“30 MILLION VIEWERS ONCE LOST IT OVER A SINGLE CURTAIN.” Ever seen a curtain become the funniest thing on television? In 1976, the Carol Burnett Show pulled off one of the wildest comedy moments ever. Carol walked down the staircase wearing “a gown” made from green velvet drapes — curtain rod still attached. The studio exploded. People were laughing before she even reached the bottom step. Bob Mackie dreamed it up as a quick gag, but the second Carol saw herself in that ridiculous outfit, she literally fell over laughing. No CGI. No tricks. Just pure, dumb, perfect comedy that still hits as hard today as it did almost 50 years ago. 

“I Saw It in the Window and I Just Couldn’t Resist It.” — The Curtain Dress That Made  TV History

Long before memes and viral videos dominated pop culture, The Carol Burnett Show delivered one of the most unforgettable comedic moments in American television. In 1976, the show aired its now-legendary parody of Gone with the Wind, titled “Went with the Wind!” — a sketch that would go on to become a comedy classic.

In the spoof, Carol Burnett portrayed “Starlet O’Hara,” a determined Southern belle willing to try anything to save her beloved home. Her solution? Tear down the velvet curtains and turn them into a dress.

But nothing could prepare audiences for what came next.

As Carol descended the grand staircase, the studio audience gasped — then erupted into uncontrollable laughter. Instead of a dress inspired by curtains, she wore the actual drapes, complete with tassels and the curtain rod still strung across her shoulders. Her perfectly calm delivery made the moment even funnier:

“I saw it in the window, and I just couldn’t resist it.”

Designed by the iconic costume designer Bob Mackie, the curtain-rod gown instantly carved its place in television history. Carol later shared that Mackie unveiled the design only two days before filming:

“I fell on the floor. I said, ‘This is the most brilliant sight gag ever.’”

The full sketch lasted nearly twenty minutes and featured an all-star comedic cast: Harvey Korman as Rat Butler, Vicki Lawrence as Sissy, and Tim Conway as Brashley Wilkes. Together, they spoofed the most dramatic scenes of the original film — from Scarlett’s emotional pleas to Rhett’s iconic goodbye — without missing a beat.

Decades later, the outrageous curtain gown remains one of the most beloved symbols of television comedy. Today, the original costume is preserved in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, proudly displayed with the curtain rod still in place. It stands as a reminder that sometimes, all it takes to make history is a brilliant joke, a fearless performer, and a very heavy pair of drapes.