Lily Tomlin Essentials

Lily Tomlin's ability to fully inhabit neurotically wise women has made her one of America's most beloved comic actresses. Her standup takes those skills to the next level: Through mimicry and sharp writing, she presents characters whose quick-draw observations and freely admitted foibles make audiences laugh—and think. Acerbic switchboard operator Ernestine handles the heavy call volume of “The Strike” with a pinched efficiency that makes the jokes land harder; eternally curious five-and-a-half-year-old Edith Ann's tall tales and creative excuses on “Look in the Sky” give her ruminations on air pollution extra bite.