{
  "id": 7026425,
  "title": "Every Carol Burnett Show Episode Included A 'Secret' Message To The Star's Grandmother",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/every-carol-burnett-show-episode-included-a-secret-message-to-the",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-13T00:12:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TVLine",
    "slug": "tvline",
    "url": "https://www.tvline.com/2247684/every-carol-burnett-show-episode-secret-message-grandmother/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Every episode of the Carol Burnett Show included a secret message to the star's grandmother, according to the comedian herself. Carol Burnett, a comedy legend whose quirky personality made her a generational star during television's early Golden Age, always concluded her show with two distinct elements: the song \"I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together\" and a tug of her ear. Burnett revealed that this tug of her ear was a signal to her grandmother, Mabel Mae Jones, who raised her after her parents divorced when she was young. Initially, the tug of her ear meant \"Hi Nanny. I'm fine. I love you,\" but later it evolved to include the message that her check was on the way. Burnett's bond with her grandmother was a significant source of comfort and support throughout her career, and it became one of the most subtle yet enduring elements of her television presence.",
  "summary": "\"The Carol Burnett Show\" had plenty of quirks, including an iconic sign-off at the end of every episode that actually had a secret meaning all along.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}