Another 'View' of Whoopi at Tilles Center

Among many other hats (or do-rags) she's worn, moderator of "The View," seen weekday mornings on ABC, is one that comes first to mind lately. But moderate is not a word we associate with Whoopi Goldberg, who commands the Tilles Center stage Friday night for "An Evening With . . . "

The native of Manhattan -- that's Chelsea, not Kansas -- Goldberg, 56, is among an elite group of multitalented entertainers who've won Oscar, Emmy, Tony and Grammy awards, not to mention a pair of Golden Globes.

Don't expect the kind of one-woman show that marked her Broadway debut in 1984 -- a multiple-personality medley of self-invented characters. You won't get the moderator of "The View," either. For tonight, at least, she's just Whoopi, sharing personal observations on life in general and people in particular -- no doubt including a politician or two whose names she's mentioned on "The View."

We spoke to the comedian-actress-author and, yes, moderator on the eve of the vice presidential debate.

It depends on my mood. I only ask the question to get things going. I'm not particularly a fan of either the right or left. We're all in this together.

There are things you can't say on television, just like you can't write certain words in the paper. I'm just me onstage. . . . So I give people a warning right up front. If what I say is not your cup of tea, don't come.

No. It's pretty much, "What was it like being on the set with Patrick Swayze?" Or, "Do you get along with Elizabeth Hasselbeck [on "The View"]?" I tell them Elizabeth and I are pretty tight. That's because our disagreements are never personal. I remember when America used to be like that. But now it's all so Us vs. Them. There's this guy with a clothing store -- I forget where -- with an Obama cutout in his window with a bone in his nose. He claims not to understand why that's racist. I mean, we're all Americans, aren't we? That's why I hate the phrase African-American. That and menopause.

All of those things. It would be great to do more movies. But I'm doing television. I'm working.

I'm working on a Moms Mabley documentary. And I'm playing her onstage in September 2013.

Someplace on the planet.

Here's the fact. If we weren't heavyweight enough, nobody would be talking about him being on the show.

If I had the answer to that, I'd have four movies out right now.

My mom used to.

In a wide-ranging career in which she has balanced dramatic and comedic roles, Whoopi Goldberg has collected each of the Big 4 entertainment awards: Oscar, Emmy, Tony and Grammy. Here's her roster of top prizes:

* Oscar (best supporting actress): "Ghost," 1990

* Emmys (daytime, outstanding classroom special host): "Beyond Tara: The Extraordinary Life of Hattie McDaniel," 2002; (daytime, outstanding talk show host): "The View," 2009

* Tony (producer of best musical): "Thoroughly Modern Millie," 2002

* Grammy (best comedy album): "Whoopi Goldberg -- Original Broadway Show Recording," 1985

* Golden Globes (best actress, motion picture drama): "The Color Purple," 1985; (best supporting actress, motion picture): "Ghost," 1990