I was floating on air for a year after my good friend in Seattle- LJSM called me on a spring morning with this Lily Tomlin anecdote. LJSM has done a great deal of volunteer work, especially for the City Park Department in Seattle. In 2002 she was co-chairing a benefit starring Lily Tomlin & she had the opportunity to chat with this comedy icon. I have no idea how my name came up, but when my Seattle friend mentioned me, Lily Tomlin told her how funny that she & Jane Wagner thought my bit in the film Singles was. It seemed that my small part was a favorite of this remarkable couple & that they loved to imitate me, doing my lines from the film. It seems that my little bit (which I wrote, with coaching from director Cameron Crowe) really cracked Lily Tomlin up. She then proceeded to do her imitation of me for my friend. LJSM called me the next day & the husband & I were over the moon that one of our most favorite performers was doing an imitation of me. As I write this, I still think how cool that moment was for me.
Lily Tomlin is one of the best-loved women in Show Biz. In a 40 year career, Lily Tomlin has had 2 Tonys, 2 Peabodys, 6 Emmys, a Grammy, the Drama Desk & Outer Critics Circle awards, plus the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. Her characters for TV's Laugh In include: the irascible, prune-faced telephone operator Ernestine; the precocious sandbox philosopher- 6 year old Edith Ann, in an oversized rocking chair; & the Tasteful Lady, imperious & upper-class, who never fails to puncture her own pretense. She was nominated for an Oscar for her amazing work in Robert Altman’s Nashville, one of my personal favorites. Other favorite performances: The Late Show (1977) with Art Carney, 9 To 5 (1980) with 2 other women, All Of Me (1980) with Steve Martin, & Flirting With Disaster (1996). Lily lives in L.A. with her partner & writing partner of 37+ years- Jane Wagner. She turns an astonishing 70 years old today.
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