[ Applause ]
♪♪
-Hello and good evening, everyone.
Thank you for this wonderful night.
It knocks me out to be introduced
by Amy Poehler and Tina Fey and to accept an award,
this award in the name of Carol Burnett.
I could not feel more blessed.
I am convinced that laughter adds time to one's life
and nobody has made me laugh harder,
nobody I owe more time to than Carol Burnett
and the brilliant team
that helped her realize her comedic genius.
Speaking of teams, I've had a lifetime of partners,
performers, associations, and creative talents
for which I am eternally grateful.
There would be an entirely different Normal Lear here
with you tonight if there had not been those years
of Ed Simmons and Norman Lear that were responsible
for the Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis "Colgate Comedy Hour"
and "The Martha Raye Show."
That would be true of every step of my career.
Following Ed Simmons, there was Bud Yorkin.
Brilliant Bud Yorkin. Roland Kibbie.
Hal Gaba, my glorious Hal Gaba.
Alan Horn, the dearest man,
the greatest talent.
Jerry Perenchio, God bless him.
Marky Pollack,
all of whom, among others, were major parts of the life
and career that brought me to this very moment.
Then there were all the writers,
the Mort Lachmans and Schillers and Weiskopfs
and Nicholas Roth and West and more,
currently Mike Royce and Gloria Calderon Kellett.
And last, but certainly not least,
the guy that pulls it all together for me currently,
my friend and my partner, the brilliant Brent Miller.
It's his back I rode in on as he rode in on mine
to get here tonight.
I also want to thank Sony Pictures.
Sony Pictures Television, one of the greatest,
most able group of executives I've ever worked with.
Then, of course, there's my family.
My glorious wife and partner of 30 years, Lyn Davis Lear,
the five glorious daughters and my wonderful son,
ranging in ages from 26 to 74,
and their children, my four fabulous grandchildren.
At close to 99,
I can tell you that I've never lived alone.
I've never laughed alone.
And that has as much to do with my being here today
as anything else I know.
Thank you, Hollywood Foreign Press.
Thank you, each individual attending this virtual event
with whom I've worked and been entertained
and nurtured by and enhanced by.
And once more, thank you and bless you, Carol Burnett,
for everything you have meant to me by way of joy, surprise,
delight, and laughter.
As I think about you and laughter
and the joy of our parallel careers,
so glad we had this time together.