PLUME: At what point did you decide that performing really was something that you were keen on?
KENNEY-SILVER: Just always. Really, the truth is, I always wanted to be a part of, you know – it’s that old silly story of a lot of actors or comedians – that I wanted to be a part of but I was not coordinated. So there was no room for someone who couldn’t even walk the mile to be on the track team. They weren’t interested in someone who had to wear special shoes to be on the softball team. It’s not the favorite for… literally, I literally tried out for cheerleading and literally the girls laughed. Not at me, they thought they were laughing with me because they thought I was joking. Like, “That’s a good one Kerri. You really got us with that.” So I just wanted the jacket. I wanted the jacket, I wanted to show up on game day of whatever sport it was and be like, “Hey, I’m on the team.”
PLUME: Did you ever think of just buying the jacket and seeing if anyone called you on it?
KENNEY-SILVER: Have my mom make me one… A makeshift one out of paper would have been a good idea. I wanted to be part of things, and all these things you had to try out for. Now the only thing in my school that you didn’t have to try out for was the theater club. I was like “Hey, this is the last stop on the bus.” So, I went there and it turned out that I actually really loved it, and just kept doing it.
PLUME: How were the theater people treated in your school?
KENNEY-SILVER: Oh, like dirt.
PLUME: Worse than band?
KENNEY-SILVER: There’s the one pretty girl who can sing like an angel who you’re sure is gonna be the next Julia Roberts that we never hear from again. And everyone loves her because she’s also a cheerleader. And then there’s the rest of us. The sort of like misfit toys who are prancing around…
PLUME: Have you heard from her again?
KENNEY-SILVER: No.
PLUME: You will now.
KENNEY-SILVER: I don’t watch much porno.
PLUME: She’s still got the voice, though.
KENNEY-SILVER: She can sing like an angel while she’s doing her business.
PLUME: Yes. That’s how she makes at least $500 a pop. Literally. …I did not say that…
KENNEY-SILVER: No, that’s alright. You can edit that part out.
PLUME: I definitely will. In fact I’ll put lovely chimes or something in there.
KENNEY-SILVER: There you go.
PLUME: What was the first production you actually remember doing?
KENNEY-SILVER: Oh, this is so painful. Okay. The first production I remember doing was a play in the town center, outside. It was called the Levitt Pavilion, and we did a performance of “You’re A Grand Old Flag,” which was me and about seven other misfit children wearing white painter’s pants, white painter’s hats and white tee shirts with red scarves around our waists, and we had flags on sticks that we held up and we sort of marched in formation singing, (sings) “You’re a grand old flag, you’re a high flying flag, and forever in peace may you wave.” And we did that over and over. And then there… I forgot about this too. I did a production of MacBeth when I was in like fourth grade. My teacher had set it all to nursery rhymes, so it was like, (sings) “MacBeth MacBeth I been thinkin’, what a fine thing it would be, if my dear we should kill Duncan while he’s visiting you and me.”
PLUME: What teacher even conceives of this?
KENNEY-SILVER: He was a madman. Yeah, so, pretty good stuff.
PLUME: You gotta wonder what he was working out. “Fourth graders, this is what I have, but I’m still gonna do that grand plan…”
KENNEY-SILVER: Every play practice he did completely in the nude, so I don’t know. It’s interesting.
PLUME: And he’s still working today.
KENNEY-SILVER: Oh please. He’s world renowned.
PLUME: At this point you’re kinda curious as to what happened to him, aren’t you?
KENNEY-SILVER: Yeah, actually, I am. Yeah. I wonder which state penitentiary he’s in.
PLUME: He became a member of the House of Representatives…
KENNEY-SILVER: I might see him on one of those Dateline specials.
PLUME: You might. And he’ll do a shout out to you.
KENNEY-SILVER: (laughing) Exactly! “Hey! Love Reno 911!”
PLUME: “You were great in MacBeth!”
KENNEY-SILVER: “You were the best Macduff we ever had.”
PLUME: Is that the role they gave you?
KENNEY-SILVER: I don’t even remember. Probably not. I was probably the person hiding behind the curtain with a fishing pole that had the dangling dagger.
PLUME: You were part of the moving forest.
KENNEY-SILVER: Yeah, exactly. I was second tree from the left.
PLUME: Well it’s good to know that you have such formative memories.
KENNEY-SILVER: Yeah, I guess, yeah.
PLUME: What was the first one you actually enjoyed being in?
KENNEY-SILVER: I enjoyed them all. I really did. I always enjoyed…
PLUME: Did you feel you took to it?
KENNEY-SILVER: I grew up in a house where making people laugh was the most important thing. If you came home with a C, that was unfortunate, but if you could make people laugh at the dinner table, then you won in everyone’s eyes, which is to me, I think, a fantastic way to grow up. So I feel really blessed in that way, and grew up with a lot of humor. And so I just always gravitated towards it and to funny people and wanted to make people laugh and sort of got out of sticky situations.
PLUME: Did you ever have that period that some comedic actors have, where they want to be taken seriously?
