Actress, comedian, author, playwright and TV personality Kim Coles is truly a renaissance woman. Best known for her zany characters and outrageous sense of humor, Kim Coles began her journey to Hollywood when she was announced the runner-up in the “Big Beautiful Woman” pageant in Atlantic City, NJ. She then rode her beauty pageant success into a plus-size modeling career and ultimately began performing as a stand-up comedian which eventually turned into a showbiz career that has continued to skyrocket.

Perhaps best known for her five-season turn as the unforgettable “Synclaire” on FOX’s ground-breaking comedy series, Living Single, Kim Coles has starred on numerous hit television programs including Frasier, Six Feet Under, In Living Color, One on One, and the uproarious TBS comedy series 10 Items Or Less as the villainous “Mercy P. Jones”. She was the co-host of the nationally syndicated daytime talk show, In the Loop with I Village and has been a guest co-host for various shows, including The View and Good Day Live. Kim Coles is also known to reality audiences for having appeared on The Mole, VH1’s Celebrity Fit Club and Coming to the Stage, BET’s search for “the next superstar of funny.” Kim recently became the first female primetime game show host in history headlining BET’s inspirational game show Pay It Off.  Currently, Kim serves as a co-host on BET’s highly successful talk show My Black is Beautiful, an energetic, interactive and informative series that celebrates the unique and dynamic qualities of the African-American woman.

As a well-known comedian, Kim Coles performs on comedy club stages across the nation. She has also co-written and starred in her own award-winning play, Homework, a one-woman stage show about the lives of three best friends who progress from elementary school to woman hood.

In addition, Kim Coles wrote the best-selling book, “I’m Free But it Will Cost You: The Single Life According to Kim Coles,” which was published in 1997 by Hyperion.

In her latest venture, Kim Coles is combining comedy and inspiration to empower others with her unique program called Open the G.I.F.T.S.  Through speaking engagements, live events, workshops and products, the organization inspires others to discover their own true “gifts” so that they may share them with the world.

Kim Coles was our special guest at the April 13th show of  Amateur Night at the Apollo.