The iconic actress looks back on her career, her beloved characters, and the joy of making audiences laugh across generations.
Written By: Amanda Tempel
Published: January 15, 2026

When school was out for the summer, my childhood routines often began early, as sunlight streamed into my bedroom through open windows, the yellow-checkered curtains swaying with the light morning breeze. I’d make my way to the kitchen, fill my cereal bowl, and head off to claim my spot on the living room floor.

There was no cable TV, no satellite dish, just a handful of channels. Before the afternoon gave way to talk shows and soap operas, the morning hours were filled with news and classic comedy reruns. For me and my sister, Mama’s Family was how we started our day.

When the opportunity came to talk with the woman behind that iconic television show, legendary actress Vicki Lawrence, the conversation felt just as warm and effortless as those childhood mornings.

Inside “Vicki Lawrence & Mama: A Two-Woman Show”

Our chat centered around her “Vicki Lawrence & Mama: A Two-Woman Show” - a production that has been touring for over two decades.

“I put this show together, a version of this show, right on the heels of 9/11, and I definitely said to my writing partner, ‘We've got to just make people laugh for 90 minutes, and I don't want them to think about anything else.’ So that has been my goal for a lot of years now,” Vicki said.

During the first act of the show, Vicki shares stories from her life and career.

“My half of the show is largely autobiographical. Probably everything you want to know about me, you will know,” she said.

She continues, “And then I bring Mama out. I didn't want her to be retrospective. I wanted to push her into the new world and have her deal with all the stuff that's going on. So that poor old lady has a lot of stuff to worry about!”

Mama's Family Cast — The legendary cast of *Mama’s Family*. *Photo provided.*

How Vicki Lawrence Connects with New Generations

When we talked about how her audience spans generations, I brought up Hannah Montana - where she played Miley Cyrus’ grandmother - and how that introduced her to a whole new group of fans.

Not only is she a part of pop culture, but her work has become woven into people’s lives, their routines, and the moments they turn to for comfort. It’s a connection Vicki takes great pride in.

She said, “It's very humbling and you feel great that you have influenced people in a good way. You made them laugh, made them happy, and made them cry. I have a lot of younger fans come up and say, ‘I watched this with my grandma and she's gone.’ So, it's very heartwarming.”

Vicki Lawrence Reunites with Carol Burnett on Palm Royale

Shifting away from the classics, I brought up her recent role alongside Carol Burnett in the much-lauded Palm Royale, a visually striking comedy-drama set in the glamorous world of the late 1960s.

“All the people on that, I'm a fan of everybody on that show. As it turns out, they're all huge fans of Carol and then me. It was very cool. It was very fun. Just a super fun cast,” Vicki shared.

“It was a treat to be on the set with Carol again. I see Carol a lot because I go up and visit her and we have dinner. So, it's not like I hadn't seen her, but to be on the same set with her was just sort of very nostalgic to me. It just felt like the good old days.”

“All those women on that show are so beautifully made-up and beautiful hair, incredible clothes, beautiful sets. When I got the offer to do this little part that I got in season two, I couldn't wait. I'm like, ‘Oh my God, who am I going to get to be?’ And I can't wait to see what I got to wear. I never saw a nun coming. I never saw that coming! It was really fun to do.”

If you go to her show, Vicki shares all the stories fans want to know, including more about working with Carol Burnett.

“I talk about how I met Carol, how I became a natural redhead, how the hell did I have one hit record, how did I meet my husband, how did ‘Mama’ happen, all the things that I know people would ask me if they could.”

The Story Behind “The Night That the Lights Went Out in Georgia”

As a radio show host, I had to talk about “The Night That the Lights Went Out in Georgia,” the song (written by her former husband Bobby Russell) that has found success time and time again since Vicki first released it in the early seventies.

Vicki said, “We were married for 10 minutes, and he wrote ‘Georgia,’ and he didn't like it. And I said, ‘You're wrong, it's a smash.’ And he said, ‘Well, you do the demo then because they don't like it.’ So I did.

Then his producer out here in Hollywood could not give that song away. Everybody said it's going to offend the South. His producer finally threw up his hands and said, ‘Let's just go in the studio and do it with Vicki.’

And that's how it happened. Then when it became such a huge hit, long story short, I got a gold record and a divorce. And I got the dog!”

Vicki Lawrence Continues To Inspire Audiences

With a career in the spotlight and decades of success, I asked what still makes her job fun after all these years.

She said, “It’s always fun to get out and see your fans. ‘Mama’ just keeps spanning the generations. So does The Carol Burnett Show. I feel like we're on almost all the time, on television you can find these shows.

“I think it's so cool that grandparents and kids are learning these shows. The grandparents are really passing all this on to grandkids, their children. I think people love the comfort shows more than ever now. I'll catch Green Acres or The Andy Griffith Show, and they're always wonderful, fun, and easy to watch. No message, no spouting morals. Those shows were just so clean and fun and easy.”

I mentioned that the world can always use more laughter, and Vicki couldn’t agree more.

“Laughing is very important,” she said. “My son always tells me, ‘It’s a good career path, Mom. You’re doing good stuff.’”

And for generations of fans, her laughter continues to be just what we need.

Don’t miss the chance to see Vicki Lawrence live on her Vicki Lawrence & Mama: A Two-Woman Show tour, now visiting cities nationwide. Tour dates and ticket information can be found on her website.