Ernestine is a fictional character created and portrayed by Lily Tomlin in her stand-up and sketch comedy performances. She first appeared in the 1970s and became one of Tomlin's most recognizable comedic personas. Ernestine is a nosy, condescending telephone operator who often treats callers with little sympathy. She delivers sharp, barbed responses, snorts when she hears something salacious, and speaks in a clipped, dismissive tone. Despite her modern setting, she wears a 1940s-style hairstyle with a hairnet, giving her a vintage look. Have you ever heard of or seen any performance of Ernestine?