“WHEN ONE JOKE OUTSHINES THE REAL STAR.”  The second Carol walked out in Cher’s gown, the whole studio felt different — like someone plugged the lights straight into her energy. Tim Conway, trying his best to play Sonny, held his face so tight you could almost hear it cracking. But then Carol opened her mouth… and that was it. “Little Miss Show Biz” exploded out of her like she’d been waiting her whole life for that one moment. The crowd lost it. Even Tim nearly broke right there on stage. People still say that after this sketch, even Cher herself probably had to sit down and think, “Alright… how do I top that?”

The Night “Sonny & Cher” Got a Makeover

It begins like a familiar love song — the disco lights, the long hair, the glittering gown. But within seconds, the illusion collapses into pure, glorious absurdity.

In this unforgettable Carol Burnett Show sketch, Carol Burnett transforms into a hilariously exaggerated version of Cher, all cheekbones, sequins, and attitude. Beside her, Tim Conway appears as a pint-sized Sonny Bono, complete with denim suit, mustache, and a hopelessly earnest grin. And to make things even stranger, Vicki Lawrence joins as a wide-eyed child star wannabe who decides this is her moment to shine.

It’s chaos set to music — and it’s perfect.
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“I Got You Babe”… But Not for Long

The trio launches into the iconic duet, only for Vicki Lawrence’s “Little Miss Show Biz” to hijack every lyric with her piercing enthusiasm. Tim Conway’s Sonny tries to keep the peace while Carol’s Cher stares into the audience with that slow, devastating glare that could melt metal.

By the final verse, the song has disintegrated into comic warfare — Conway on his knees, Lawrence clinging to him, and Burnett towering triumphantly in sequins as if to say, “I work alone, darlings.”

The Art of 1970s Parody

The Carol Burnett Show excelled at parody because it poked fun without cruelty. It honored pop culture while exposing its silliness. Sonny and Cher were beloved for their chemistry and style — so Burnett exaggerated both to the point of delightful absurdity.

Cher herself reportedly saw the bit and laughed hysterically, saying Burnett “got the hair flip exactly right.” You can’t get a better review than that.

A Sketch That Out-Chered Cher

Decades later, the image remains iconic: Burnett in silver sequins, Conway kneeling helplessly, Lawrence pouting like a lost child star. It’s brilliant, ridiculous, and somehow deeply sincere — a celebration of the chaos behind TV glamour.

It wasn’t just Sonny & Cher.
It was a reminder that the best kind of stardom is the kind that can laugh at itself.