Las Vegas Weekly

September 17, 2009 · 10:58 AM

Lily Tomlin to make Strip debut at MGM Grand on Nov. 10

By Robin Leach

Lily Tomlin as one of her most famous characters, Ernestine.

Photo: Courtesy

It’s difficult to believe that comedienne Lily Tomlin first hit the comedy spotlight on Laugh-In back in 1969! Thirty years later, Lily is finally making her Las Vegas debut. As I first reported exclusively on Twitter yesterday, Lily will launch her show Not Playing With a Full Deck on Nov. 10 at the MGM Grand’s Hollywood Theater.

I can reveal that Lily is creating a special “Joker” section of special seating at the showroom, which enrolls golden audience members into the “Full Deck” VIP Club so they can meet and greet and take photos with the comedienne each night.

During her extraordinary entertainment career, Lily has won six Emmy Awards for groundbreaking TV specials, two Tony Awards for her hit Broadway shows, and in 2003, she was awarded the prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

But even after all these years of mega movie hits -- her most recent was The Pink Panther sequel with Steve Martin -- including five Robert Altman movies, she’s still loved and remembered for her Laugh-In characters of Ernestine, the irascible telephone operator, and Edith Ann, the hilarious 6-year-old in the giant rocking chair.

Lily, who recently portrayed a self-styled sleuth on Desperate Housewives, has never played Las Vegas until now. I’m set for an exclusive interview with the brilliant comedienne next week, and we’ll reveal all the behind-the-scenes stories of her decision to debut here.

Meantime, she said: “I’m really looking forward to this Vegas engagement. I think it’s totally appropriate that I won’t be playing with a full deck.”

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

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