Episode 81 and Wendi and Dfernando's guest interview is actress, author, writer, producer, and activist Mimi Kennedy.

Born in Rochester, NY, Mimi first fell in love with acting as a child in community theater, which would lead her to ignite her acting career on stage opposite TV legend Sid Caesar in Neil Simon’s LAST OF THE RED HOT LOVERS along with multi-Emmy Award winner Doris Roberts, who became a friend and mentor.

Mimi was active in the NYC theatre scene in the 1970’s, cast in plays like Jim Steinman’s DAS RHEINGOLD and Andy Warhol’s legendary PORK – a role she left due to reasons recounted in her 1996 mid-life memoir TAKEN TO THE STAGE: The Education of an Actress (soon to be released as an audiobook on Audible).  Steinman would become a life-long friend and Warhol, at least in her case, would be proven wrong about his “15 minutes of fame” quote.  In 1976 Mimi made her Broadway debut as one of the Pink Ladies: Jan, in the original Broadway run of the legendary musical GREASE.  She was also a member of the original touring production of THE NATIONAL LAMPOON SHOW.

In 1975 Mimi was invited to audition for the original cast (The Not Ready for Prime Time Players) of a brand-new late-night NBC TV sketch comedy-variety series SATURDAY NIGHT (later known as SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE), but Lorne Michaels decided on casting Jane Curtin for that spot.    

Her stage career did not end when Hollywood and television came calling shortly after. She has performed the 1-woman play about newspaper advice columnist Ann Landers, THE LADY WITH ALL THE ANSWERS, at both the Pasadena and Cleveland Playhouses. In 2013 she wrote and starred in a 1-woman play about suffragist and abolitionist Matilda Joslyn Gage, MIMI KENNEDY FINDS MATILDA JOSLYN GAGE.

For 8 seasons Mimi portrayed the much beloved character, Marjorie, on the hit Chuck Lorre CBS TV sitcom MOM. She garnered a Critics Choice Award nomination for Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series before becoming a series regular in Season 2.  This was the second pairing of Mimi and Lorre; she played Abby O’Neil on the hit 90’s ABC TV sitcom DHARMA & GREG for 5 seasons.

Her television debut was on the 1977 NBC TV musical-variety mini-series 3 GIRLS 3, also starring dance legend Debbie  Allen, and Ellen Foley. The New York Times declared it a hit, however it sadly only aired 4 episodes. You can view all 4 episodes on Mimi’s YouTube channel. 3 GIRLS 3 was quite an introduction to Hollywood allowing her the opportunity to play opposite Bob Hope, Carl Reiner, Flip Wilson, and Steve Martin (in his prime-time TV debut.) 

Regular TV sitcom series roles followed throughout the 70’s and 80’s, most notably as Stockard Channing’s sister on the CBS TV sitcom JUST FRIENDS, and  co-starring with comedy legend Peter Cook in THE TWO OF US.  The 1990’s started with Mimi in a dramatic role portraying a slightly darker side of the affluent WASP-type she had portrayed on sitcoms previously. As Queen-B Ruth Sloan on HOMEFRONT, she netted another American Television Critics nomination, this time as Best Supporting Actress in a Drama. In the 2000’s she recurred as CIA Director and House Minority Leader in HBO’s THE BRINK and VEEP, respectively. 

Upcoming television guest roles in 2022 include Netflix’s GRACE & FRANKIE, and the long-running ABC TV sitcom THE GOLDBERGS, as well as a new character on a popular drama series.

Mimi's most notable roles on film include: Woody Allen’s Oscar winning MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1226774/" target="_bla