Lily Tomlin’s career is abundant with highlights, but here’s an item from the footnotes of Hollywood you probably don’t know as well as 9 to 5 or Grace and Frankie.
The year was 1972 and Tomlin, about a year into her relationship with the great Jane Wagner but over two decades away from coming out publicly as gay, made an appearance on The Dick Cavett Show. This was before late night shows had their famous guests play pin the tail on the donkey or do go kart races — they actually used to sit and chat at length if you can believe it.
During the episode she had a less-than-favorable moment with the show’s second guest, Chad Everett (star of the then-hit show Medical Center TV).
Related: WATCH: Kathy Griffin married in surprise NYE ceremony with Lily Tomlin presiding
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About half way into his appearance, Everett, who was already letting his male chauvinist flag fly uncomfortably high, made some jokes about his wife that caused Tomlin to make her immediate exit.
The moment grew quite awkward, though watching it now only makes us bigger fans of Tomlin’s than we even thought possible.
Check it out below at around the 6:30 mark:
rocknstan
I viewed this back in the day, and I could retain two conflicting thoughts.
I loved both Chad and Lily.
On Cavett’s show, Chad betrayed his lack of intelligence and bourgeoise roots, however, praising his “little wifey sweety” [my words] as a possession.
At the time, I realized that liberation was more important than a misplaced gay crush.
Chad would have to go.
Lily and Jane’s collective genius continue to astound me, especially their work on “Modern Scream,” and we rubber eaters can sustain our unnatural obsession as politically correct.
cuteguy
If this savage was alive today, he’d be a trump supporter, for sure. His wife is the most beautiful animal he owns?! What pity for his “animal” wife. I’m sure she had her own issues if she put up with that garbage
trsxyz
Perhaps instead of walking-off, she should have challenged him on what he had just said.
TMBisAOK
You’re kidding right!? Probably not. Smh.
Catholicslutbox
It was a joke.
Cam
What a shock, an account that defends anti-LGBTQ bigots also defends sexism.
ShiningSex
You’re the joke “slutbox”
Cam
Did you notice that he sort of subtly tried to out her? He said that his wife likes being taken care of by a man and does’t want to be taken care of by a woman.
RFD
Yes. It was a snide remark as well.
ShiningSex
who is he??? apparently a nobody
Joshooeerr
Tomlin went on to have a great movie & tv career, and is still going strong. Everett is largely forgotten. Karma’s a bitch.
Thad
They’re from different planets. Chad Everett was an actor on a hit medical TV series. Lily Tomlin is goddess.
The real Bruce
He was a good, not great actor. He did seem to have a problem with his sexual image of being really a macho stud. I remember watching an episode of Medical Center where he was wearing his scrubs very tight fitting. At one point he turned around and you could see he had a full erection and I’m surprised it got past the censers. The group of friends, mostly gay, that were watching the show with me had a variety of reactions, mostly shock. I know when he passed away he was cremated and his ashes were mixed with those of his late wife. I have to wonder if he felt he “owned” the urn too. Really Raymon Cramton!
alex1435
This guy is painful to watch, and listening to what he says is idiotic. Voicing his own thoughts and opinions with Dick Cavett is definitely not a good idea. Reading someone else’s dialogue on his T.V. show is so much easer for him than talking spontaneously. He was never good in interviews, when I looked back, and is very ill at ease. He puts his hand up around his mouth early on with Cavett. Tomlin, it’s no wonder she waked off.
CityguyUSA
And why do we care about something that happened in another generation or 2?
marcbruer777
Oh, shut up.
Doug
I saw this clip on YouTube a couple of weeks ago. I think the part that bothered me the most was when Everett tries to out her. Luckily I think this went over most audience’s heads, because if he had been any more explicit about it, in 1972 it probably would have ended her career. Fortunately she came out years, but it was many years later.
furrychest
Not only does he state “it’s a two way street” and she owned him as much as he owned her, Chad Everett was married to his wife from 1966-2011 when she died. That says much more about their relationship than anything we saw in this clip…