How Lily Tomlin found liberation in exploring her characters | American Masters | PBS

Official website: www.pbs.org/americanmasters | #AmericanMastersPBS
On October 10, 2007, Lily Tomlin spoke about her time on Laugh-In and how she developed her characters. Interview conducted by director Michael Kantor for the six-hour PBS comedy series, “Make ‘Em Laugh: The Funny Business of America” (2009).
00:00 Utilizing character work to push past the limited expectations for female comics in the 1960s
02:37 Drawing on life experience to organically form the “Edith Ann” character
05:08 Hitting the ground running on Laugh-In debut with “Ernestine”
08:28 The struggle to separate Tomlin’s work and career from the runaway success of her characters
10:24 The boy’s club of comedy and their narrow fascination with the puerile
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Now in its 38th season on PBS, American Masters illuminates the lives and creative journeys of those who have left an indelible impression on our cultural landscape-through compelling, unvarnished stories. Setting the standard for documentary film profiles, the series has earned widespread critical acclaim: 28 Emmy Awards-including 10 for Outstanding Non-Fiction Series and five for Outstanding Non-Fiction Special-two News & Documentary Emmys, 14 Peabodys, three Grammys, two Producers Guild Awards, an Oscar, and many other honors. To further explore the lives and works of more than 250 masters past and present, the American Masters website offers full episodes, film outtakes, filmmaker interviews, the podcast “American Masters: Creative Spark,” educational resources, digital original series and more. The series is a production of The WNET Group.

[@tomwestbrook]

I’m pretty sure Ernestine brought down the old AT&T. Lily is a national treasure. I bought at least one of her albums back in the 70’s and listened to it repeatedly and laughed my head off. I finally found I was gay later in the decade and came out in the mid-80’s to my family. Lilly Tomlin is a hero to me.

[@BettyofOOO]

She is a national treasure.❤ I love that she and Jane are still together, the way Lily talks about her with so much reverence is very sweet.

[@amherst88]

So grateful to have grown up with women like Lily as role models ❤🧡💛

[@PsulOrtiz]

I am just realizing now, just how very beautiful she is physically. And when she smiles she is even more pretty because she smiles from her heart! How could I have missed all of this for so long??!!! DUH!!!

[@johngore7744]

Yup. Her eyes light up fantastically.

[@fbaesh]

There's a lot to unpack here, re: comedy writing. Worth multiple views 🙂👍

[@Michaela1942]

My husband and I have had the great pleasure of seeing her live when she brought her one woman show to our area. It/she was wonderful and one of the best theater experiences we'd ever had. Amazing talent.

[@paulsuchy6210]

When someone asks, "what person would you want to meet and spend time with?", my choice has always been Lily Tomlin. I grew up watching her on television and listening to her albums, and her style of humor is unmatched. Of course, she made me laugh (sometimes jokes would stay with me for days), yet she also could come up with something so clever, that rather than immediate laughter, I would be taken aback and think, "that is so funny" before I would lose my composure; it's a gift that seems to belong to her alone.

[@billythomas4804]

I saw LT once back in the 70’s and her stage consisted of a stool, a mike and a spotlight. For almost two hours, she held the sold out show in the palm of her hand. Phenomenal talent to witness!

[@GCKelloch]

Had my mother take me to her show for my 12th birthday. It was phenominal. I'll always remember one line about one character's guru telling her not to let something bother her, and she says: "but it does bother me, it does bother me", and the spot light goes out.

[@jjwintrs]

Signs of intelligent life in the universe...

[@nightowl6260]

She is such a brilliant person.

[@Nunofurdambiznez]

MARVELOUS interview!! I had no idea Lily Tomlin was so witty and well-spoken! She's fantastic!

[@marlynklee9821]

Whenever I was depressed I listened to her LP album that featured Ernestine the telephone operator, sticking her nose in everybody’s business, memorable characters like J’Edgar Hoover, the Pope, one ringy-dingy, two ringy-dingoes, etc.

[@LK-zf2hd]

Lily, a national treasure!

[@mikeryan9239]

It is so good to see and hear Lily. I'm pretty sure this is an older clip as Lily looks much younger than she does today. I wanted to post because I met Lily and Jayne in 1972 while working as a waiter at the Venetian Room, the entertainment room of the Fairmont Hotel here in SF. I met a lot of stars while working there such as Tony Bennett, Nancy Wilson, Cleo Laine, Steve & Edie Lawrence, the Smothers Brothers, Brenda Lee and many more. I was out on the floor schmoozing with guests/customers when I saw her step into the wings out of the corner of my eye. She was alone. I excused myself and went directly into the wings, not sure what I was doing. Lily saw me right away and I smiled like a crazy person, like we were old friends. "You ok?" I whispered and she quipped, "I need some gum. Do you have any?" I said no but told her not to worry and headed through the kitchen doors, and down to the tobacco stand where a pack of Spearment gum was 35 cents. (THAT was a lot of money because you could get a heaping plate of fries at any one of the many Fosters Cafeterias for 15 cents!) I hurried back and when I came into the wings there was another person, a big person, heavy-set, shorter than Lily and they were huddling. "Spearmint?" I said holding up the green pack of gum. Lily smiled big and stuck her hand out. When she began to open the end, Jayne took it away from her. I think she said, "You haven't time," because Lily went onstage within a minute after that. For years I didn't know who the woman was with Lily but eventually figured it out when I'd see photo spreads and interviews of them together, Jayne identified as Lily's manager. When I see Jayne today she has shed all the weight and you'd never know she was ever really heavy.

