Kim Coles Explained

Birth Name:Kimberly LaShaunda Coles
Birth Date:1962 1, mf=yes
Birth Place:New York City, U.S.[1]
Known For:Synclaire James – Living Single
Education:North Carolina Central University
Yearsactive:1988–present
Spouse:

Kimberly LaShaunda Coles (born January 11, 1962)[3] [4] 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.[5]

Early life

Coles was born in Brooklyn, New York City. Her father was the first black Dean of the Pratt Institute.[1] She attended a private Lutheran school and was quiet and studious until high school, when her sense of humor emerged.[1] She graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School in 1980.[6]

Career

Coles has appeared on many television shows, including Frasier ("Dr." Mary Thomas),[7] 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,, Hyperion Books, 1998.

Coles appeared on 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.[8]

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.[9]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1991Strictly BusinessMillicent
2005Kids in AmericaLoretta Jenkins
2009WigCaceyShort
2019Love Is Not EnoughAngela
2021A Jenkins Family ChristmasBeverly
2022A Marriage Made in HeavenAngela Tucker

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1988–91Showtime at the ApolloHerselfRecurring Guest
1990In Living ColorHerself/Cast MemberMain Cast: Season 1
1992-94An Evening at the ImprovHerselfEpisode: "Episode #9.18" & "#13.13"
1993MartinBonquishaEpisode: "Baby You Can Drive My Car"
1993–98Living SingleSynclaire James-JonesMain Cast
1995The CrewSynclaire JamesEpisode: "The Worst Noel"
1996MADtvHerselfEpisode: "Episode #1.17" & "#2.3"
The ShowDeandraEpisode: "Deandra and Them"
1999New AttitudesHerself/HostMain Host
Hollywood SquaresHerself/PanelistRecurring Panelist
2000FrasierDr. Mary ThomasGuest Cast: Season 7-8
2000–01The Geena Davis ShowJudy OwensMain Cast
2001The TestHerself/PanelistEpisode: "The Self-Respect Test"
Headliners & Legends with Matt LauerHerself Episode: "Halle Berry"
BiographyHerself Episode: "Kim Fields: A Little Somethin' Somethin'"
Weakest LinkHerself Episode: "Comedians #3 Special"
2002Six Feet UnderDoloresEpisode: "The Liar and the Whore"
2002–03PyramidHerself/Celebrity ContestantRecurring Guest
2002–04One on OneLeilani JonesRecurring Cast: Season 2 & 4, Guest: Season 3
2003The MoleHerselfContestant: Season 3
Star SearchHerself/Guest JudgeEpisode: "The One with Living Single Star Kim Coles"
The ParkersFlorenceEpisode: "That's What Friends Are For"
2003–04Coming to the StageHerself/JudgeMain Judge
2004Steve Harvey's Big Time ChallengeHerselfEpisode: "Episode #2.11"
My Wife and KidsChildcare InstructorEpisode: "Childcare Class"
2005Black in the 80sHerselfRecurring Guest
Celebrity Fit ClubHerself/ContestantContestant: Season 1
Queer Edge with Jack E. Jett & Sandra BernhardHerself/Co-HostRecurring Co-Host
2006The Tom Joyner ShowHerselfEpisode: "Episode #1.14" & "#1.20"
Celebrity Poker ShowdownHerself/ContestantEpisode: "Tournament 8, Game 2"
2006–07Comics UnleashedHerselfRecurring Guest
2007The ViewHerself/Co-HostEpisode: "June 11 & 14, 2007"
In the Loop with iVillageHerself/Co-HostMain Co-Host
2009GSN LiveHerselfEpisode: "Kim Coles"
10 Items or LessMercedes “Mercy” P. JonesRecurring Cast: Season 3
2010RuPaul's Drag RaceHerself/Guest JudgeEpisode: "Starrbootylicious"
2011Life AfterHerselfEpisode: "Kim Coles: Life After 'Living Single'"
Celebrity Ghost StoriesHerself/ContestantEpisode: "Mickey Rooney/Eric Mabius/Brande Roderick/Kim Coles"
Love That Girl!Dr. Sarah Van JonesEpisode: "Head Shrunk"
2012Let's Stay TogetherCarolEpisode: "Waiting to XXXhale"
The Soul ManWandaRecurring Cast: Season 1
2013Big Morning Buzz LiveHerself/PanelistEpisode: "Sylvester Stallone/Jerry Springer/Tim Love"
Wendell and VinnieSuzanneEpisode: "Of Mothers & Gardens"
2014Life with La ToyaHerselfEpisode: "What Happens in Vegas..."
Gotham Comedy LiveHerself/HostEpisode: "Anthony Anderson" & "Kim Coles"
Off the ChainHerselfEpisode: "Episode #3.1"
Baby DaddyVice Principal PetersEpisode: "Livin' on a Prom"
Quick DrawMrs. TannenbaumEpisode: "The Grasshopper Plague"
2016Celebrity Food FightHerself/ContestantEpisode: "Make Mine a Ruben Studdard"
Mann and WifeDonnaEpisode: "Mann Up"
2019Sister CircleHerself/Guest Co-HostEpisode: "August 26, 2019"
202025 Words or LessHerself/ContestantRecurring Guest
2021Soul of a NationHerselfEpisode: "Black Joy"
History of the SitcomHerselfEpisode: "Just Friends" & "Facing Race"
2022The TalkHerself/Guest Co-HostEpisode: "Episode #12.191" & "#12.192"
Dark Side of the 90sHerselfEpisode: "Black Sitcoms' Last Laugh"
The Surreal LifeHerselfRecurring Guest
Home EconomicsTamara Episode: "Sunday New York Times, $6"
2023Rewind the '90sHerselfEpisode: "Comedy Rebellion"
See It Loud: The History of Black TelevisionHerselfRecurring Guest
Days of Our LivesNurse Whitley KingRegular Cast

Documentary

Awards and nominations

YearAwardsCategoryRecipientOutcome
1996NAACP Image Awards"Living Single"
1997
1998
2001NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series"Frasier"

Notes and References

  1. News: Kim Coles finds life after 'Living Single' . Fort Worth Star-Telegram . August 29, 1992 . Janita . Poe . Chicago Tribune . 4E .
  2. Web site: TV.com- Kim Coles . 2015-11-08 . 2016-11-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161106130056/http://www.tv.com/people/kim-coles/ . dead .
  3. News: Birthdays . Houston Chronicle . January 11, 2009 . September 2, 2012.
  4. News: Celebrity Birthdays . . January 16, 2006 . 3.
  5. https://www.bet.com/photo-gallery/2jpjzk/pay-it-off-kim-coles/uwofzx BET Shows' Pay It Off- August 2009
  6. Web site: Brooklyn Tech High School Alumni. June 25, 2023. Brooklyn Technical High School.
  7. Web site: Kim Coles: Credits . TVGuide.com . December 23, 2011.
  8. Web site: Comedian says ... fat isn't funny: Kim Coles loses 50 pounds, finds husband and new fans . Ebony . April 1, 1991 . Barber, Michel'le.
  9. Web site: Apatoff. Alex. Kim Coles' Wedding Dress: See Exclusive Photos and Get All the Scoop!. stylenews.peoplestylewatch.com. People Magazine. 23 July 2015. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150714182840/http://stylenews.peoplestylewatch.com/2015/07/09/kim-coles-wedding-dress-photos/. 14 July 2015.