KENNEY-SILVER: Yeah, of course. I think on a daily basis… I mean, honestly, I will say something on a daily basis that someone will laugh at and I’ll think, “Well, I kinda wasn’t kidding, but okay, thank you for that.” Yeah, that happens often. Like right now. I’m trying to pour my goddamn heart out to you, and it’s all a big joke.
PLUME: See, now I feel bad…
KENNEY-SILVER: (laughing)
PLUME: No, I’m almost like, you know, I did wrong.
KENNEY-SILVER: See?
PLUME: I swear I will not laugh again.
KENNEY-SILVER: No, wait!
PLUME: Once you turn it off…
KENNEY-SILVER: Oh, what an ugly web I’ve woven.
PLUME: Just remember that, comparatively, I’m nothing. I’m just some shmoe interviewer who’s trying desperately to keep up with true comedic geniuses. But don’t worry – the one saving grace I have is that you’ll forget all of this.
KENNEY-SILVER: Don’t forget that I’m just a comedian on a basic cable television show.
PLUME: Yes, but one that I respect incredibly.
KENNEY-SILVER: It’s been around a while, I guess.
PLUME: Believe me, I wouldn’t have wanted to do an interview if I didn’t respect you on many levels. Granted, it’s not as much as I respect everyone else. Carlos is a true genius.
KENNEY-SILVER: Oh, please. He’ll be the first one to tell you that.
PLUME: And he did. And then he did the Chihuahua voice for me.
KENNEY-SILVER: Of course he did.
PLUME: Which clinched it.
KENNEY-SILVER: Of course he did. Did he do Garcia doing the Chihuahua voice for you?
PLUME: You know, he didn’t go that meta with me. I kinda wish he had now. I’m surprised it hasn’t worked itself into the show…
KENNEY-SILVER: You know, he’d be happy to. He’s waiting by the phone.
PLUME: He probably would pick up. Isn’t that his answering machine message?
KENNEY-SILVER: “Hello?”
PLUME: “Yo quiero hello…”
KENNEY-SILVER: (laughing) Yeah, exactly!
PLUME: “You can’t even remember the line, Carlos!” “Well, I only remember it with money.”
KENNEY-SILVER: You know him well…
PLUME: That’s what 2 hours of conversation will do. As I probed every nook and cranny of his “I’m me” psychosis. I didn’t say any of that. Please don’t tell him I said anything.
KENNEY-SILVER: Oh, please.
PLUME: I know he has power.
KENNEY-SILVER: He’s here right now. He’s listening.
PLUME: Is he cleaning or something?
KENNEY-SILVER: Yeah, he is.
PLUME: That’s no way to have him work off the corpse jar…
KENNEY-SILVER: Well, you know, he’s Mexican…
PLUME: Well, but still, why do you have to play into the stereotype, even if he is cheap enough to come over? I shouldn’t have said that. I am so screwed at this point.
KENNEY-SILVER: (laughing)
PLUME: Now I’ll never get that follow up interview with him.
KENNEY-SILVER: Oh, exactly.
PLUME: Once you knew that you enjoyed performing, was that your element in high school? Were you in every production?
KENNEY-SILVER: High school was similar. I was actually the – this sounds so silly to even talk about this – I was actually the president of the Staples Players, which was my high school acting group…
PLUME: How dramatic was the election?
KENNEY-SILVER: It was intense! I’m telling you, it was a big deal at my school. The acting club was a really big deal at my school. People definitely respected it and wanted to be part of it. It was a big group. That was the highlight of my life, unfortunately. It was 17. It’s all downhill from there. But for a moment, my life was good.
PLUME: I’d say that moment was a lot longer than you’re giving it credit for.
KENNEY-SILVER: You think so?
PLUME: Yes.
KENNEY-SILVER: It just ended, just now.
PLUME: Oh, well. See – and I’m a bad actor, so I really can’t sell. I’m sorry about that. I’m taking you seriously! Was there at any point that you considered a different path than performing?
KENNEY-SILVER: Oh, every day. Every day I think, “You know what, is this really… should I be… is this something?” But no, never seriously. I never… because I’ve always worked. I’ve been very, very lucky. And it is a lot of luck. I’ve just continued to work on different shows and have friends who you do different shows together with, and if there’s a break in between, I’ve been very lucky enough to do other projects and things, so I don’t really have much time to genuinely consider something else – which I’m very, very fortunate for. That’s not to say that the time’s not gonna come again tomorrow when I’ll say, “Hmm, this is what I should really be doing?” But yeah, it really satisfies me. I really, really enjoy what I do and I don’t think a lot of people can say that. I know I’m very lucky for that.
PLUME: Was that always consistent, particularly during those formative high school years when you’re having to decide what you’re going to do next?
KENNEY-SILVER: I don’t know. It was such a long time ago. I’m such an old lady. I think I really didn’t start to realize how great it was until I was doing it professionally, and realized like, “Oh, people are paying me to do this.” Like, people really want to see this. They’re not just coming because they have to, they’re coming and watching me because they want to. That’s a really great feeling.
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