IAmATVJunkie.com is a Torchwood Spoiler Free Zone Until July 20

Harvey Korman 1927 - 2008

And of course, I found something appropriate from YouTube. Harvey and Carol with guest star Cher.

LINK

A very funny man.

L.A. Judge Teaches Carol Burnett What She Has Forgotten About Comedy

LA Times:

A federal judge said he will dismiss Carol Burnett's $2 million copyright infringement lawsuit over the use of her cleaning woman character in the animated series "Family Guy."

U.S. District Judge Dean Pregerson said in a written tentative ruling Friday that he planned to dismiss the lawsuit against 20th Century Fox. He will issue a final ruling later.

This story bummed me out when it broke because Carol Burnett, for years one of my comedy idols, should know better.

When she was wearing those curtains in the Gone With the Wind spoof that she did on her show, did Margaret Mitchell try to sue her? No:

When Joan Crawford watched Carol spoof on Mildred Pierce, did Joan sue? No (and that was Joan Effing Crawford)!

So, a judge had to remind one of the legends of comedy that parody and satire are protected forms of speech.

I kind of thought that Burnett and I were drifting apart when I saw her show up on a commercial touting the wonders of Bushie's prescription drug plan, you know, the one that was a gift to the drug companies because there would be no bargaining for lower prices.

Just to remind Carol, if she's clicking around the 'net, here is what you were suing about. Dontcha feel just a little foolish now?

They didn't even use your music, although it was a close sound-alike.

UPDATE: A welcome message for those of you clicking over from TV Barn.

Carol Burnett v. Fox Over "Family Guy" Appearance

I imagine that if I was from a certain generation (the one before mine) and I my cleaning woman character (?) was depicted cleaning up an adult bookstore in a cartoon I might be a little upset. However, I would remember that satire is protected speech because I too understand "the funny" and how it's done.

Carol Burnett is not remembering how the funny is done. I gotta wonder what was going through the minds of the people that Burnett was spoofing on her variety show all those years, or what was going through Burnett's mind while she was performing and being paid for those comedy bits.

From  Reuters:

The lawsuit, filed on Thursday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, claims "Family Guy" violated Burnett's exclusive rights to her name and likeness by depicting her signature cleaning-woman character in a segment last April without her consent.

The suit, which seeks at least $2 million in damages, also says the cartoon episode used a "slightly altered version" of the copyrighted musical theme to "The Carol Burnett Show" without permission from the 73-year-old entertainer.

A spokesman for 20th Century Fox Television, which produces "Family Guy," said on Friday the suit was without merit and that references to Burnett and her show in an 18-second sequence of the cartoon amounted to parody.

We'll see what happens. This surprised me a bit. I thought Carol maybe wouldn't be happy about the reference, but she would understand the value of irreverence.