LILY OF THE VALLEY BLOOMS IN CSUN PERFORMANCE.

Byline: EVAN HENERSON Staff Writer

For a weekend, she was Lily of the Valley professionally, too.

Comedian Lily Tomlin, who hangs her hat in the (818) area, appeared in a pair of live performances Friday and Saturday at California State University, Northridge's Plaza del Sol Performance Hall.

Billed as ``An Evening of Classic Lily Tomlin,'' the 100-minute performance was an opportunity for Tomlin to revisit several of her best- known characters, try out a few new routines, answer audience questions and generally drink in the adoration of a generous audience. The Valley and the venue, of course, took some ribbing during Friday's performance. A visit to CSUN, Tomlin said, was an opportunity not simply to perform but to ``bring back some stuff I bought at the mall.''

``I live in the Valley,'' Tomlin said, ``but I don't inhale.'' Life still affords the comedian (seen most recently in the film version of ``A Prairie Home Companion'') reasons to utter the phrase ``I worry.'' About reflective flea collars and the goings-on in Washington, among other things.

Ernestine, the take-no-prisoners telephone operator, placed a fundraising call on behalf of CSUN to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

``And just remember,'' Ernestine said after blackmailing the Governator into a sending a generous check. ``No matter how nasty I become, I'm always holding back.''

Also putting in appearances were Tomlin alter egos Judith Beasley, 6-year-old wise child Edith Ann and Trudy the bag lady (lifted directly from Tomlin's ``The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe'') contemplating the benefits of a reality-detached mind and waiting for her extraterrestrial friends.

The Detroit-born Tomlin paid comic tribute to her parents, whose endlessly mundane discussions about cake icing sent adolescent Lily into screaming hysterics. If there was any doubt over how beloved Tomlin is, it was dispelled in a post-performance question-and-answer session. Tomlin perused and answered written questions, many of which recounted personal encounters of the ``I once gave you a ride'' or ``I saw you perform on my first date with my future husband'' kind.

At the end of the session, Tomlin brought back Ernestine to try out a new bit. The acid-tongued operator, host of ``Ernestine Calls You on It,'' began systematically telephoning and berating President George W. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and other key members of the Bush administration.

``How did I get your private number?'' Ernestine said to the president. ``You have your friends at the phone company and I have mine.''

The routine drew huge laughs, which eventually tapered off. ``You guys are really taking this to heart,'' Tomlin noted, bringing the routine -- and the evening -- to an end.

On Saturday afternoon, students from CSUN's departments of theater, English, film and television, and creative writing got the chance to spend an hour in discussion with Tomlin during an informational master class Q&A session. CSUN students frequently get to interact with performers who play the Plaza del Sol.

``It always gets around to career advice with the students,'' said Kathy Anderson, the Plaza del Sol's managing director. ``They want to know especially about how to develop characters, how (Tomlin) got started in the business and those kinds of things.''

evan.henerson(at)dailynews.com

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