Written by: Yersinia

Lily Tomlin was born September first 1939 in Detroit, USA.

She comes from a blue collar background; her mother was a housewife and a nurse’s aid and her father a factory worker.

Before Lily Tomlin chose acting as a career she was a premed student at Wayne State University.

Fortunately she didn’t become a medic. What a loss it would have been to the rest of the world, who’d never heard about her then. The world has doctors enough, but not enough people to make it laugh!

Tomlin is an extremely versatile actress. She created a multitude of comic characters like Ernestine, the shrewd telephone operator with a temper or Edith Ann, six year old sandbox philosopher.

Ernestine, Telefone Operator

In an interview she once said:

I like a huge range of comedy

- from broad and farcical,

the most sensitive, the most understated — but I always

wanted my comedy to be more embracing of the species

rather than debasing of it. (Metro Weekly, April 2006)

Despite her comical brilliance, Tomlin is also a talented dramatic

actress. In her long acting career, she has won several awards

including several Emmys, a Grammy as well as a Peabody

(no, nothing to do with Peggy J ) and the Mark Twain Prize

for American humour.

Lily Tomlin was also one of the first female comedians to break

out in male drag and she did not only cross gender stereotyps,

but racial ones as well.

In 1971 Tomlin met her life partner Jane Wagner, a writer,

director and producer.

In over 30 years the two collaborated in stage shows, comedy albums, and TV specials. They have created a kind of humour that make you laugh and think!

Her own private life has remained private for the most part, yet Lily never made a secret about her homosexuality and her life partner. When a reporter from The Seattle Gay Times asked Tomlin in 2000, “What turns you on?” Tomlin said bluntly (and cutely) “Jane Wagner.”

In a time where long-term relationships become more and more a rarity Tomlin and Wagner's 38 years together are a joy and inspiration.

One of my favourite Quotes by Lily Tomlin:

If evolution was worth its salt, it should've evolved something better than 'survival of the fittest.' I think a better idea would be 'survival of the wittiest.' At least, that way, creatures that didn't survive could've died laughing.

And as one of the wittiest person, she’d have no problem surviving!

(Sources: IDMB, AfterEllen, several Articles)

Tomlin and Wagner

Here an interview with Lily Found by Ruth

Video by lesbiandotpro