Kim Coles

Kimberly Coles (born January 11, 1962) is an American actress and comedian. She is known for her roles as an original cast member on the variety show In Living Color (1990–1991) and as Synclaire James-Jones on the sitcom Living Single (1993–1998), which both aired on Fox. She was the host of BET's game show Pay It Off in 2009. With Erika Alexander, Kim currently cohosts and coproduces the Reliving Single podcast on YouTube and other podcast sites.

Early life Coles was born in Brooklyn, New York City. Her father was an Episcopal priest.

In 1984 Coles was first runner-up among 45 contestants in the first Big Beautiful Woman Fashion and Beauty Pageant in Atlantic City, sponsored by Big Beautiful Woman Magazine. That development led to a change in plans for Coles, who was in college and was considering a career in cultural anthropology. She began modeling for Lane Bryant and made Burger King commercials.

Career

Encouraged by the audience's response to her comedy sketch at the beauty pageant, Coles began her career in stand-up comedy in 1984. "Once I saw the reaction of the audience," she said, "I knew this was what I wanted to do." After a nightclub owner told her that she should gain 40 pounds for a "Nell Carter look", she instead changed her eating habits and began exercising, losing 50 pounds in five months. 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 the first season, Coles was informed by a phone call from her agent that she had been fired. Coles later learned Keenen Ivory Wayans did not think she was versatile enough, which she disagreed with, stating: "How could I show my versatility if I wasn’t able to perform?", describing Wayans as sometimes overlooking her for parts in sketches.

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, , 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 married Reggie Mckiver, a former SWAT police officer, in the Dominican Republic in 2015.

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 2025 Hungry Sharlyne 2025 Love, Danielle Ellen

Television Year Title Role Notes 1988–1991 Showtime at the Apollo Herself Recurring Guest 1990 In Living Color Herself/Cast Member Main Cast: Season 1 1992–1994 An Evening at the Improv Herself Episode: "Episode #9.18" & "#13.13" 1993 Martin Bonquisha Episode: "Baby You Can Drive My Car" 1993–1998 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: Seasons 7–8 2000–2001 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 Whore" 2002–2003 Pyramid Herself/Celebrity Contestant Recurring Guest 2002–2004 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" 2003–2004 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" 2006–2007 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 Finding Happy Jo Garrett Main Cast 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 Dark Side of Comedy Herself Episode: "Gilda Radner" Days of Our Lives Nurse Whitley King Regular Cast 2025 Mid-Century Modern Yvonne Episode: "Never Have I Ever"2025–presentVampirina: Teenage VampireDean MerriweatherRecurring Guest

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" 1997 1998 2001 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series "Frasier"