Interview: Kathy Kinney
By Vivian Rose/Tribune correspondent
                       

     You know how it feels when you can't stand a somebody you have to
     work with and you really want to tell them off, but you'd rather
     not get fired so you hold your tongue? That , according to Kathy
     Kinney, better known as the annoying secretary, Mimi, on the Drew
     Carey Show, is what makes Mimi so funny.

     "Mimi is childish and immature, and says exactly what's on her
     mind. She doesn't like Drew, so when she sees him, she says, "Hi,
     Pig." People like that because they wish they could tell their
     coworkers what they think. They kind of live vicariously through
     Mimi sometimes. Mimi does what everyone wishes they could do,"
     Kinney said. She comes across as much nicer than Mimi in real
     life.

     What's also fun about Mimi is how she dresses - like someone who's
     been living on Planet Fashion Victim for the past 20 years. "I
     help pick out Mimi's clothes, and it's so much fun," said Kinney
     with a laugh. "It's like playing dress up. The producers will say
     'We want Mimi to wear a skirt,' so I'll suggest an out-of-date
     poodle skirt, and we'll keep going until we have a whole new wacky
     Mimi outfit!"

     As for makeup, well, anyone who's seen the show knows that Mimi
     wears more makeup than a makeup company can produce in a year.

     "Mimi's advice regarding beauty is 'more is better' ," said
     Kinney. "More makeup, more color, more frills, more
     doodads...MORE! I always wear tons of blue eye makeup. It takes
     about forty-five minutes to get my makeup on, and then the only
     thing that can get it off is Chubbs Baby Wipes!" she said.

     Once, Drew Carey convinced Mimi to go out to a restaurant in full
     Mimi garb. "He joked that he could have driven off and left me
     there to walk back, in this ridiculous outfit. Of course, he
     didn't do it, thank goodness, but he kept talking about how funny
     it would have been!" Kinney said.

     As for her personal life, Kinney lives alone with her cat, and
     isn't dating anyone. Although she is looking for Mr. Right, she
     said, "I'm so busy - I don't have time to date. Mr. Right is just
     going to have to come knocking on my door !"

     Here's another good reason to watch the Drew Carey Show: Believe
     it or not, Mimi will be getting crazier in future episodes. You'll
     just have to watch to see how that's possible!

     Tell me your thoughts about Mimi, Kathy Kinney and "The Drew Carey
     Show." Write to me, vivianrose@ipa.net