>> fenicia, this is ernestine, i want you to check out a circuit check on all the circuits at 1600 pennsylvania avenue. because, honey, it's almost impossible to get through to that man. >> in the '60s, "laugh-in" was one of the hottest programs on tv. and all of these famous characters we associate with lily tomlin became famous then and turned her into a huge star. >> and that's the truth. >> she was hip. she was not doing material about being a frustrated wife. she was doing character material and it was really new and different and brilliant. >> mama said you went to college. >> mama said that? >> i'm not going to college when i grow up. >> no? >> because i seen pictures where they shoot you in college. >> her characters were no longer just innocuous, whacky, and weird, they started to become characters with a subtle