Lily Tomlin Quotes
Born: September 1, 1939
Lily Tomlin is a groundbreaking performer whose razor-sharp wit and profound humanity have made her a beloved icon of American comedy and art. Rising to fame on Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In, she shattered conventions by creating indelible characters like the precocious Edith Ann and the acerbic telephone operator Ernestine. Beyond the laughter, Tomlin’s work is a masterclass in creative rebellion—a philosophy that art must be fearless, vulnerable, and deeply empathetic. Her quotes resonate because they disarm with humor while delivering piercing truths about identity, resilience, and the sacred absurdity of the human condition. A recipient of multiple Emmys, Tonys, and a Kennedy Center Honor, Tomlin’s legacy endures as a testament to the transformative power of staying authentically, unapologetically creative.
Lily Tomlin Quotes (52)
"I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific."
— Lily Tomlin"The road to success is always under construction."
— Lily Tomlin"The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you're still a rat."
— Lily Tomlin"I always wondered why somebody doesn't do something about that. Then I realized I was somebody."
— Lily Tomlin"No matter how cynical you become, it's never enough to keep up."
— Lily Tomlin"Reality is nothing but a collective hunch."
— Lily Tomlin"Things are going to get a lot worse before they get worse."
— Lily Tomlin"Don't be afraid of missing opportunities. Behind every failure is an opportunity somebody wishes they had missed."
— Lily Tomlin"I like a teacher who gives you something to take home to think about besides homework."
— Lily Tomlin"We are all in this together, by ourselves."
— Lily Tomlin"Reality is the leading cause of stress among those in touch with it."
— Lily Tomlin"Sometimes I feel like a figment of my own imagination."
— Lily Tomlin"For fast-acting relief try slowing down."
— Lily Tomlin"We don't care. We don't have to. We're the phone company."
— Lily Tomlin"I personally think we developed language because of our deep need to complain."
— Lily Tomlin"Man invented language to satisfy his deep need to complain."
— Lily Tomlin"There's so much plastic in this culture that vinyl leopard skin is becoming an endangered synthetic."
— Lily Tomlin"If truth is beauty, how come no one has their hair done in the library?"
— Lily Tomlin"If love is the answer, could you please rephrase the question?"
— Lily Tomlin"Remember we're all in this alone."
— Lily Tomlin"Sometimes I worry about being a success in a mediocre world."
— Lily Tomlin"I was always drawn to more the social-expression-of-culture types."
— Lily Tomlin"Why is it that when we talk to God we're said to be praying but when God talks to us we're schizophrenic?"
— Lily Tomlin"It's my belief we developed language because of our deep inner need to complain."
— Lily Tomlin"If you read a lot of books you are considered well read. But if you watch a lot of TV, you're not considered well viewed."
— Lily Tomlin"I've always wanted to be somebody, but I see now I should have been more specific."
— Lily Tomlin"Instead of working for the survival of the fittest, we should be working for the survival of the wittiest - then we can all die laughing."
— Lily Tomlin"If you read a lot of books, you're considered well-read. But if you watch a lot of TV, you're not considered well-viewed."
— Lily Tomlin"We're all in this alone."
— Lily Tomlin"You don't really need to get married, but marriage is awfully nice. Everybody I know who got married, they say it really makes a difference. They feel very, very happy about it."
— Lily Tomlin