She drifted through several beloved sitcoms in the 90s, stealing scenes with her undeniable charisma.

Her first splash on the comedy radar came in the role of a lustful town librarian, commanding attention with over-the-top energy, whether trying to seduce a gaggle of vacationing priests or using her feminine wiles to sway a panel of judges in her favor. 

But she truly made her mark in a long-running show as the main character’s arch-nemesis, playing a meddlesome secretary who clung to her job by dangling the threat of a lawsuit. 

For nearly nine years and 233 episodes, her outrageous comedy style and that signature blue eyeshadow made her antagonistic character unforgettable. 

And although her roles have slowed down, she still continued to show her professional chops in other TV shows. 

Can you guess who?

She drifted through several beloved sitcoms in the 90s, stealing scenes with her undeniable charisma despite her brief stints

Her first splash on the comedy radar came in the role of a lustful town librarian, commanding attention with over-the-top energy, whether trying to seduce a gaggle of vacationing priests or using her feminine wiles to sway a panel of judges in her favor

It’s Kathy Kinney!

The Drew Carey Show alum was practically unrecognizable when Daily Mail spotted her in LA, ditching her iconic character’s heavy makeup for a barefaced look while running errands. 

Kinney, 70, who has largely stayed out of the spotlight, was spotted roaming a grocery store in a chic paisley fedora, white linen quarter-sleeve shirt and loose dark blue jeans, accessorized with red sunglasses, a smartwatch and a black crossbody bag. 

She eventually exited the store with her purchase tucked into a blue box and walked to her gray Porsche in blue sneakers to load up her haul.

The rare sighting was only a few weeks after The Drew Carey Show’s 30-year anniversary. 

Kinney was especially memorable portraying Mimi Bobeck, the ABC show’s main antagonist and Mr. Wick’s secretary, who vowed to torment Drew Carey after he denied her a job because of her signature look, layered with blue and black eyeshadow, heavy blush, sharply drawn eyebrows and a bold red lip. 

Kinney and Carey have stayed good friends throughout the years and paired up for projects together such as when she appeared on The Price Is Right, which he hosted, to reprise the role of Mimi as a guest model

But she truly made her mark as the main character’s arch-nemesis, the meddlesome secretary who clung to her job by dangling the threat of a lawsuit

Kathy Kinney, 70, was spotted in LA looking unrecognizable, ditching her iconic character’s heavy makeup to grab groceries in the supermarket 

Kinney made a lasting impression as Mimi Bobeck, the ABC show’s scheming secretary and main antagonist, who set out to torment Drew Carey after he rejected her job application due to her heavy makeup (bottom left) 

She was originally supposed to appear for  only one episode, but was such a hit in the pilot with fans that they gave her a spot in the main cast. 

Throughout the show’s run from 1995 to 2004, a recurring gag centered on their feuds, including her nicknames for him, like ‘Pig’ and ‘Doughboy’, and her outrageous pranks, such as gluing his hand to a pornographic magazine or sending him to China while he was unconscious. 

Outside of the show, Kinney and the real-life Drew Carey have maintained a close friendship and collaborated on various projects since the sitcom ended.

Carey landed a series of hosting gigs where Kinney made guest appearances, including Whose Line Is It Anyway? and The Price Is Right, where she reprised her role as Mimi for an episode.

The duo also appeared together on Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and even traveled to Iraq for performances entertaining American troops in 2006.

Kinney also reprised her role as Mimi on another co-star’s show, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson in 2009, where he played her boss, Mr. Wick, in a skit.

Originally intended to appear only in the pilot, the character of Mimi was quickly promoted to the main cast thanks to Kinney’s portrayal, which featured endless pranks on Carey 

The comedian wore a chic paisley fedora, white linen quarter-sleeve shirt and loose dark blue jeans, accessorized with red sunglasses, a smartwatch and a black crossbody bag

She began her comedy career on Newhart (1982–1990) playing Miss Goddard, the lusty town librarian whose running gag revolved around trying to seduce the show’s visiting side characters, from a gaggle of priests to a panel of judges.

That followed with  Kinney made guest appearances on Seinfeld, Grace Under Fire, Full House, Boy Meets World, The Larry Sanders Show and My Name is Earl before her Dew Carey success.

 Later in life, Kinney guest starred on the animated TV series The Penguin of Madagascar as Rhonda the walrus and guest starred on The Secret Life of the American Teenager.

Since stepping back from TV, Kinney teamed up with former marketing executive Cindy Ratzlaff to create the brand Queen of Your Own Life, producing colorful postcards with inspirational quotes designed to serve as a ‘daily meditation’.