This classic Carol Burnett Show vacuum salesman skit has Tim Conway and Vicki Lawrence teaching us a valuable lesson about human nature.

From 1967 through 1978, CBS broadcast 278 hilarious and enjoyable episodes of The Carol Burnett Show. Here’s evidence that some of the funniest jokes are based on actual people and circumstances that we all meet.

Vicki plays an elegantly attired, affluent housewife in the opening skit. When the doorbell rings while she’s preoccupied with cleaning, she answers it to see Tim. He is portraying Davis Vacuum Cleaner Company employee Mr. Willard. With his heavy vacuum hose hanging down his front and his high-water trousers, Mr. Willard gives off a fairly foolish appearance. Vicki receives a keychain flashlight from him, but his joke about how durable it is falls flat.

Vicki nonetheless takes the present and extends a warm greeting to him, allowing him to introduce the new Davis and its «interesting» attachments. Mr. Willard looks about Vicki’s house, seeming rather taken in by it. In his haste to locate energy, he displays the Davis 500 by holding out a box that bears a striking resemblance to an antique Barbie doll case from that era—minus the pink. He endures a few more uncomfortable jokes with difficulty. Vicki sits quietly and seems a little uneasy with his depressing sales routine.

Tim, also known as Mr. Willard, starts off by going over the benefits of the new Air Inflow Terminal and how the Davis vacuum works. Even though he should be thrilled that this vacuum doesn’t need a filter, he seems to falter during his speech. In a matter of seconds, he’s on the verge of tears and has completely lost the confidence he had before. Then all of a sudden, he’s packing, certain that she won’t purchase what he has!

Vicki leaps to her feet and runs to cheer up this dejected salesperson. She mentions that she may really want to purchase the Davis. Tim now says she is only trying to have her home cleaned at his cost, even though she has assured him that she would want to witness his demonstration. Vicki asks Tim to sit down and relax while she tests the vacuum on her own, and that is the next thing we witness.

The seller then turns from melancholy to blatantly unpleasant. Tim had reprimanded Vicki and tossed his own product brochure at her by the time she completes her own demo. After a while, this kind, gullible lady purchases the Davis 500, and Mr. Willard leaves without giving her a receipt or change while also accepting an apology. He said she was taking him for a «sucker,» but now she’s turned into that person. It’s simply plain insane and hilarious!

There are several vintage-inspired aspects in the drawing. The decor, the way people are dressed, and the door-to-door salesmanship all speak of a bygone era. But, we sure hope there are still “Vickis” in this world—nice, even if naive, people trying to help out others!