The Drew Carey Show is an American sitcom that aired on
ABCThe American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
from 1995 to 2004. The show was set in
Cleveland, OhioCleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, and revolved around the retail office and home life of "everyman"
Drew CareyDrew Allison Carey is an American actor, singer, comedian, photographer, sports executive, and game show host. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps and making a name for himself in stand-up comedy, Carey eventually gained popularity starring on his own sitcom, The Drew Carey Show, and serving as...
, a fictionalized version of the actor.
The show was created by Carey, who had both stand-up comedy and writing experience, and
Bruce HelfordBruce Helford is an American television writer and producer.Helford was the co-creator of The Drew Carey Show. He served as executive producer of the series for its entire run, from 1995 to 2004. Helford also served as executive producer and writer for Roseanne during season five of that series...
, who was once a writer for
RoseanneRoseanne is an American sitcom broadcast on ABC from October 18, 1988 to May 20, 1997. Starring Roseanne Barr, the show revolved around the Conners, an Illinois working class family...
. It was the first television show to have an episode simulcast on the Internet.
The show was produced by
Mohawk ProductionsMohawk Productions is a television production company affiliated with television producer Bruce Helford. Its productions include The Drew Carey Show, The Norm Show, George Lopez, and The Oblongs....
in association with
Warner Bros. TelevisionWarner Bros. Television is the television production arm of Warner Bros. Entertainment, itself part of Time Warner. Alongside CBS Television Studios, it serves as a television production arm of The CW Television Network , though it also produces shows for other networks, such as Shameless on...
. The show debuted on the
ABCThe American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
network on September 13, 1995, and was highly-rated for five years before sliding in popularity. Ratings declined during the final two seasons, and the last two episodes aired on September 8, 2004.
Premise
For the majority of its run, Drew's workplace is the office of fictional Cleveland department store Winfred-Lauder. One of his coworkers is Mimi Bobeck (
Kathy KinneyKathy Kinney is an American actress and comedian. She gained considerable popularity in the late 1990s for playing Mimi Bobeck, the outrageously made-up, flamboyantly vulgar, and vindictive nemesis of Drew Carey on the sitcom The Drew Carey Show...
), a large woman with a clownish wardrobe, a lot of make-up, and a foul mutual dislike for Drew. In the first season they work for the unseen Mr. Bell, only seen in the season one finale; in later seasons, their boss and sometimes-coworker is Nigel Wick (
Craig FergusonCraig Ferguson is a Scottish American television host, stand-up comedian, writer, actor, director, author, and producer. He is the host of The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, an Emmy Award-nominated, Peabody Award-winning late-night talk show that airs on CBS...
), an eccentric Englishman. In the final two seasons, they work for Scott (
Jonathan MangumJonathan Mangum is an American actor and comedian. He was a cast member of the variety show, The Wayne Brady Show and is an announcer for the game show Let's Make a Deal.-Early life:...
) and Evan (
Kyle HowardKyle Alan Howard is an American film and television actor.-Early life:Kyle Howard grew up in Loveland, Colorado. He has worked in both film and television...
), tech-smart but naïve twentysomethings who own the Neverending Store, an online retailer with offices in the same location.
Drew's friends include intelligent but unambitious Lewis (
Ryan StilesRyan Lee Stiles is an American actor, comedian, director, and voice actor whose work is often associated with improvisational comedy. He is best known for his improv and co-production work on the American and British versions of Whose Line Is It Anyway? and the role of Lewis Kiniski on The Drew...
) and excitable idiot Oswald (
Diedrich BaderKarl Diedrich Bader , better known as Diedrich Bader, is an American actor, voice artist and comedian. Many know him for his roles as Oswald Lee Harvey on The Drew Carey Show, Lawrence from the film Office Space, the Tae Kwon Do instructor Rex from Napoleon Dynamite, Tank "Shredder" Evans in Surf's...
) and his friend (later girlfriend) Kate (
Christa MillerChrista Miller is an American actress who has achieved success in television comedy. Her foremost roles include Kate O'Brien on The Drew Carey Show and Jordan Sullivan on Scrubs . She has also appeared on Seinfeld and CSI: Miami...
). In the final two seasons, Kate leaves and Drew develops a relationship with Kellie (
Cynthia WatrosCynthia Michele Watros is an American television actress, who also starred in films and on stage. She is known for her roles as Libby on the ABC TV series Lost, Kellie in The Drew Carey Show, Erin in Titus, and Annie Dutton in Guiding Light...
