The Carol Burnett Show was a very simple variety show that appealed to many television viewers. Initially, CBS network did not want Burnett to work on a variety show because they believed that only men could succeed in variety shows. However owing to a clause in her contract that had to allow her to do a show for at least one season, made CBS to allow her to do the show. The show was aired for one seas and the rest is history.

The show was very popular and was aired for almost over a decade from 1967 to 1978. There is lawsuit, which Burnett filed against Fox, which involved her portrayal as a janitor in the show. The show, The Family Guy has Burnett in the role of a janitor. The suit claims that Fox approached Burnett for permission to use the theme song of the episode. However, Burnett refused permission to use the song.

The episode of the show has characters entering a porn shop. When one of the characters of the show has apprehensions that the shop will be dirty, another character comments that the business should be clean. He justifies the statement saying it should be clean because Carol Burnett works as a janitor at the shop. The show also shows the janitor, who is dressed like the Charwoman character Carol Burnett created years ago. The episode also has the altered version of the theme song of Caron Burnett show playing in the background.

Carol Burnett filed the lawsuit for the usage of the character she created and also using an altered version of her theme song under copyrights infringement and trademark violation. Fox issued statements in justification against the lawsuit. One of the strongest justification Fox used was that Burnett herself shot to fame by parodying others. The same year that the lawsuit was filed, a court dismissed it.

Carol Burnett was also involved with another lawsuit in which she won close to a million dollars. The amount was donated to two Universities to fund courses in journalism and law at these Universities. The lawsuit itself was settled outside of the court.