Carol Burnett honored with Mark Twain award (VIDEOS)

Burnett's show was a must see for Americans of a certain age, as her coterie of sidekicks included Tim Conway, Dick Van Dyke (1st season) Harvey Korman, Lyle Waggoner and Vicki Lawrence with guest appearances often times by Robert Goulet, who was as funny as he was handsome. Famous designer Bob Mackie did many of her stunning gowns she wore on the series too.

The Carol Burnett Show ran on CBS from September 11, 1967, to March 29, 1978, for 278 episodes and originated from CBS Television City's Studio 33. The series won 25 prime time Emmy Awards, was ranked No. 16 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time in 2002, and in 2007 was listed as one of Time magazine's "100 Best TV Shows of All Time.

“They asked me quite a few times, but I could never work it out with my schedule,” Burnett told reporters on the red carpet who all wondered why the first lady of variety had to wait 16 years to receive an award.

But for those of us who grew up with Ms. Burnett, the show was a Saturday-night television tune-in event from 1967 to 1978. Sketch comedy was never better:

When Burnett finally took the stage after two hours of tributes, she had to quell the standing ovation. “This is very encouraging,” she joked. “It was a long time in coming, but I understand — because there are so many people funnier than I am, especially here in Washington.”

Burnett wore a black beaded jacket and a black skirt.

The Carol Burnett Show won 25 Emmys over the course of its 11-year run, and Burnett has also taken top honors such as a Peabody Award, Golden Globes and a Presidential Medal of Freedom, which she received in 2005.