Few comedy duos have ever captured the messy, hilarious truth of relationships quite like Carol Burnett and Harvey Korman. And in Season 3, Episode 11 of The Carol Burnett Show, the pair delivered one of their most chaotic sketches — a simple poker night that spirals into pure comedic mayhem.
The scene opens with Carol, sniffling from a cold, already irritated. “I don’t mind you playing poker with the fellas,” she says in a congested huff, “but why do you have to do it here?” Harvey immediately fires back: it’s his house, after all. Within seconds, the two slip into their signature rhythm — bickering, barbing, and absolutely cracking up the audience.
As Harvey scurries around preparing snacks for his buddies, Carol keeps pace with an escalating list of complaints: his friends are slobs, the mess takes her a week to clean, and honestly, she’s not in the mood for anything. Before she can finish, the door swings open and Harvey’s poker friends march in… each more disrespectful than the last.
One tosses his coat at Carol without a second glance. Another says she looks awful — then blows cigar smoke directly into her face. A third greets her as “Marge.” Carol’s reaction? A legendary slow burn that only she could deliver.
Soon the table is full, the men are laughing, and Carol’s patience is hanging by a thread. She calls Harvey’s name again and again — he ignores her with professional expertise. Finally, she snaps: “If you don’t turn around right now, I’ll pull every hair out of your head. And that won’t take long!” The room goes dead silent.
When she demands that everyone clear out by 11 p.m., Harvey reluctantly agrees… then asks her to grab beer and sandwiches for the guys. Her silent scream from the kitchen is so intense it practically shakes the walls.
But the sketch’s grand finale is the cherry on top. Amid the chaos, Harvey steps out of the bathroom and accidentally slams the door into Carol’s head. She collapses right into his arms — a moment so unexpectedly sweet that even Harvey can’t help but soften. He scoops her up, carries her upstairs, and tells the boys, “Deal me in,” as they cheer.
It’s the perfect ending: a little love, a little pain, a lot of ridiculousness.
The sketch remains one of the finest examples of Carol and Harvey’s chemistry — two performers who could fight ferociously one second and melt into tenderness the next. Their timing is sharp, their expressions priceless, and their ability to turn everyday frustrations into comedic gold is why The Carol Burnett Show is still beloved today.
Poker night may never be the same… and honestly, neither will you after watching this gloriously unhinged slice of classic television.
