Kerri Kenney-Silver
Encyclopedia
Kerri Kenney-Silver is an American actress, comedian, singer and writer best known as a cast member on MTV's The State
and for her role as Deputy Trudy Wiegel on the Comedy Central
series, Reno 911!
.
, Connecticut, the daughter of Carol and Larry Kenney
, an actor who is known for his classic voice-over
work. She has a sister, Ashley, and a brother, Tanner.
, which lasted for three seasons 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.
In 2000, Kenney-Silver followed in her father's footsteps, voicing 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 was cast as a regular on The Ellen Show
, which aired until 2001. She later found success with Reno 911!
, 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 cancelled in 2009 after 6 seasons. On the show, she portrayed Deputy Trudy Wiegel. Kenney-Silver also appeared on the TV series Still Standing
.
In July 2008, Kerri 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 husband Steve Silver and Jared Mazzaschi.
Kenney-Silver was among the cast of Suburban Shootout, a pilot episode directed and executive produced by Barry Sonnenfeld
for HBO. The pilot filmed completely in The Hamptons, Long Island
, in September 2008. HBO has not announced if it will pick up the pilot for a season. The pilot is based on the British comedy
of the same name
.
She has a small role as a showgirl in Balls of Fury
(2007). In late 2008, she appeared in the film Role Models
alongside Paul Rudd
and Seann William Scott
.
She was also in National Lampoon's Pledge This!
.
band Cake Like
. She is married to cinematographer
Steven V. Silver and they have one son, Sam, born on August 6, 2005.
The State (TV series)
The State is a half-hour sketch-comedy television show, originally broadcast on MTV between December 17, 1993 and July 1, 1995. The show combined bizarre characters and scenarios to present sketches that won the favor of its target teenaged audience...
and for her role as Deputy Trudy Wiegel on the Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
series, Reno 911!
Reno 911!
Reno 911! is an American comedy television series on Comedy Central that ran from 2003 to 2009. It is a mockumentary-style parody of law enforcement documentary shows, specifically COPS, with comic actors playing the police officers. Most of the material is improvised, using a broad outline, and...
.
Early life
Kenney-Silver was born in WestportWestport, Connecticut
-Neighborhoods:* Saugatuck – around the Westport railroad station near the southwestern corner of the town – a built-up area with some restaurants, stores and offices....
, Connecticut, the daughter of Carol and Larry Kenney
Larry Kenney
Larry Kenney is an American radio personality and voice actor.In 1963, Kenney began his radio career at the age of 15 as a disc jockey at WIRL in Peoria. After WIRL, he worked at WOWO, Ft...
, an actor who is known for his classic voice-over
Voice-over
Voice-over is a production technique where a voice which is not part of the narrative is used in a radio, television production, filmmaking, theatre, or other presentations...
work. She has a sister, Ashley, and a brother, Tanner.
Career
During the early 1990s, Kenney-Silver joined with the sketch comedy group The State. The group was picked up for a self-titled sketch comedy show on MTV, The StateThe State (TV series)
The State is a half-hour sketch-comedy television show, originally broadcast on MTV between December 17, 1993 and July 1, 1995. The show combined bizarre characters and scenarios to present sketches that won the favor of its target teenaged audience...
, which lasted for three seasons 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
Viva Variety
Viva Variety is an American sketch comedy series that aired on Comedy Central from April 1997 to December 1999. The series satirizes European variety shows.-Overview:...
, a parody of variety shows that aired on Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
for two seasons.
In 2000, Kenney-Silver followed in her father's footsteps, voicing the character of "Gravitina" in the children's cartoon Buzz Lightyear of Star Command
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command is an American animated science fiction/adventure/comedy series produced by Walt Disney Television. The character is from the planet Zurtron. The series originally aired on UPN and ABC from October 2000 to January 2001 as part of Disney's One Saturday Morning...
. She has since done a number of voices on the Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
series Invader Zim
Invader Zim
Invader Zim is an American animated television series created by Jhonen Vasquez. It was produced by and subsequently aired on Nickelodeon. The series revolves around an extraterrestrial named Zim from the planet Irk, and his ongoing mission to conquer and destroy Earth...
. Additionally, she was cast as a regular on The Ellen Show
The Ellen Show
The Ellen Show is a television sitcom starring Ellen DeGeneres that aired during the 2001–2002 season on CBS. It was DeGeneres's second attempt at a sitcom, after Ellen on ABC , but it was unable to garner strong ratings and was quickly cancelled.After coming out of the closet as a lesbian on her...
