Kerri Kenney-Silver (born January 20, 1970) is an American actress, comedian, writer, singer, and musician. She is best known for starring as Trudy Wiegel on the mockumentary series Reno 911!, for which she has been nominated for four prime-time Emmy Awards.[1] She is also known for her previous sketch comedy work on MTV's The State, where she was the show's lone female cast member. She has also appeared with recurring roles on sitcoms such as Superstore, 2 Broke Girls, Love, and The Ellen Show. In the mid-late 1990s, Kenney fronted the all-female rock band Cake Like.

Kerri Kenney-Silver
Kenney-Silver (on the left) in 2008 on the set of Suburban Shootout
Born
Kerri Kenney

(1970-01-20) January 20, 1970 (age 54)
Occupations
  • Actress
  • comedian
  • writer
  • musician
Years active1992–present
Spouse
Steven V. Silver
(m. 2004)
Children1
Parent(s)Sharon Kenney
Larry Kenney
Kenney-Silver in character with Reno 911! co-star Thomas Lennon at Mardi Gras, New Orleans, 2009

Early life

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Kenney-Silver was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and was raised in Westport, Connecticut, and New York City. She is the daughter of Carol Kenney and Larry Kenney, an actor who is best known as the voice of Lion-O in ThunderCats.[2]

Career

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During the early 1990s, Kenney-Silver was the lead singer and bassist of the indie rock band Cake Like.

Kenney-Silver attended New York University where she joined the sketch comedy group The New Group[3][4] which ultimately became The State.[5] The group was picked up for a self-titled sketch comedy show on MTV, The State,[4] which aired between 1993 and 1995.

After the show's completion, Kenney-Silver continued working with her fellow troupe members on other projects. In 1996, she co-wrote and starred in Viva Variety, a parody of variety shows that aired on Comedy Central for two seasons.[6]

In 2000, Kenney-Silver voiced the character of "Gravitina" in the children's cartoon Buzz Lightyear of Star Command. She has since done a number of voices on the Nickelodeon series Invader Zim. Additionally, she starred as a regular on The Ellen Show, which aired until 2001. She later found success with Reno 911!,[5] a series on Comedy Central that parodied police reality shows like COPS, which also featured former members of the State Thomas Lennon, Ben Garant, and Joe Lo Truglio. The show was originally cancelled in 2009 after six seasons. Kenney-Silver also appeared on the TV series Still Standing.

In July 2008, Kenney-Silver made her debut as "Dame Delilah", the title character in the web series Dame Delilah's Fantasy Ranch & Gift Shoppe. On the site, various comedians give video testimony as characters working at or otherwise visiting the fictional Cat House. Kenney-Silver created the series and it was produced by her husband, Steve Silver, and Jared Mazzaschi.[7]

Kenney-Silver was among the cast of Suburban Shootout, a pilot based on the British comedy of the same name, directed and executive produced by Barry Sonnenfeld for HBO. The pilot filmed in The Hamptons, Long Island, in September 2008. The pilot ultimately was not picked up.[8]

Kenney-Silver has appeared in films such as All About Steve, Reno 911!: Miami, National Lampoon's Pledge This!, Balls of Fury, The Ten, Role Models, and Wanderlust.

In December 2011 it was announced that Kenney-Silver and actress Jamie Denbo were developing a new series for Comedy Central called "Dame Delilah’s Rabbit Hole Ranch" based on a web series they previously created and starred in.

In 2015 she began voicing the character of Miriam in the Nickelodeon series Harvey Beaks.[9]

From 2016 to 2018, she played the recurring role of Syd (the neighbor of Gillian Jacobs’s character) in the Netflix comedy series Love. Until 2021 she was a recurring character on the NBC sitcom Superstore, playing the role of Jerusha Sturgis, Glenn's wife, who was introduced in the third season.

In 2020, Kenney-Silver reprised her role as Deputy Trudy Wiegel in the seventh season of Reno 911! which aired on Quibi. She also appeared in the 2021 Paramount+ movie, Reno 911! The Hunt for QAnon. The eighth season of the series, now titled Reno 911! Defunded, premiered on The Roku Channel in February 2022.

