Tim Conway & Harvey Korman’s Dentist Sketch: The Funniest Meltdown in TV History
When people talk about the golden age of sketch comedy, they inevitably end up at the doorstep of The Carol Burnett Show. And at the heart of that legacy are two comedy giants whose chemistry remains unmatched: Tim Conway and Harvey Korman. Their scenes together were legendary, but one sketch rises above the rest — the famously chaotic dentist sketch that was so outrageously funny, Harvey Korman allegedly wet himself laughing.
This sketch has resurfaced yet again, thanks in large part to a hilarious interview Tim Conway gave on Conan O’Brien’s talk show. Conway retold the behind-the-scenes story of how a simple setup — Korman as a terrified patient, Conway as a brand-new, hopelessly incompetent dentist — exploded into one of the most iconic live-TV meltdowns ever filmed.
The Chaos That Made Television History
From the moment Conway walked into the scene, Korman was already struggling to keep a straight face. The plot was simple: Conway’s rookie dentist has never worked on a real patient, so he accidentally injects himself with novocaine — first in his hand, then his leg, and eventually his entire face. What happened wasn’t scripted. Conway improvised nearly every physical gag, and Korman, trying desperately to maintain his role, fell apart piece by piece.
Conway told Conan that Korman broke so badly — laughing uncontrollably, unable to speak or breathe properly — that filming had to be stopped. And yes, according to Conway and later interviews, Korman laughed so hard he genuinely lost control for a moment.
Why This Sketch Still Matters Today
This isn’t just a funny story. It’s a perfect example of why live sketch comedy once felt electric — anything could happen, and often did. The dentist sketch represents:
- The magic of live, unrehearsed comedy — where the funniest moments were accidents no writer could plan.
- The power of improv — Conway’s unpredictable brilliance pushing Korman past the breaking point.
- Their extraordinary chemistry — a partnership built on trust, timing, and delighting in each other’s failures.
- A moment of pure, unfiltered laughter that audiences still feel decades later.
Fans today describe it as the moment “the king of improvisation made the king of composure finally collapse.” New generations watching the viral clip are discovering what audiences back then already knew: when Conway and Korman shared a stage, something magical was bound to happen.
Comedy That Never Ages
The clip continues to circulate because it still strikes the same chord it did in the ’60s: it feels real. It’s two friends trying — and failing — to keep the sketch together while the world laughs with them. No special effects. No manufactured shock humor. Just two masters at play.
Even now, the dentist sketch stands as one of television’s purest comedic moments, a reminder that sometimes the most unforgettable laughs come from the things no one planned.