Comedienne Carol Burnett was not amused by a Family Guy parody of Charwoman, a cleaning lady character she created.

Burnett, 73, has filed a $2-million US suit against 20th Century Fox for copyright infringement and violation of publicity rights over an April 2006 episode of the animated show.

Carol Burnett, shown in July 2006, says Family Guy violated copyright in its parody of her Charwoman role.
(Phil McCarten/Associated Press)

Family Guy used an altered version of Burnett's theme music and had a character performing her signature ear tug, but the episode cast the Charwoman as a cleaning lady for a porno shop.

Burnett played the character in her long-running TV variety series, The Carol Burnett Show, which ran 1967 to 1978.

Fox said it was surprised to be sued over an 18-second scene.

"Family Guy, like The Carol Burnett Show, is famous for its pop culture parodies and satirical jabs at celebrities," said 20th Century Fox Television spokesman Chris Alexander.

"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, who appeared in a 2006 episode of Desperate Housewives, won a 1981 lawsuit against the National Enquirer.