Claire Thompson
The Chicken Lady, played by Mark McKinney, is a beloved character from the Canadian sketch comedy show The Kids in the Hall. McKinney's character is a middle-aged, apartment-dwelling, physically strong, sexually obsessed freak—the result of mating between a farmer and a hen. The Kids in the Hall troupe, consisting of comedians Dave Foley, Kevin McDonald, Bruce McCulloch, Mark McKinney, and Scott Thompson, portrayed almost all the characters in the series, both male and female, and wrote most of the sketches. Chicken Lady was first introduced in the tail end of a sketch, in which Foley and McCulloch portray two kids who come to a circus freak show.
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What You'll Learn
The character's first appearance in a sketch
The character of Chicken Lady was conceived as a part-human, part-chicken offspring of a farmer and a hen. She is a middle-aged, apartment-dwelling, physically strong, sexually obsessed freak of nature with a unique voice. Her infatuation with men leads her to have explosive, feather-bursting orgasms.
Chicken Lady was first introduced in the tail end of a sketch, in which Dave Foley and Bruce McCulloch portray two kids who come to a circus freak show. They encounter one of the freaks, "The man who can make his nose bleed at will" (played by Kevin McDonald), and try to badger him into performing for them. Annoyed, the freak screams at them to "go see the Chicken Lady" because "she's an emotional dependent!". The sketch ends with the two kids kicking hay at the Chicken Lady, who is trying to lay eggs, eager to entertain.
The first fully-featured sketch featuring Chicken Lady centres on her blind date with an unsuspecting young man (played by Foley) who comes to meet her at her apartment. In later sketches, Chicken Lady visits her childhood home, works for a phone sex line, and goes to a male stripper revue, where she is captivated by a performer nicknamed "Rooster Boy".
Chicken Lady was portrayed by Mark McKinney, who also helped create the character. McKinney stated that the character was inspired by Tod Browning's movie Freaks.
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The inspiration behind Chicken Lady
The Chicken Lady is a well-known character from the Canadian sketch comedy show, The Kids in the Hall, which aired from 1989 to 1994. The character was portrayed by Mark McKinney and was known for her unique traits and behaviours.
The inspiration behind the Chicken Lady is said to have come from various sources. In the show, she is introduced as a middle-aged, apartment-dwelling, physically strong, and sexually-obsessed individual, who is the offspring of a farmer and a hen. This unusual concept sets the tone for the character's quirky and surreal presence in the show, which is often compared to the style of Monty Python's Flying Circus.
One notable inspiration for the Chicken Lady was Tod Browning's movie, "Freaks." McKinney himself acknowledged this influence in the DVD commentary for the show's third season. The character's emotional dependency and desire for human connection, despite her unique appearance and behaviours, may draw upon the themes and characters explored in "Freaks."
In addition to the cinematic inspiration, the creation of the Chicken Lady can also be attributed to the collaborative efforts of the show's writers and performers. In the original draft of the sketch, the Chicken Lady was only mentioned in passing. However, Bruce McCulloch suggested that it would be funnier to actually showcase the character. McKinney embraced this idea and volunteered to portray the Chicken Lady, bringing her to life with his memorable performance.
The Chicken Lady's popularity led to her becoming a recurring character in the show and even making a cameo appearance in the 2010 miniseries "Death Comes to Town." Her unique blend of humour and absurdity, coupled with McKinney's commitment to the role, solidified her place as one of the most iconic characters in the Kids in the Hall.
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Mark McKinney's portrayal of Chicken Lady
Mark Douglas Brown McKinney, born on June 26, 1959, is a Canadian actor and comedian. He is best known for being a member of the sketch comedy troupe The Kids in the Hall, which includes starring in the TV series of the same name from 1989 to 1995 and the 1996 feature film Brain Candy. He also wrote for Saturday Night Live from 1985 to 1986 and was a cast member from 1995 to 1997.
McKinney portrayed the iconic Chicken Lady in the sketch comedy show The Kids in the Hall. Chicken Lady is a middle-aged, apartment-dwelling, physically strong, sexually-obsessed freak and the offspring of a farmer and a hen. McKinney first portrayed the character in the tail end of a sketch, in which Dave Foley and Bruce McCulloch play two kids who come to a circus freak show. In this sketch, they find one of the freaks, played by Kevin McDonald, and try to badger him into doing an impromptu show. Annoyed, the freak screams at them to "go see the Chicken Lady" because "she's an emotional dependent!" The sketch ends with the pair kicking hay at Chicken Lady, who is trying to lay eggs.