Personal life

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Kenney-Silver is married to cinematographer Steven V. Silver.[citation needed] They have a son who was born in 2005. [citation needed]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1997 Love God Darla
1998 Orange Quarters First Funeral Mourner
1999 Terror Firmer Woman with Eyeball in Her Cleavage
2001 Wet Hot American Summer Paco's Wife Deleted Scene
2003 Kim Possible: The Secret Files The Bebes (voice)
2005 Waiting... Lilli
2006 Pledge This! Kathy Johnson
2007 The Ten Bernice Jaffe
Reno 911!: Miami Deputy Trudy Wiegel Also writer and producer
Balls of Fury Showgirl Cameo
The Comebacks Sports Judge
2008 Role Models Lynette Farcques
2009 All About Steve Miss Hancock
2012 Wanderlust Kathy
Fun Size Barb
2013 Dealin' with Idiots Caitlin
2015 Hell and Back Madame Zonare (voice)
2016 Other People Aunt Lynne
2017 Downsizing Single Mom Kristen Cameo
2018 A Futile and Stupid Gesture Sullivan Producer
2021 Reno 911!: The Hunt for QAnon Deputy Trudy Wiegel Also writer and producer

Nominated— Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Movie (2022)[10]

2022 Reno 911!: It's a Wonderful Heist Deputy Wiegel / Jackie the Pickle Throwing Hooker Also co-writer and producer[11]

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1992 You Wrote It, You Watch It Various Characters Also writer
1993–1995 The State Various 26 episodes; also writer and creator
1997 Viva Variety Agatha Laupin 16 episodes; also writer
Nominated—CableACE Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series
1998 Hercules Gaia (voice) Episode: "Hercules and the Prince of Thrace"
2000 Hey Neighbor Dotty TV pilot
The Weekenders Tish's Mom (voice) Episode: "To Be or Not to Be"
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command Gravitina (voice) 5 episodes
2001 Clerks Mother (voice) 2 episodes
Lloyd in Space Sirenia's Mother (voice) Episode: "Girl From The Center of the Universe"
The Legend of Tarzan (TV series) (voice) Episode: "Tarzan and the Silver Screen"
2001–2002 The Ellen Show Pam 16 episodes
2001–2002 Invader Zim Various (voice) 2 episodes
2002 What I Like About You Lisa Lillien Episode: "Pilot"
2002-2004 Teamo Supremo Electronica (voice) 2 Episodes
2002–2006 Still Standing Marion Fitzsimmons 5 episodes
2002–2007 Kim Possible Bebes (voice) 5 episodes
2003 Titletown TV pilot
2003–2009,
2020–2022
Reno 911! Deputy Trudy Wiegel Also writer and creator
Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Short Form Comedy or Drama Series (2020)
Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series (2020)
Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series (2021)Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Short Form Comedy or Drama Series (2021)[12]
2004 Brandy & Mr. Whiskers Mama Croc (voice) 2 episodes
Cheap Seats: Without Ron Parker Alice Karp Episode: "Putt-Putt"
2006 Lovespring International Beatrice Episode: "The Psychic"
2007 Wainy Days Kerri Episode: "Walking Tour"
2008 Pushing Daisies Alexandria Episode: "Oh Oh Oh... It's Magic"
2010 Adventure Time Various voices 2 episodes
Tax Man Bethany TV pilot
Party Down Aviatrix Episode: "Not on Your Wife Opening Night"
Pretend Time Mrs. Hampton Episode: "Mudslide Junction"
2010–2013 Childrens Hospital Herself / Dutch Tourist Episode: "Give a Painted Brother a Break"
2011 Raising Hope Gwen Episode: "Everybody Flirts... Sometimes"
2011–2012 NTSF:SD:SUV:: 4-Sight 2 episodes
2012 Are You There, Chelsea? Olga Episode: "Surprise"
Counter Culture Billie Haynes TV pilot
Anger Management Mel 2 episodes
Burning Love Jay 2 episodes
Comedy Bang! Bang! Meryl Hmm Episode: "Weird Al Yankovic Wears a Hawaiian Shirt"
Sullivan & Son Jo Episode: "The Prodigal Sister"
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Therapist Episode: "The Gang Gets Analysed"
2013 The New Normal Dr. Howell Episode: "Dog Children"
Newsreaders Tina Barry Episode: "CCSI: Boston"
Key & Peele Episode: "Pussy on the Chainwax"
2014 New Girl Captain Jan Nortis Episode: "Cruise"
Us & Them Gwen 7 episodes
2014–2015 American Dad! Parole Officer / Rhonda Hughart (voice) 2 episodes
2015 Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp Real Estate Agent Episode: "Auditions"
2015–2017 Harvey Beaks Miriam (voice) 39 episodes
2016 Angie Tribeca Laurie Partridge Episode: "Ferret Royale"
Animals. Leslie (voice) Episode: "Rats."
Teachers Mrs. Barkley Episode: "The Last Day"
Bajillion Dollar Propertie$ Mrs. Gullier Episode: "Amir Is Glenn's Mentor"
Lady Dynamite Ginny Kimmle Episode: "Mein Ramp"
Loosely Exactly Nicole Bernice Episode: "Mistress"
Shameless Constance Grace Episode: "Requiem for a Slut"
2016–2018 Love Syd 8 episodes
2017 Bob's Burgers Various voices 2 episodes
2 Broke Girls Denise 3 episodes
2018-2021 Superstore Jerusha Sturgis 8 episodes
2018 A Series of Unfortunate Events Babs 4 episodes: "The Hostile Hospital" and "The Penultimate Peril"
Big Hero 6: The Series Jaq / Doctor (voice) Episode: "The Impatient Patient"
2019 Santa Clarita Diet Petra Blazic Episode: "Zombody"
Big Little Lies Dr. Belinda Shea Episode: "The End of the World"
Where's Waldo Wizard Lariat / Emu / Playtypus (voice) Episode: "Australian Blunder Down Under"
2020 The George Lucas Talk Show Herself Episode: "COVID-1138: More American Willoweenie: The Battle for Elector"
Miracle Workers Lila 3 episodes
2022 Reboot Susan Guest role
2022 The Sex Lives of College Girls Professor Hennessey Episode: "Frat Problems"
2023 Digman! Professor Lotte Eccleston (voice) Episode: "Fear of GAWD"
2023 The Great North Janice / Regina (voice) 2 episodes
2023 What We Do in the Shadows[13] Helen Johnson Episode: "Hybrid Creatures"

