With a career that has spanned over 40 years and is still going strong, Lily Tomlin has always had the ability to make people laugh. She brings her act to the Center on Halsted gala May 22, and spoke to Windy City Times about recent projects.
Windy City Times: Hi, Lily. How have you been? We haven't talked since last year.
Lily Tomlin: Yeah, I have been fine, thank you.
WCT: You have busy with your show in Las Vegas, Not Playing with a Full Deck, since then.
Lily Tomlin: Yes, a little bit. I performed three times there and just finished.
WCT: How is that different that other shows that you have done?
Lily Tomlin: It is not radically different. I just use more film, effects and things, because I am in there for a week.
WCT: When I met you backstage after your show in Aurora, your fans were everywhere bringing you memorabilia to sign.
Lily Tomlin: Yes, all those items from years ago, right. That's true; they bring all that old history.
WCT: Let's talk about the F/X series Damages.
Lily Tomlin: Was I doing Damages back when we talked before?
WCT: You were just about to film it. How was it working with Glenn Close?
Lily Tomlin: I love the show and I am a huge fan of it. I have known Glenn for a long time, so all that was great. I, of course, know Martin Short, too. I had never met Campbell Scott but I was friendly with his mother, Colleen. I loved the part and had a great time. It was shot in New York so I had to go back and forth many times. That was okay, too.
WCT: Do you like doing serious roles to change things up?
Lily Tomlin: Oh, yeah I do.
WCT: You are producing Leslie Jordan's show, My Trip Down the Pink Carpet.
Lily Tomlin: Yes, I am. Jane Wagner and I are among the producers. I just took him on The View. I have known since I did 12 Miles of Bad Road with him. I became friendly with him and he was writing Pink Carpet then. He would make us crack up every morning in the makeup chair with everything he had written the night before. He is so outrageous. We have the Gay & Lesbian Center in L.A., Jane and I are partly involved in because a very large donation was made in our names, where Leslie was working on the show in their theater section of the building. One thing led to another and we became producers for him.
WCT: He is really funny. I have chatted with him before.
Lily Tomlin: He is funny. I just hated for 12 Miles to end. Mary Kay Place and I were sisters and he was our cousin, Kenny. [ Laughs ] Every Southern family has a Cousin Kenny.
WCT: I know, being from Tennessee.
Lily Tomlin: Then you know. Where are you from in Tennessee?
WCT: Close to Nashville.
Lily Tomlin: Oh, my brother lives in Nashville.
WCT: This week I talked to Harriet Newman Leve. She said you are producing something with her and Jane.
Lily Tomlin: Oh, yeah. We did the Beebo Brinker Chronicles, which were great old '50s pulp gay novels. They were primarily lesbian books from the late '50s, early '60s. There were about five or six of those books and very popular. How do you know Harriet?
WCT: She produced 39 Steps and I am going to see that next week.
Lily Tomlin: It is hilarious. I love the physical stagecraft that they use to make effects in the show. It is low tech and they do this funny bicycle thing. Anyway, you will see it and enjoy it. Well, you will enjoy it or you will tell me why. [ Both laugh. ] So Beepo is being developed for a series at HBO, we hope.
WCT: Good luck with that project.
Lily Tomlin: I hope it happens. I think it would really be fun. It is so different from today. It is about repression and people were so fearful and closeted.
WCT: Well, the series Mad Men works very well that way.
Lily Tomlin: Oh, right. This would be the flip side of the L Word.
WCT: You are always working on something.
Lily Tomlin: I am also working on developing more with the Desperate Housewives character about the two sisters that get into mischief but, on a wider canvas, such a series.
WCT: People can keep up with your work at lilytomlin.com .
Lily Tomlin: If we keep it up to date. It is so hard. The more things are invented to keep in contact the harder it is. I had to shut down one my e-mail addresses.
WCT: I know, I just started my Nunn on the Run website to put my interviews on for example the time we talked in the past.
Lily Tomlin: Luckily, we made that Lily Tomlin website years ago, like 12 years ago or more. It was fun at the time because it was a new expression and media form. We crammed everything on there at the time. You can go on there for days and days if you are motivated. To keep up that level of production other than blogging or writing something is hard.
WCT: At our gala for Center on Halsted, are you doing stand-up?
Lily Tomlin: Yes, basically a performance with my characters.
WCT: We appreciate you doing things for our community, such as this event.
Lily Tomlin: I understand of course. I am hoping I can tour the Center because I have been reading about it and they say the building is really attractive in how it is laid out. Our center here may have been the first one in the country so it is much older than that one.
WCT: Everyone is looking forward to seeing you.
Lily Tomlin: Thanks a million.
Hal Sparks will emcee Center on Halsted's Human First 2010 gala, to be held Saturday, May 22, at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph, at 7:30 p.m. See www.centeronhalsted.org/humanfirst2010.html .