Lily Tomlin returns to Seattle! She is an icon and world class entertainer. Tomlin is bringing her one woman show to Tulalip Resort Casino this weekend. This show sounds fun! You don’t want to miss out! Lily Tomlin and Jane Wagner donated a pack of tickets to Lambert House. Instructions for getting tickets are at the end of this interview!
Tomlin took a few minutes out of her schedule to talk with Equality365.com about her Emmy nomination, “Grace and Frankie” and her new show at Tulalip. Read it here!
Earle Dutton: Could you tell me a little about your new show you are bringing to Tulalip?
Lily Tomlin: I bill it as an evening of classic Lily. Carol Burnett does the same sort of thing. She says “Classic means you can get away with anything.” Mine is always character driven. It is kind of a free fall ride at the super park.
ED: Do you do anything fun to prepare for a performance?
LT: I usually slug back half a bottle of wine (laughter).
ED: How is “Grace and Frankie” going?
LT: Oh, the show is totally great. We finished our third season.
ED: What do you think of the difference between programming on commercial television and the new series premium stations, Netflix and Hulu?
LT: I prefer the latter but I do give my TV quite the workout on regular commercial shows as well. I think it is the future. I watched ten hours of “Narcos” on Labor Day weekend. I couldn’t even believe it. I just couldn’t stop watching. That is the bad thing about an hour show; it takes twice as long (laughter). Whereas my show, you can watch an entire year in six and a half hours. That is just sort of a day’s work but more pleasurable. I think they should really call a moratorium on new shows so that some of us can catch up (laughter).
ED: You have such an amazing career and have become an icon. What does it mean to you to be an LGBTQ icon?
LT: It has always meant a lot, well if I am really an icon. I think it is pretty great. I think the gay audience is really the most discerning and hippest. I don’t necessarily think I am the hippest but they have sort of taken me into their arms and not lost faith in me.
ED: How did it feel when “Grace and Frankie” got the Emmy nominations?
LT: Our costume designer got a nomination too. Apparently, Frankie’s clothes are kind of interesting in this day and age. We got two nominations this year. We don’t really understand why our writers didn’t get a nod or anything. Our second season was really strong. It still meant a lot.
ED: Is it really your twenty-third nomination?
LT: I don’t know. I actually have no recollection. I just take it that they are accurate. Meryl Streep has twenty Oscar nominations though. So how do you like that?
ED: Do you have a message for LGBTQ youth?
LT: You have got to be vigilant. You never know who is going to step in to power and just overturn everything we have accomplished. You have to stay strong and convinced of your own worth.
Tomlin’s shows are almost sold out! You can get tickets and help Lambert House at the same time. Follow these directions:
Lambert House has 40 tickets, 20 to each appearance of Lily Tomlin at the Tulalip Resort and Casino this month. Purchase of tickets benefits the Lambert House capital campaign. You can purchase tickets by doing BOTH of the following:
1) Contact Ken Shulman, Execuitve Director, via text or call at 206-491-0596 to request ticket(s)
2) Make a minimum contribution of $100 per ticket to www.savelamberthouse.org (this system does not give us your contact information, which is why you must reserve your ticket(s) by contacting Ken Shulman).
There is one show on Saturday, one show on Sunday, each starting at 8pm
