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Kim Coles
Kim Coles 1998.jpg
Coles in 1998
Born
Kimberly LaShaunda Coles

(1962-01-11) January 11, 1962 (age 62)
Brooklyn, New York City, New York, U.S.
Education North Carolina Central University
Occupation
  • Actress
  • comedian
  • game show host
Years active 1988–present
Known for Synclaire James – Living Single
Spouse(s)
Aton Edwards
(m. 1985; div. 1995)

Reggie Mckiver
(m. 2015; div. 2019)

Kimberly LaShaunda Coles (born January 11, 1962) is an American actress, comedian and game show host. Coles is known for her roles as a cast member on the first season of In Living Color (1990–1991) and as Synclaire James-Jones on the television sitcom Living Single (1993–1998), which both originally aired on Fox. She was the host of BET's game show Pay It Off in 2009.

Early life

Coles was born in Brooklyn, New York City. Her father was the first Black dean of the Pratt Institute. She attended a private Lutheran school and was quiet and studious until high school, when her sense of humor emerged. She graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School.

Career

Coles has appeared on many television shows, including Frasier ("Dr." Mary Thomas), Six Feet Under, Celebrity Mole, Living Single and The Geena Davis Show. Early in her career, she appeared as one of the hosts of It's Showtime at the Apollo. She was an original cast member on the sketch comedy series In Living Color that appeared on the FOX network. After leaving "In Living Color", she then got the role as Synclaire James on Living Single and won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series. She appeared as the mother of Spirit on UPN's One on One. Coles is a published author; her book is called I'm Free But It Will Cost You, ISBN: 978-0-7868-8322-6, Hyperion Books, 1998.

Coles appeared on Celebrity Mole: Hawaii and was the first contestant to be eliminated. At the reunion of the show, she was one of two celebrities (the other was Michael Boatman) to correctly guess that Frederique van der Wal was the series' saboteur, Kathy Griffin was the winner, and Erik von Detten was the runner-up. Coles also joined other celebrities for a weight loss journey on the VH-1 reality show, Celebrity Fit Club. After 16 weeks, she lost a total of 24 lbs, and dropping nearly 4 percentage points in body fat, going from 34.7% to 31%. She accomplished this with the help of her team, "Ralphie's Angels". She lost 10.2% of her body weight, dropping down to 196 lbs.

Coles was a regular panelist on the 2000 revival of To Tell the Truth during its second season. She was also featured as a guest host on two episodes of The View. Coles was a co-host of the syndicated daytime television show In The Loop With iVillage alongside The Apprentice winner Bill Rancic and fellow season one contestant Ereka Vetrini. She has recently joined the cast of 10 Items or Less on TBS.

On September 30, 2009, she hosted the game show Pay It Off, lasted for one season on BET, which is similar to Debt. In 2010, she appeared on RuPaul's Drag Race. She appeared in an episode of TV One's series "Life After" in late 2011.

Coles has also performed as a stand-up comedian, with some of her material dealing with her struggle with being overweight at times.

Personal life

Coles has been married twice, first to Aton Edwards from 1985 to 1995, then to Reggie Mckiver, a former SWAT police officer, in the Dominican Republic, from 2015 to 2019.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1991 Strictly Business Millicent
2005 Kids in America Loretta Jenkins
2009 Wig Cacey Short
2019 Love Is Not Enough Angela
2021 A Jenkins Family Christmas Beverly
2022 A Marriage Made in Heaven Angela Tucker