Chicken Lady's desire for men often led to violent orgasms with an explosion of feathers. Notable friends of Chicken Lady include an Irish bearded lady, played by Kevin McDonald, who appeared in many sketches alongside Chicken Lady. McKinney stated that both Chicken Lady and the Bearded Lady were inspired by Tod Browning's movie Freaks.
Chicken Lady was a recurring character on The Kids in the Hall, and McKinney reprised the role in 1995 for a one-time sketch called The Chicken Lady Show. The character was not seen again until the Kids' 2010 miniseries Death Comes to Town, in which McKinney made a small cameo as Chicken Lady.
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The character's evolution and popularity
The Chicken Lady, played by Mark McKinney, is one of the most iconic and beloved characters on the Canadian sketch comedy TV series, The Kids in the Hall. The character is a middle-aged, apartment-dwelling, physically strong, sexually obsessed freak, who is the offspring of a farmer and a hen. Her first appearance was in the tail end of a sketch, where she was trying to lay eggs, eager to entertain anyone. The first fully featured sketch featuring the Chicken Lady centred on her blind date with an unsuspecting young man.
The character's popularity can be attributed to the outrageousness and disturbing nature of a half-human, half-chicken creation. The way the character was portrayed, with her unique voice and sexual innuendos, also added to its entertainment value. The Chicken Lady's sketches, including her visit to a male stripper revue and her work for a phone sex line, further contributed to her popularity.
The character's evolution saw her become a recurring character on the show, with her first appearance in 1989 and subsequent appearances in the show's five seasons until 1994. After the show ended, McKinney reprised the role in a one-time sketch in 1995 and again in the Kids' 2010 miniseries Death Comes to Town. The Chicken Lady's popularity has endured, with fans still discussing their favourite sketches and moments involving the character on online forums.
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The show's impact and legacy
The Kids in the Hall is a Canadian sketch comedy troupe that starred in a TV series of the same name from 1988 to 1995, with a revival in 2022. The show was known for its quirky and surreal humour, frequent use of drag, and lack of celebrity impressions or pop culture parodies. The Kids in the Hall's unique brand of comedy and their commitment to their outré ideas had a lasting impact on the sketch comedy genre.
One of the most beloved and iconic characters to come out of the show is the Chicken Lady, a middle-aged, apartment-dwelling, physically strong, sexually obsessed freak, portrayed by Mark McKinney. The character is the result of mating between a farmer and a hen and is known for her explosive, feather-bursting orgasms. The character's outrageousness and disturbing nature have made her a fan favourite.
The show's impact extended beyond its television run, with the troupe reuniting for tours in 2000 and 2008, reprising many sketches from the show. The tour was chronicled in the documentary, Kids in the Hall: Same Guys, New Dresses. The Kids in the Hall also produced a feature film, Brain Candy, in 1996, which developed a cult following despite not being a commercial success. In 2010, they reunited to produce an eight-episode narrative miniseries, Death Comes to Town, which included a small cameo from the Chicken Lady.
The Kids in the Hall's legacy can be seen in their influence on sketch comedy and their ability to bring their most bizarre ideas to life. Their work has been described as "lasting genius", and their sketches have aged remarkably well. The group has reunited multiple times over the years for tours and television appearances, proving that their brand of comedy continues to resonate with audiences.
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Frequently asked questions
Mark McKinney plays Chicken Lady in Kids in the Hall.
The cast of Kids in the Hall includes Dave Foley, Kevin McDonald, Bruce McCulloch, and Scott Thompson.
Chicken Lady's first appearance is in the tail end of a sketch where two kids, played by Foley and McCulloch, visit a circus freak show.
The two kids try to badger a circus freak into performing for them. The circus freak screams at them to "go see the Chicken Lady" because "she's an emotional dependent!" The sketch ends with the kids kicking hay at Chicken Lady, who is trying to lay eggs.
Later sketches include Chicken Lady visiting her childhood home, working for a phone sex line, and going to a male stripper revue where she is captivated by a performer nicknamed "Rooster Boy".
