Carol Burnett may be done acting, but she’s not not done enjoying ‘the f-word’ | CNN (2024)

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By Lisa Respers France, CNN

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Published 11:35 AM EDT, Thu October 24, 2024

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Carol Burnett may be done acting, but she’s not not done enjoying ‘the f-word’ | CNN (2)

Carol Burnett in February.

CNN

At 91, Carol Burnett has more than earned the right to retire.

But the question is does she want to? In a newly published interview with Variety, the Emmy-winning actress was asked if her recent role in “Palm Royale” will be her last.

“Probably,” she said. “Unless there’s a cameo or something fun!”

“Fun” is her “f-word” she said.

“If it looks like it’s going to be fun, I want to do it,” Burnett said.

The beloved funny lady is in total control of her career, much like she was many years ago, when she decided to end her incredibly popular variety series “The Carol Burnett Show.”

“I called it quits because I thought we had done just about everything we could do, and we had started to repeat ourselves in sketches,” she recalled. “I said, ‘I want to leave before the network starts flicking the lights on and off and saying, ‘Goodbye. Don’t do this anymore.’ I wanted to say goodbye.”

Carol Burnett may be done acting, but she’s not not done enjoying ‘the f-word’ | CNN (3)

Carol Burnett poses for a portrait in New York in 2016.

Carol Burnett may be done acting, but she’s not not done enjoying ‘the f-word’ | CNN (4)

A young Burnett is seen in an undated portrait. Burnett was born in San Antonio in 1933, and she later moved to Los Angeles, where she attended UCLA and took theater-arts classes.

Carol Burnett may be done acting, but she’s not not done enjoying ‘the f-word’ | CNN (5)

Burnett, left, and Mary Rodgers move a prop mattress through the stage door of the Alvin Theatre in New York in 1959. Burnett's first Broadway play was the musical "Once Upon a Mattress," and Rodgers wrote the score. Burnett earned a Tony Award nomination for her work on the play.

Carol Burnett may be done acting, but she’s not not done enjoying ‘the f-word’ | CNN (7)

Burnett and her sister, Chrissie, listen to records on the floor of Burnett's apartment in 1959.

Carol Burnett may be done acting, but she’s not not done enjoying ‘the f-word’ | CNN (8)

Garry Moore kisses Burnett in 1962 after they both received Emmy Awards for their work on "The Garry Moore Show."

Carol Burnett may be done acting, but she’s not not done enjoying ‘the f-word’ | CNN (9)

Burnett guest-stars on a "Twilight Zone" episode in 1962.

Carol Burnett may be done acting, but she’s not not done enjoying ‘the f-word’ | CNN (10)

Julie Andrews, left, and Burnett drink tea while reviewing the musical score for their 1962 TV special "Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall."

Carol Burnett may be done acting, but she’s not not done enjoying ‘the f-word’ | CNN (11)

Burnett peeks at a portrait of herself that was being painted by artist Dmitri Vails in 1963.

Carol Burnett may be done acting, but she’s not not done enjoying ‘the f-word’ | CNN (12)

Burnett made her film debut in 1963's "Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed?"

Carol Burnett may be done acting, but she’s not not done enjoying ‘the f-word’ | CNN (13)

Burnett laughs while appearing with Lucille Ball, center, and Mary Jane Croft on a 1966 episode of "The Lucy Show."

Carol Burnett may be done acting, but she’s not not done enjoying ‘the f-word’ | CNN (14)

Burnett interacts with the audience of her new variety show, "The Carol Burnett Show," in 1967. The show aired for 11 years and brought together Burnett's gifts for comedy, acting and song.

Carol Burnett may be done acting, but she’s not not done enjoying ‘the f-word’ | CNN (15)

Burnett, left, and Cher perform a skit on "The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour" in 1972.

Carol Burnett may be done acting, but she’s not not done enjoying ‘the f-word’ | CNN (16)

Burnett — flanked by Jean Stapleton and Phil Silvers — tugs on her ear during an episode of "The Carol Burnett Show" in 1975. Burnett's signature ear tug came at the end of each episode and was her way of saying hello to her grandmother who raised her.

Carol Burnett may be done acting, but she’s not not done enjoying ‘the f-word’ | CNN (17)

Burnett wears a dress made from a window curtain as she parodies "Gone With the Wind" during a "Carol Burnett Show" episode in 1976.

Carol Burnett may be done acting, but she’s not not done enjoying ‘the f-word’ | CNN (18)

Burnett performs a Tarzan yell, which she would often do during her show's question-and-answer sessions.