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1988–91 Showtime at the Apollo Herself Recurring Guest
1990 In Living Color Herself/Cast Member Main Cast: Season 1
1992-94 An Evening at the Improv Herself Episode: "Episode #9.18" & "#13.13"
1993 Martin Bonquisha Episode: "Baby You Can Drive My Car"
1993–98 Living Single Synclaire James-Jones Main Cast
1995 The Crew Synclaire James Episode: "The Worst Noel"
1996 MADtv Herself Episode: "Episode #1.17" & "#2.3"
The Show Deandra Episode: "Deandra and Them"
1999 New Attitudes Herself/Host Main Host
Hollywood Squares Herself/Panelist Recurring Panelist
2000 Frasier Dr. Mary Thomas Guest Cast: Season 7-8
2000–01 The Geena Davis Show Judy Owens Main Cast
2001 The Test Herself/Panelist Episode: "The Self-Respect Test"
Headliners & Legends with Matt Lauer Herself Episode: "Halle Berry"
Biography Herself Episode: "Kim Fields: A Little Somethin' Somethin'"
Weakest Link Herself Episode: "Comedians #3 Special"
2002 Six Feet Under Dolores Episode: "The Liar and the ..."
2002–03 Pyramid Herself/Celebrity Contestant Recurring Guest
2002–04 One on One Leilani Jones Recurring Cast: Season 2 & 4, Guest: Season 3
2003 The Mole Herself Contestant: Season 3
Star Search Herself/Guest Judge Episode: "The One with Living Single Star Kim Coles"
The Parkers Florence Episode: "That's What Friends Are For"
2003–04 Coming to the Stage Herself/Judge Main Judge
2004 Steve Harvey's Big Time Challenge Herself Episode: "Episode #2.11"
My Wife and Kids Childcare Instructor Episode: "Childcare Class"
2005 Black in the 80s Herself Recurring Guest
Celebrity Fit Club Herself/Contestant Contestant: Season 1
Queer Edge with Jack E. Jett & Sandra Bernhard Herself/Co-Host Recurring Co-Host
2006 The Tom Joyner Show Herself Episode: "Episode #1.14" & "#1.20"
Celebrity Poker Showdown Herself/Contestant Episode: "Tournament 8, Game 2"
2006–07 Comics Unleashed Herself Recurring Guest
2007 The View Herself/Co-Host Episode: "June 11 & 14, 2007"
In the Loop with iVillage Herself/Co-Host Main Co-Host
2009 GSN Live Herself Episode: "Kim Coles"
10 Items or Less Mercedes “Mercy” P. Jones Recurring Cast: Season 3
2010 RuPaul's Drag Race Herself/Guest Judge Episode: "Starrbootylicious"
2011 Life After Herself Episode: "Kim Coles: Life After 'Living Single'"
Celebrity Ghost Stories Herself/Contestant Episode: "Mickey Rooney/Eric Mabius/Brande Roderick/Kim Coles"
Love That Girl! Dr. Sarah Van Jones Episode: "Head Shrunk"
2012 Let's Stay Together Carol Episode: "Waiting to XXXhale"
The Soul Man Wanda Recurring Cast: Season 1
2013 Big Morning Buzz Live Herself/Panelist Episode: "Sylvester Stallone/Jerry Springer/Tim Love"
Wendell and Vinnie Suzanne Episode: "Of Mothers & Gardens"
2014 Life with La Toya Herself Episode: "What Happens in Vegas..."
Gotham Comedy Live Herself/Host Episode: "Anthony Anderson" & "Kim Coles"
Off the Chain Herself Episode: "Episode #3.1"
Baby Daddy Vice Principal Peters Episode: "Livin' on a Prom"
Quick Draw Mrs. Tannenbaum Episode: "The Grasshopper Plague"
2016 Celebrity Food Fight Herself/Contestant Episode: "Make Mine a Ruben Studdard"
Mann and Wife Donna Episode: "Mann Up"
2019 Sister Circle Herself/Guest Co-Host Episode: "August 26, 2019"
2020 25 Words or Less Herself/Contestant Recurring Guest
2021 Soul of a Nation Herself Episode: "Black Joy"
History of the Sitcom Herself Episode: "Just Friends" & "Facing Race"
2022 The Talk Herself/Guest Co-Host Episode: "Episode #12.191" & "#12.192"
Dark Side of the 90s Herself Episode: "Black Sitcoms' Last Laugh"
The Surreal Life Herself Recurring Guest
Home Economics Tamara Episode: "Sunday New York Times, $6"
2023 Rewind the '90s Herself Episode: "Comedy Rebellion"
See It Loud: The History of Black Television Herself Recurring Guest
Days of Our Lives Nurse Whitley King Regular Cast

Documentary

Year Title
2020 Fierce Funny & Fly

Awards and nominations

Year Awards Category Recipient Outcome
1996 NAACP Image Awards NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series "Living Single" Nominated
1997 Nominated
1998 Won
2001 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series "Frasier" Nominated
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