“Reality is a crutch for people who can’t cope with drugs.”
“The trouble with being in the rat race is that even if you win, you’re still a rat.”
“Why is it that when we talk to God we’re said to be praying, but when God talks to us, we’re schizophrenic?”
“Ninety-eight percent of the adults in this country are decent, hard-working, honest Americans. It’s the other lousy two percent that get all the publicity. But then — we elected them. ”
Those were just a few of the Lily Tomlin quotes fans shared on social media Friday as the beloved 9 to 5 actress and comedian turned 84. Her named trended on X, formerly Twitter, as fans logged in to give her some well-deserved virtual flowers.
Tomlin started out as a comedian and sketch performer in the 1960s, standing out in shows including Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In. She made her film debut in Robert Altman’s Nashville, earning an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress, and gained wide acclaim for 1980’s 9 to 5, an iconic comedy about changing gender expectations in the workplace that includes a delightful fantasy sequence in which Tomlin plays Snow White, and The Incredible Shrinking Woman, which was also written by her now-wife and frequent creative partner, Jane Wagner.
Other notable ’80s roles included All of Me, in which she shares a body with an extremely reluctant Steve Martin. She earned a Tony Award for for the one-woman show The Search for Intelligent Life in the Universe, which was written by her now wife, Jane Wagner, and opened on Broadway in 1985.
Tomlin’s other major roles include Big Business (1988), Flirting With Disaster (1996), and I Heart Huckabees (2004), as well as 2006’s Prairie Home Companion, in which she reunited with Altman for what proved to be his final film.
She also recently reunited with 9 to 5 co-star Jane Fonda for Grace and Frankie, which ran for seven seasons on Netflix before concluding last year.
Here are a few more of her greatest quotes:
“Remember we’re all in this alone.”
“The road to success is always under construction.”
“I always wondered why somebody doesn’t do something about that. Then I realized I was somebody.”
Editor’s Note: Corrects mispelling.
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