The only female member of the sketch comedy troupe the State, comedian Kerri Kenney is also a writer, voice actor, and musician. She was born in Connecticut to Larry Kenney, who was the voice of many TV characters (including Sonny the Coco Puffs bird and Lion-O on Thundercats) as well as a regular on the Don Imus radio show. While studying at N.Y.U., she started a joke band called Cake Like with actress Nina Hellman and fashion designer Jody Seifert. The project turned into a real band with Kenney as the lead singer, bassist, and lyricist. After the debut release Delicious on John Zorn's Avant label, Cake Like released Bruiser Queen and Goodbye, So What? on Neil Young's Vapor label.
Meanwhile, Kenney was writing and starring on The State, which aired for three seasons on MTV. After the TV series was canceled, she continued to work with her fellow cast members on various comedy projects. Viva Variety was a spoof on European variety shows that aired for two seasons on Comedy Central. Kenney played glamorous hostess the former Mrs. Laupin, along with co-host Mr. Laupin (Tom Lennon) and sidekick Johnny Bluejeans (Michael Ian Black). On the big screen, she appeared in several independent comedy projects with Troma vet Will Keenan, including Love God, Terror Firmer, and Waiting. Taking after her father, she also provided voices for the animated television series Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, Disney's The Weekenders, Clerks, Kim Possible, and Invader ZIM. In 2001, she made it to prime-time network television as domestic Pam on the CBS sitcom The Ellen Show. After Ellen was canceled, she reunited with State friends Tom Lennon and Ben Garant to come up with a reality cop show spoof. As co-creator, writer, producer, and cast member, Kenney helped make Reno 911! one of the most highly rated shows on Comedy Central in 2003. The same year she got a chance to work with her dad on the VH1 special SuperSecret TV Formulas.
