A slew of celebrities are joining forces to demand that legendary actress Carol Channing be selected for the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors. Among those voicing their support for the nomination are Lily Tomlin, Chita Rivera, Phyllis Diller, Lucie Arnaz, Buzz Aldrin, Kate Linder, Tommy Tune, Loni Anderson, Alison Arngrim, Tippi Hedren and Congress Woman Jackie Speier. Arnaz and Tomlin's impassioned pleas for Channing's nomination can be read below.
From Lily Tomlin: "I am encouraging all of our friends and colleagues to send a letter to the Kennedy Center of Performing Arts recommending that Carol Channing be selected as one of the 2010 Kennedy Center Honorees. I know I don't have to list all of Carol's accolades or the reasons I feel she has earned this high praise from our country-we all love her. I hope you will add your voice to the crescendo and write a letter to the Kennedy Center to nominate Carol. It is time that our country recognizes her brilliance at this most respected event. Thanks in advance for your help and participation!"
Sincerely, Lily Tomlin
From Lucie Arnaz: "The woman is a marvel. She is the real deal and always has been. She IS ENTERTAINMENT. And Carol Channing has been tirelessly, magnificently and graciously entertaining people of all ages and presidents of any and all political bents for decades and decades. She is a national treasure. I would second everything Lily has mentioned about her specific qualifications. I could not say it any better, so I won't even try. But, I hope you will count this email among your many letters of support to include Ms. Channing before she is not able to enjoy the experience. I know there are many deserving and talented performers each year who deserve to be among your honorees (my mother was, indeed, one of the lucky few to be chosen), but, I think it would be a blessing and a no brainer to add an icon like Carol Channing to your announcements this year."
Lucie Arnaz
A Facebook fan page titled 'Carol Channing Should Be a Kenny Center Honoree' is also up and running.
Carol Channing's illustrious and varied career spans movies, Broadway, TV, countless albums, authoring a book and has earned her three Tony Awards, a Golden Globe and and Oscar nomination. Carol Channing originated the role of Lorelei Lee in the Broadway production of 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes' for which she won the 1974 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. Channing also originated the role of Dolly Gallagher Levi in Broadway's 'Hello Dolly!' for which she garnered the 1964 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. Other theatrical credits include 'Jerry's Girls', 'Sugar Babies', 'Lorelei', 'Lend an Ear', 'Show Girl', 'Jule's Friends at the Palace', 'Pygmalion', 'The Vamp' (which earned her a 1956 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical) and 'Let's Face It!'. Film credits include 'Thoroughly Modern MIllie', 'Paid in Full', 'Skidoo', 'Alice in Wonderland', and 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'. In 1995, Channing received the Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement.
