CHERI OTERI: Comic Characters

Creativity in Captivity

A Primetime Emmy Award nominee best known for her tenure as a cast member of the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 1995-2000. Cheri began her career in Promotions for A&M records for 4 years and joined up with the Groundlings, an improv-sketch comedy group based in LA. One night, a Saturday Night Live rep attended a performance with the intention of auditioning fellow Groundlings member Chris Kattan. Oteri performed a monologue during one of Kattan's costume changes, which led to her own invitation to audition for SNL where she played stand out comic characters such as Barbara Walters, Arianna an overly spirited Spartan Cheerleader with Will Ferrell, Rita DelVecchio, a grouchy Philadelphia woman who is mean to the neighborhood children; Cass Van Rye, the dim-witted co-host of the “Morning Latte” talk show; Nadeen, a testy employee whose catchphrase constantly orders everyone to "Simmer down now!"; Althea McMahonaman, an absurdly hyper child who is an awful passenger and disturbs public servants; Collette Reardon, a prescription pill-addict; Joy Lipton, Erotic Attic boutique owner; Adele, a vulgar and highly sexual office worker whose attempts at sexual innuendos disgust rather than attract her colleagues; Laura Zimmerman, one half of the Zimmermans, who suddenly break into rough and sexual behavior before returning to casual conversation as if nothing happened (with Chris Kattan). Oteri has appeared in a number of movies, including Scary Move, Inspector Gadget, Liar Liar, Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Llyod, Shrek the Third and Southland Tales.