References

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  1. ^ "Kerri Kenney-Silver". Television Academy. Retrieved 2024-04-23.
  2. ^ "Kerri Kenney Biography (1970–)". Filmreference.com. 1970-01-20. Retrieved 2012-02-19.
  3. ^ Stulce, Corey (2016). The Union of The State. Corey Stulce. pp. 56–57. ISBN 978-0997400519.
  4. ^ a b Cormier, Roger (July 10, 2014). "15 Things You Might Not Know About 'The State'". Mental Floss. London, England: Dennis Publishing. Retrieved August 30, 2016.
  5. ^ a b Hough, Allan (February 4, 2009). "The State's David Wain, Thomas Lennon and Kerri Kenney-Silver". The A.V. Club. Chicago, Illinois: Onion, Inc. Retrieved August 30, 2016.
  6. ^ Ess, Ramsey (September 26, 2014). "Revisiting the Surreal World of 'Viva Variety'". Vulture.com. New York City: New York City. Retrieved August 30, 2016.
  7. ^ "Dame Delilah's Fantasy Ranch & Gift Shoppe". Damedelilah.com. Retrieved January 20, 2012.
  8. ^ O'Reilly, Brendan (September 29, 2008). "Hamptons familiar location for director". 27east. Retrieved January 20, 2012.
  9. ^ "Nerd Armada". C.H. Greenblatt. January 29, 2015. Retrieved January 29, 2015.
  10. ^ "Reno 911!: The Hunt For QAnon". Television Academy. Retrieved 2023-10-03.
  11. ^ Hermanns, Grant (2022-12-09). "Kerri Kenney-Silver Interview: RENO 911! It's A Wonderful Heist". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2023-10-03.
  12. ^ "Kerri Kenney-Silver". Television Academy. Retrieved 2023-10-03.
  13. ^ "Kerri Kenney | Actress, Producer, Writer". IMDb. Retrieved 2023-10-03.
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