Garrison Keillor has yet to receive a Kennedy Center Honor, but at least he got invited to this year's bash.
Keillor paid tribute to inductee Lily Tomlin Sunday night in Washington D.C., praising the actress who starred in his film adaptation of "A Prairie Home Companion."
"People who adore Lily Tomlin ask you if you know her, and if you do, they want to know if she really is who we imagine she is," Keillor said. "And she really is."
Following Keillor's remarks, the stage was taken by Jane Lynch, Kate McKinnon, Reba McEntire and Jane Fonda who performed a spoken-word performance piece dedicated to Tomlin.
Not bad company.
Backstage, Keillor shared a dressing room with David Letterman and Steven Spielberg.
In a phone interview Monday, Keillor said Letterman appeared to be under the weather and was very focused on his presentation while the Oscar-winning director was "very friendly and chatty." Spielberg asked Keillor if anyone had ever thought about doing a movie based in Lake Wobegon. Keillor replied that he had talked to Sydney Pollack about it, but it didn't go anywhere.
Just before the ceremonies, Keillor was among the guests invited to the White House for dinner.
