And that has led to a bit of confusion for some younger viewers who are unfamiliar with the husband-and-wife singing duo of Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme.

"Steve Lawrence was a guest quite often on our show, and he was always in a lot of comedy sketches, and he was funny. He was really one of my favorite guests," Burnett said. "And a couple of times he was stopped at an airport, and they said, 'Oh, you're that funny guy on "The Carol Burnett Show."' They didn't know he could carry a tune."

"And it always tickled me that he said, 'You know, I'm getting a reputation now for being a comic."'

BURNETT IS WRITING a book. An "anecdotal" book.

"I go around and do these Q&A's around the country ... and I have kind of developed stories about some of these things that they've asked me about," Burnett said. "I've decided to put them on paper. And a lot of them are really funny, I think. I hope."

"You know, times when I first met Cary Grant. When I first met Jimmy Stewart. Dealings with Walter Matthau, so forth and so on."

BURNETT WAS ALWAYS a big fan of "old Hollywood" — people like Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart. So what does she think of "new Hollywood"?

"The other Cary Grant now is George Clooney. I think he's terrific," Burnett said. "He's funny. He's smart. Dresses great.

"I'm crazy about Johnny Depp. I think he's so talented, and I love the fact that he does all kinds of different things. He's not going to let himself be pigeonholed."

She also mentioned Dermot Mulroney ("He appeals to me") and actresses Meryl Streep ("who can do no wrong") and Anne Hathaway.

"I think Lindsay Lohan is a very big talent," Burnett said (a week before Lohan's latest run-in with the law), "and my wishes go with her. She has a lot to offer, and I am praying for her that she'll be OK."

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E-mail: pierce@desnews.com