Getting applause and laughter from Lucille Ball must be the biggest and best award you could ever receive in the business...There isn't a trophy in the world that could replace that.
He is absolutely remarkable. I had no idea I wasn’t watching Diller herself (with whom, I’ve learned, he was close friends). What’s amazing is that he also did equally spot on impressions of Judy Garland, Peggy Lee and Barbara Streisand. Judy Garland was so impressed that at one performance she stepped out of the audience and turned his solo performing as her into a duet.
If I had not read the title of this video, I would have NEVER guessed this was NOT Phyllis Diller herself!! absolutely amazing performance by Jim Bailey!!
Had a chance to meet Jim in 1999. He was a guest on our radio talk show in Palm Springs. A sweet, gentle and unassuming man. First class and he looked great.
if you hadn't of posted it was Jim Baily, i would of bet my entire Madonna collection it was Phyllis Diller who was a total sweet heart to her fans. she mailed me a signed copy of her book and 2 8x10 pictures just for writing her a fan letter! Phyllis was hysterical. one of the best female comedians but Jim, daaamn, He was extremely talented to convince people he wasn't really who he was impersonating. loved it!
I never heard a person who sounded exactly like the individual they are portraying while yelling! He's so on point, he could whatever he wanted with her voice. Amazing
This episode just aired today in Tucson and I actually pulled out my camera and recorded it. Then I looked it up on here. Jim is just great. He later performs, as himself, a duet with Lucie Arnaz that is just amazing! Worth watching.
Not only was this a hilarious set it was a set within a set. All featuring female impersonation, an impersonation AND that personas talent in a set. Very powerful talent and very unusual. Diller of course was a gas and so enjoyable as a clown comedienne so this goes down a treat. Lucille Ball and the other creactions add to even more pleasure.
Supposedly, Lucille Ball had seen Bailey perform and became a big fan, and personally invited him to appear on "Here's Lucy", and he remained friends with both her and Lucie Arnaz for many years after that.
4:36 Jim Bailey was truly amazing. And I just saw him in the interview saying he was going Consider marrying lucy arnez that would have been That would have been his greatest illusion. A happily married man.
Rupaul is TWO dimensional. His drag is based on magazine models. Which is why it took him 20 years to hit it big. He does music....meh. But Drag Race is what it is from all of the staff, not him. He doesn't bother with the girls unless he has to. And they keep calling him Mama Ru. More like Grandmama Ru. And YES... MANY came before him. Charles Pierce comes to mind. But that was back when TALENT mattered.
