TV Guide Talks To Carol Burnett on "Glee"

[JamesG]

Exclusive: Carol Burnett Talks "Glee"
Nov 8, 2010
by Lisa Bernhard


She is, quite possibly, our nation's most esteemed Gleek.


Carol Burnett, queen of musical-comedy television, graces the November 23rd episode of "Glee" as former Nazi hunter Doris Sylvester, mother to track-suited Sue (Jane Lynch). And, as she tells us exclusively, she'll be back for more!

We caught up with the 77-year-old Burnett — who lives in Santa Barbara, Calif., with her husband, musician Brian Miller, 54 — just as she was wrapping up one of her periodic Q&A tours, during which she fields questions from live audience members (much like she did on "The Carol Burnett Show").

Here's a little Q&A session of our own:






You've played a lot of mothers before, but probably not a lot of Nazi hunters.

Let me think back now [laughs] — this must be a first. I knew I was going to play Sue's mother, but somebody said, "You have to go on the Internet and see about your character!"

I looked it up on the Internet and that's when I found out I was a former Nazi hunter. I started to laugh. At least she was on our side!





Describe Doris Sylvester.

She's retired. They caught the last Nazi. You get the idea where Sue got her temperament from. This mother makes Sue Sylvester look like Mother Teresa.





I'm going to guess that you don't know any real Nazi hunters — did you base the character on anyone you do know?

I kept thinking about Laurence Olivier and Gregory Peck in The Boys from Brazil, but there'd be no way I could imitate Laurence Olivier. So I gave up and just tried to do it myself.









You and Jane Lynch sing "Ohio" from the musical Wonderful Town. Who's idea was that?

My husband and I were having dinner and he said, "Why don't you do 'Ohio,' since your character's coming back to [the show's setting of] Ohio? You could sing, 'Why, oh why, oh why, oh — did I ever leave Ohio?'"

I talked to Ryan Murphy — and nobody [at the show] knew the song because they're all so young. I said, "Listen to it and see what you think." They thought it was great.

It's funny, [later] they called my assistant and said, "We're going to send over the music. We don't know if Miss Burnett knows this song or not." [Laughs]





Tell me about working with Jane Lynch.

I love locking eyeballs with her because she is a consummate comedian. She knows exactly how to say it and whether or not it will land — and it does every time.

And Jane can really sing. In this duet she does the harmony, so it doesn't show off her voice the way it should. But I think they should give her major singing [scenes] because she's really musical.




And the other cast members?

All of my scenes were with Jane. But during a break I watched them do a tribute to "Singin' in the Rain." I said, "My God, it really is like going back to the good old days with Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire."

All the kids were wonderful and Matt [Morrison] was dancing up a storm and [guest star] Gwyneth Paltrow was terrific.









Will you do just this one guest spot?

I'm going back again for another episode. I have no idea what I'm going to be doing, but I trust them.



Might there be even more appearances?

I don't know. I don't know where they want to go with this.

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Exclusiv...t-1025199.aspx

[billdailyfanct]

great interview.Can't wait for her appearence on the 23rd. Looking forward to tonight's episode!