Mila, Carol Burnett, Kevin Leamen on The Dini Petty Show

In this April 1992 episode of The Dini Petty Show, Carol Burnett is in Toronto promoting her ensemble comedy film Noises Off, the screen adaptation of the stage farce. She describes the backstage choreography needed to make the film's theatrical chaos work. She also laughs about her character's tangled love interests, which put her in a comedic triangle with co-stars John Ritter and Christopher Reeve. The talk ranges from her fitness routine of "pumping iron" to her admiration for Ruth Gordon, her career blueprint: "When I grow up I want to be Ruth Gordon."

Dini then asks about the tug of her left earlobe at the end of every broadcast. Burnett traces it to her first television job in New York. Network rules barred personal shout-outs on air, so she set up a secret signal with her grandmother, Nanny, who raised her. The tug meant "Hello, I love you, and I'm fine." She kept the gesture for the rest of her career.

Kevin Leamen also appears. The complete broadcast can be licensed from the Dini Petty Show archive for broadcast, documentary and research use. Add it to your quote request.