[@babe7401]

Maybe i'm wrong but i doubt that that person you saw with her was Jane Wagner, in all the pictures and videos i see even the old ones she was never heavy as you said

[@sandybear61]

She is so brilliant, and what a gorgeous smile. I’ve always loved her eyes when she smiles…they twinkle!

[@treesny]

All these incredible characters plus a film career with many wonderful roles. God bless director Robert Altman and his genius for casting, when he chose her to play a serious dramatic role in "Nashville" (1975)!

[@T190.JLS27]

I was a young child of 5 or 6 when Laugh In was on TV, and it must’ve really sunk in. I’ve been the jokester in the crowd ever since. Throughout the years I have occasionally thrown out “Is this the party to whom I am speaking”, confusing the younger generation and getting laughs from those in the know! Love Lily!

[@SophieBird07]

I just used that line today, and why I got on here looking up Lily Tomlin again. Also reminded of my son, also when he was four years old. I still remember him running up to me, doing an about face, then bending over with an …”Ah hahahah…gassed yah”. He hasn’t changed that much!

[@anthonymccarthy4164]

I loved Lily Sold Out, especially the scene of Ernestine with Liberace.

[@RaymondHng]

3:29 The TV show that Jane Wagner wrote can be found on KZbin as "J.T. Classic Holiday Movie w/ Kevin Hooks"

[@haplessasshole9615]

Thank you! I found a listing for it on IMDb, and it had an 8.8 overall rating, which is very high. I was wondering where I could find it.

[@johnboyle382]

My favorite movie as a kid was probably Incredible Shrinking Woman, years later it happened to become Nashville. Lifelong fan.

[@michaelsteve5922]

Edith Ann, Ernestine, Edwina Cutwater: pure excellence.

[@artgirltexas]

My sister had This Is a Recording and Modern Scream, and I listened to them endlessly as a kid. ❤

[@RaymondHng]

"Hi! I'm not a professional actress. I am a real person like yourself."

[@paulbutler1873]

I saw her one woman show on Broadway and she was absolutely brilliant. Front row seats too!

[@ryfren8218]

“Ernestine” is indeed responsible for the breakup of the US telephone monopoly. Congress originally debated this, quoting that character.

[@4Beats4Me]

No one like Lily. What a brilliantly funny woman .❤❤❤❤

[@laurawalters7973]

She is so beautiful.

[@twhelostl61]

Edith Anne lives. Lily said "I try being cynical, but it's hard to keep up" One of her iconic lines. Jane is the wordsmith and Lily makes these adventures human. Ernestine is an unforgettable moment in showbiz history. Chaplain would have loved it.

[@NightOwl64]

Lilly Tomlin is a brilliant entertainer❤

[@PokhrajRoy.]

AN ABSOLUTE LEGEND 🌈

[@zensea298]

❤❤❤❤Lily Tomlin!!

[@michaelplunkett8059]

Love her work for decades of smart laughter. She and Steve were a hoot matching wits in All of Me. But Moment by Moment with Travolta was "Oh, BOMBO" as Johnny Carson used to say.

[@patriciafeehan7732]

Laugh In is so dated and I loved it growing up. However, Lily, Arte and Ruth were so creative and talented young people. My favorite movie was All of Me.

[@andrastetriformis6241]

❤❤❤

[@jointheleanrat]

Thank you for sharing all this Lily!!

[@catherinetimmerman9107]

Lily is a great comedian!

[@markleon411]

Wonderful insights.

[@StopWhining491]

Lily has always made my ribs hurt, laughing.

[@badpurvis1]

Her name is Lily. She’ll never wilt.

[@DavidMcFarner]

She’s right, you know.,

[@bobbifergus3110]

I wish someone would remaster and rerelease The Incredible Shrinking Woman!

[@egglady]

They did… it is available on Blu-ray.

[@RachelSitea-mn2qk]

@@eggladySure warrants it! How great. TISW is unfairly ignored, and it’s a touchstone for any woman who’s been severely toxed.

[@babe7401]

I sense she has such a big ❤

[@babe7401]

Io ti amo Lily Tomlin! ❤

[@SailorMoonFriends]

Lily Tomlin sounds like Joan Cusack.

[@frankpeter6851]

Was that story about Madeline khan?

[@bigcatproductions2789]

🎉 Tommy Velour 😎

[@amandakaywyatt8850]

Ms. Tomlin.... You just explained... My life. Men are not funny or smart. They're juvenile. Women understand what a human is; it's not just a body. Thank you. ❤

[@amandakaywyatt8850]

Imma get United Nations Declared Human Rights access for ALL; & make kkkolonizers understand that elephants are people. ❤🌈☮️🔥⚖️🐦

[@amandakaywyatt8850]

Please inform Ms. Fonda that includes action to stop climate change, *and* end poverty porn. 🛼 That film *saved* my life, multiple times over.

[@nowthenzen]

The inimitable Lily Tomlin

[@patriciafeehan7732]

Where is Chad Everette now?

[@spacemissing]

Boys don't think girls are funny? Well, THIS boy doesn't agree. I often find female comics and actors more enjoyably funny than males. Examples: Carol Burnette, Rita Rudner, Tracey Ullman, Gilda Radner, Jennifer Saunders (creator of AbFab), Jane Curtin, Sarah Millican.

[@mynameisworld]

The thumbnail led me to believe this was going to be about Edith Ann. It was mostly about sex and farts. 🙄 Seems like if they'd put "sex and farts" in the thumbnail instead of "Edith Ann", it would've gotten more views. Just not mine.

[@irvingberlin-o8h]

Remember when Lily Tomlin Ripped Off Andy Kaufmann after he was dead ?

[@proflcr8779]

❤❤❤