Tim Conway’s “Adverse Reaction to Shots” sketch from The Carol Burnett Show stands as one of those moments where comedy crosses from scripted humor into timeless legend. In this fan-favorite scene, Conway appears as Dr. Percy, a well-meaning physician who volunteers to take a series of experimental injections in hopes of finding a cure for swine flu. What begins as an ordinary dinner outing among colleagues slowly unravels into pure comedic chaos, all thanks to Conway’s masterful delivery and unmatched commitment to absurdity.
The setup is simple: Dr. Percy joins fellow doctors, played by Carol Burnett and Harvey Korman, at a classy restaurant. He casually mentions that he has taken several experimental shots earlier that day, treating what most of us would dread as no big deal. There’s nothing unusual in his demeanor — until he steps away from the table for just a moment. When he returns, it’s immediately clear that the injections have started to take effect in ways no medical journal could have predicted. Conway’s face, posture, and movements shift into an unspoken warning: something is off, and the audience senses the eruption of laughter before the first pig-like sound even escapes him.
What follows is a masterclass in physical comedy. Dr. Percy begins displaying strange “porky” tendencies, from snorting to chewing on a banana peel, all delivered with the small, perfectly timed gestures that made Tim Conway a giant in the comedy world. And as always, nobody suffers more than Harvey Korman. Trying to maintain the seriousness required of a doctor at a nice restaurant, Korman fails immediately and magnificently. He shakes, hides behind his hand, turns away from the camera, and does everything humanly possible to stop from openly dissolving into laughter. But Conway’s escalating antics—and Harvey’s total inability to withstand them—turn the sketch into a beautiful disaster of broken composure and genuine amusement.
Carol Burnett holds firm for much longer, maintaining her poised, straight-woman presence as Harvey disintegrates beside her. But as Tim continues pushing the gag, layering new noises and unexpected contortions into the routine, the inevitable happens. Carol breaks. Her face cracks into a grin, the laugh creeps into her voice, and soon all three are swept into the wave of ridiculous, joyful chaos happening onstage. By the end of the sketch, the entire cast and audience are roaring, caught up in the electricity that only occurs when comedy goes deliciously off the rails.
What makes this sketch endure isn’t just the silliness of Tim Conway pretending to turn into a pig after a medical experiment gone wrong. It’s the chemistry between Conway, Burnett, and Korman — the trust, the comfort, and the unmistakable affection that allowed them to take even a simple premise and turn it into unforgettable entertainment. Conway’s blend of subtlety and boldness, his fearless commitment to a bit, and his uncanny ability to destroy his co-stars’ composure make the scene not only funny but iconic.
Decades later, the clip continues to make the rounds online, reminding new generations of what real sketch comedy looks like: smart, silly, spontaneous, and rooted in genuine human laughter. Watching Tim Conway “feel porky” in front of his helpless co-stars is a reminder of why The Carol Burnett Show remains a crown jewel of television history — and why Tim, Harvey, and Carol still stand among the greatest comedic performers of all time.
WATCH: Tim Conway as Dr. Percy Has an Adverse Reaction to Shots