for her flight.
Carol Burnett, with that signature mischievous grin, took one look and delivered the line that would bring the house down:
“Roger, you really do have nice legs.”
Harvey, keeping his deadpan composure, replied:
“Yeah, I know. All the Bradford men have great legs.”
Carol didn’t let it end there. Raising an eyebrow, she added:
“Yeah… and all the Bradford women had great shoulders. It wasn’t a happy family.”
The resulting laughter nearly derailed the entire show. Even Harvey, master of straight-faced comedy, started to crack. His lips twitched, his lashes fluttered, and whatever was left of his dignity floated away on a cloud of audience hysteria.
And Then Came the Walk
As if things couldn’t get more ridiculous, Carol announced they’d have to walk three city blocks in costume. Harvey froze in place.
“I’m not walking through the city streets like this!” he shouted, hands on hips, lipstick smeared in theatrical agony.
Carol didn’t miss a beat. “Why not? Tiny Tim does.”
The audience howled. Harvey’s face flushed. He turned to storm off the stage, his heels clacking like gunshots on tile. Carol, still in full character, called sweetly after him:
“You’re beautiful when you’re angry.”
Without turning around, Harvey fired back:
“You’ll get yours, Carol!”
The Boss, The Secretary, and Total Collapse
Just when it seemed the sketch had peaked, Harvey — still in full drag — had to complete one final scene with his “boss,” who walks in unexpectedly. His only line was: “It’s for a PTA show.”
But by then, Harvey was unraveling. His voice cracked. His wig slipped. The director was wheezing behind the camera. Carol was biting her knuckle to stop from laughing — and failing miserably.
Then came the moment of beautiful chaos. The boss, completely straight-faced, delivered:
“Bradford, you’re… beautiful when you’re angry.”
That was it. The entire cast collapsed in laughter. Carol fell across the desk. Harvey tried to carry on, but every word dissolved into hysterics. Crew members were crying behind the scenes.
The Ending No One Could Script
Somehow, the sketch wrapped up with a chaotic, half-sung version of “Bei Mir Bist Du Schön.” The audience erupted. The laughter didn’t stop — until Harvey made his escape.
Asked later why he bolted offstage, he replied dryly:
“Because if I stayed, they’d have made me do an encore — and I didn’t have the ankles for it.”
The Legacy of the Lipstick
Decades later, this unforgettable sketch from The Carol Burnett Show remains a beloved gem in the history of live television comedy. Officially titled “Beautiful When You’re Angry,” it’s not remembered for its plot — no one cares about the PTA.
What everyone remembers is Harvey Korman: towering, teetering, and fabulously unhinged. Trying to hold onto his wig, his poise, and the last threads of his masculinity while Carol Burnett stood beside him, reigning as the queen of comedy.
Because that night, Harvey wasn’t just funny —
He was fabulous.