Carol Burnett may be done acting, but she’s not not done enjoying ‘the f-word’ | CNN (19)

In 1979, Burnett poses with her second husband, Joseph Hamilton, and their daughters Erin, Carrie and Jody. Burnett and Hamilton divorced in 1984. She married her third husband, Brian Miller, in 2001.

Carol Burnett may be done acting, but she’s not not done enjoying ‘the f-word’ | CNN (20)

Burnett takes the stand in 1981 after suing the National Enquirer for libel. She said the tabloid, in one of its gossip columns, incorrectly implied that she was drunk and had an argument with US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger at a Washington restaurant in 1976. The court ruled in Burnett's favor.

Carol Burnett may be done acting, but she’s not not done enjoying ‘the f-word’ | CNN (21)

Burnett co-stars in the 1982 musical film "Annie."

Carol Burnett may be done acting, but she’s not not done enjoying ‘the f-word’ | CNN (22)

Burnett reacts to a wax figure of herself as it is unveiled in Buena Park, California, in 1984.

Carol Burnett may be done acting, but she’s not not done enjoying ‘the f-word’ | CNN (23)

Burnett and Charles Grodin film a scene for the miniseries "Fresno" in 1986.

Carol Burnett may be done acting, but she’s not not done enjoying ‘the f-word’ | CNN (24)

Burnett poses with her memoir "One More Time" at a book signing in Beverly Hills, California, in 1986.

Carol Burnett may be done acting, but she’s not not done enjoying ‘the f-word’ | CNN (25)

In the late 1990s, Burnett had a recurring role playing Helen Hunt's mother in the TV series "Mad About You."

Carol Burnett may be done acting, but she’s not not done enjoying ‘the f-word’ | CNN (26)

From left, Burnett, Julie Andrews, Judi Dench and Isabelle Stevenson pose for a photo at the Tony Awards in 1999.

Carol Burnett may be done acting, but she’s not not done enjoying ‘the f-word’ | CNN (27)

Burnett, center, poses with other Kennedy Center honorees in 2003. Joining her, from left, are singer James Brown, singer Loretta Lynn, film director Mike Nichols and violinist Itzhak Perlman.

Carol Burnett may be done acting, but she’s not not done enjoying ‘the f-word’ | CNN (28)

President George W. Bush awards Burnett the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005. Burnett was honored "for enhancing the lives of millions of Americans and for her extraordinary contributions to American entertainment."

Carol Burnett may be done acting, but she’s not not done enjoying ‘the f-word’ | CNN (29)

Burnett appears in a 2009 episode of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit."

Carol Burnett may be done acting, but she’s not not done enjoying ‘the f-word’ | CNN (30)

Carol Burnett Square was unveiled in Los Angeles in front of her alma mater, Hollywood High School, in 2013.

Carol Burnett may be done acting, but she’s not not done enjoying ‘the f-word’ | CNN (31)

Burnett is honored with the Kennedy Center's Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2013. Joining her in the front row is her husband, Brian Miller.

Carol Burnett may be done acting, but she’s not not done enjoying ‘the f-word’ | CNN (32)

Burnett performs a skit with "Tonight Show" host Jimmy Fallon in 2014.

Carol Burnett may be done acting, but she’s not not done enjoying ‘the f-word’ | CNN (33)

In 2017, CBS put together a two-hour special episode of "The Carol Burnett Show" to celebrate its 50th anniversary.

Carol Burnett may be done acting, but she’s not not done enjoying ‘the f-word’ | CNN (34)

Burnett appears on stage during the Creative Arts Emmy Awards in 2018.

Carol Burnett may be done acting, but she’s not not done enjoying ‘the f-word’ | CNN (35)

From left, Cher, Burnett and Andrews appear in the television special "Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love" in 2023. The show paid tribute to Burnett on her 90th birthday.

In pictures: Television icon Carol Burnett

Over her decades, Burnett has provided plenty of fun for fans. Never has it felt more needed.

With the election season wrapping up, Burnett avoids politics and always has.

“I stay out of it,” she said. “It sounds corny, but I want people to be happy again, to love and be joyful, and that’s what I’m seeing as a possibility.”

So add the “h word” to something else she loves, as in “hope.”

“I’m scared with what’s going on in the world now,” she said. “That scares me the most. Yet now, I do have hope.”

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Carol Burnett may be done acting, but she’s not not done enjoying ‘the f-word’ | CNN (2024)
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