Comic sues Family Guy over porn sketch

Veteran character comic Carol Burnett is citing copyright infingement in her $2million lawsuit against the animated comedy over a scene that lasted just 18 seconds

The 73-year-old launched her action in Los Angeles on Thursday a after the show depicted her Charwoman creation mopping the floor of the pornography shop. The script referred to her by name, and ‘makes a vulgar reference’ to the character’s signature ear tug.

Her lawsuit also says the cartoon used a ‘slightly altered version’ of the copyrighted theme tune to The Carol Burnett Show – a gentle family comedy which ran on American TV for 11 years from 1967 - without permission.

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 in last April’s episode,

But 20th Century Fox Television, which produces Family Guy, said on Friday the suit was without merit

'Family Guy, like the Carol Burnett Show, is famous for its pop culture parodies and satirical jabs at celebrities,’ the studio said in a statement.

‘We are surprised that Ms. Burnett, who has made a career of spoofing others on television, would go so far as to sue Family Guy for a simple bit of comedy.’

Burnett has urged Fox to reedit the episode to remove the reference to her, but the studio has so far refused, according to the lawsuit.

Here’s the offending scene:

Published: 17 Mar 2007