, which aired until 2001. She later found success with Reno 911!
Reno 911!
Reno 911! is an American comedy television series on Comedy Central that ran from 2003 to 2009. It is a mockumentary-style parody of law enforcement documentary shows, specifically COPS, with comic actors playing the police officers. Most of the material is improvised, using a broad outline, and...
, a series on Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
that parodied police reality shows like Cops
COPS (TV series)
Cops is an American documentary/reality television series that follows police officers, constables, and sheriff's deputies during patrols and other police activities...
, which also featured former members of the State, Thomas Lennon, Ben Garant
Ben Garant
Robert Ben Garant is an American actor, comedian, writer, director and producer.Garant was born in Cookeville, Tennessee, and grew up in Farragut, Tennessee...
, and Joe Lo Truglio
Joe Lo Truglio
Joseph "Joe" Lo Truglio is an American actor, writer and comedian best known for his work as a cast member on the cult MTV sketch comedy series The State...
. The show was cancelled in 2009 after 6 seasons. On the show, she portrayed Deputy Trudy Wiegel. Kenney-Silver also appeared on the TV series Still Standing
Still Standing (TV series)
Still Standing is an American sitcom television series. It debuted on CBS on September 30, 2002, and ended March 8, 2006. Lifetime obtained the United States syndication rights to the show in February 2005 and aired it until 2009...
.
In July 2008, Kerri 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 husband Steve Silver and Jared Mazzaschi.
Kenney-Silver was among the cast of Suburban Shootout, a pilot episode directed and executive produced by Barry Sonnenfeld
Barry Sonnenfeld
Barry Sonnenfeld is an American filmmaker and television director. He worked as cinematographer for the Coen brothers, then later he directed and produced big budget films such as Men in Black.-Life and career:...
for HBO. The pilot filmed completely in The Hamptons, Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, in September 2008. HBO has not announced if it will pick up the pilot for a season. The pilot is based on the British comedy
British comedy
British comedy, in film, radio and television, is known for its consistently quirky characters, plots and settings, and has produced some of the most famous and memorable comic actors and characters in the last fifty years.-Film comedy:...
of the same name
Suburban Shootout
Suburban Shootout is a British satirical black comedy television series produced for Five and Paramount Comedy by Feelgood Fiction in association with Oxygen. The first series aired in the UK on Five from 27 April 2006. It began airing in the United States on 22 March 2006 on Oxygen and in Germany...
.
She has a small role as a showgirl in Balls of Fury
Balls of Fury
Balls of Fury is a 2007 American sports comedy film starring Dan Fogler and Christopher Walken. It was directed by Ben Garant and was released on August 29, 2007.-Plot:...
(2007). In late 2008, she appeared in the film Role Models
Role Models
Role Models is a 2008 American comedy film directed by David Wain about two energy drink salesmen who are ordered to perform 150 hours of community service as punishment for various offenses. For their service, the two men work at a program designed to pair kids with adult role models. The film...
alongside Paul Rudd
Paul Rudd
Paul Stephen Rudd is an American actor and screenwriter. He has primarily appeared in comedies, and is known for his roles in the films Clueless, Wet Hot American Summer, Anchorman, Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Dinner for Schmucks, The Object of My...
and Seann William Scott
Seann William Scott
Seann William Scott is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for playing Steve Stifler in the American Pie film series...
.
She was also in National Lampoon's Pledge This!
National Lampoon's Pledge This!
National Lampoon's Pledge This! is a 2006 comedy film starring Paris Hilton, who also served as an executive producer. The film was very poorly received and went straight to video.-Plot:...
.
Personal life
Kenney-Silver is an accomplished banjo player, and was also the lead singer and bass guitarist of the indie rockIndie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band Cake Like
Cake Like
Cake Like was an all-women indie rock band. Its members were bassist and lead singer Kerri Kenney-Silver , drummer Jody Seifert and vocalist and guitarist Nina Hellman...
. She is married to cinematographer
Cinematographer
A cinematographer is one photographing with a motion picture camera . The title is generally equivalent to director of photography , used to designate a chief over the camera and lighting crews working on a film, responsible for achieving artistic and technical decisions related to the image...
Steven V. Silver and they have one son, Sam, born on August 6, 2005.