Call all you want but there's no one home

And so, farewell, then to our beloved Miss Carol Channing...

[see my tribute over at the Dolores Delargo Towers Museum of Camp]

She was lauded by a devoted audience in so many ways - awards galore, tribute shows (and most recently a whole biographical film documentary), and of course, impressions. Drag queens, comedians, voice-over artists, you name it, Carol's trademark drawl was always a favourite...

And, of course, who could forget her famous duet with "Liza-with-a-zee" on a GaGa and Beyoncé number?

Christine Pedi - Telephone

[Well... almost. :-)]

Facts:

• Miss Channing was the first celebrity to perform at a Super Bowl half-time show.
• One of her earliest parts, at age 19, was understudy for Miss Eve Arden (who was 13 years older than her).
• Her name was on Nixon's "enemies list"; to which she responded that it was her greatest honour of all.
• She made her television debut on The Red Skelton Show in 1957, and her last was a cameo on RuPaul's Drag Race in 2016.
• Surprisingly, she was not naturally blonde; every hairdo she sported was a wig because she had an allergy to hair bleach.
• At age 92, in the gay resort of Fire Island in 2013, she made probably her final singing appearance - later stage events, including with Justin Vivian Bond and with Tommy Tune were just "in conversation".

Gawd, we're going to miss her!

RIP, Carol Channing! There will never be another.