Do you remember the outrageous character Mimi Bobeck from The Drew Carey Show? That character was played by Kathy Kinney. Kinney was born on November 3, 1954 in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. In 1976, she moved to New York City and was hired as a secretary at WCBS-TV. She used that experience in her role as Mimi. At the same time, she was practicing her stand up comedy at night and teaching improvisation classes on the side. One of her students, Bill Sherwood, later cast her in the 1986 film Parting Glances.

Kathy was hooked on acting and decided to make the move to Los Angeles. She was cast in various television series in small roles. She has appeared on Seinfeld, Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Grace Under Fire, Full House, The Larry Sanders Show, and My Name Is Earl. Her longest role, before Mimi, was as Ms. Goddard, the librarian in Newhart.

Kinney tried to avoid fat girl roles and using weight as a joke. The character of Mimi Bobeck was only in the pilot of The Drew Carey Show, but the character was such a hit, she was continued. Mimi interviews for a cosmetics job at Winfred-Louder and is not hired (obviously). She threatens to sue and to keep things quiet, they hire her as a secretary.

Kinney has also appeared in a number of films including Arachnophobia, Stanley and Iris, Three Fugitives, and This Boy’s Life.

Currently, she co-owns a website called MrsP.com. The website is for children and includes an interactive room for children to explore. There is no advertising and no free for the site and it is a safe place for children to visit.