). Drew's crossdressing heterosexual brother Steve is a frequently recurring character. In addition to his day job, Drew, along with Oswald, Kate, and Lewis, runs a small business out of his garage, selling Buzz Beer, a concoction of beer and coffee that becomes extremely popular in the region.
"Moon Over Parma"/Chemistry Titles Era (1995–1996)
In the first season, Drew and Mimi worked under Mr. Bell, who existed only as a voice on Drew's speakerphone, and was seen only in his final episode when he was fired by the store's new owners. Other characters that appeared exclusively in this era were Drew's hillbilly neighbor Jules and his family. Drew's first girlfriend Lisa was introduced in this season, and she remained with the cast until the early episodes of the second season.
Nine of the episode titles were related to chemistry in some way with names such as "The Joining of Two Unlike Elements Is a Mixture" and "Isomers Have Distinct Characteristics". The tradition was abandoned by the end of the season.
The first season's opening credits consisted of a caricature of Carey—consisting of his face and a yellow tie—singing the Robert McGuire-penned "Moon Over Parma". The song was trimmed for the opening sequence, and the reference to
EastlakeAs of the census of 2000, there were 20,255 people, 8,055 households, and 5,557 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,166.5 people per square mile . There were 8,310 housing units at an average density of 1,299.1 per square mile...
in the line "Guide her to Eastlake underneath your silvery light" was changed to a reference to Cleveland.
Wick Era (1996–2002)
Mr. Bell was replaced by Nigel Wick, who served as a foil for both Drew and Mimi in the workplace. During this period Drew and Mr. Wick periodically took the top management job away from each other. Kate and Drew got romantically involved, and were on the verge of getting married, but they called it off when they realized they didn't feel the same about the prospect of children. Drew's cross-dressing brother Steve was introduced during this period. He eventually fell in love with Mimi and they had a child, Gus.
"Moon Over Parma" was phased out during the second season, mostly by "
Five O'Clock World"Five O'Clock World" is the title of a song written by Allen Reynolds and recorded by American vocal group The Vogues. It reached #1 in Canada on the RPM singles chart on 10 January 1966 and peaked at #4 in the U.S...
" by
The VoguesThe Vogues are an American vocal group from Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh. The original group consisted of Bill Burkette , Don Miller , Hugh Geyer and Chuck Blasko .-Career:...
. This season introduced the concept of the music-video-like opening as the cast danced and sang around the various sets of the show. In the third season, a permanent change was made to "
Cleveland Rocks"Cleveland Rocks" is a rock song by Ian Hunter from his 1979 album You're Never Alone with a Schizophrenic. The song is seen as a de facto anthem in Cleveland, Ohio. The song was played every Friday at 6:00 PM on Cleveland radio station WMMS beginning in 1979 and is used as a victory song for the...
", a cover by
The Presidents of the United States of AmericaThe Presidents of the United States of America, commonly referred to as Pot USA or "PUSA" or The Presidents, are a twice Grammy-nominated American alternative rock band. The band formed in Seattle, USA, in 1993. The three-piece group currently comprises vocalist and "basitarist" Chris Ballew,...
of an
Ian HunterIan Hunter Patterson is an English singer-songwriter. He was the lead singer of the English rock band Mott the Hoople from its inception in 1969 to its dissolution in 1974, and he again fronted them at the time of their 2009 reunion. Hunter was a musician and songwriter before Mott The Hoople, and...
song.
During this period the show had frequent "event" episodes. Recurring themes were "What's Wrong With This Episode?" in which the show contained numerous deliberate continuity errors and other mistakes, and live episodes, performed three times (Eastern/Central, Mountain, and Pacific Time zones), with loose plots improvised scenes featuring cast members from Carey's improvisational comedy show
Whose Line Is It Anyway?Whose Line is it Anyway? is a comedy improv show hosted by Drew Carey on ABC that ran from August 5, 1998 to September 4, 2004, and subsequently on ABC Family since 2005...
(
Brad SherwoodBradley "Brad" Sherwood is an American actor and comedian. He has worked in entertainment as an actor, comedian, singer, writer, and producer.- Early life and career:...
,
Wayne BradyWayne Alphonso Brady is an actor, singer, comedian and television personality, known for his work as a regular on the American version of the improvisational comedy television series Whose Line Is It Anyway?, and as the host of the daytime talk show The Wayne Brady Show...
,
Colin MochrieColin Andrew Mochrie is a Scottish Canadian actor and improvisational comedian, most famous for his appearances on the British and US versions of television improvisation show Whose Line Is It Anyway?.-Early life:...
,
Greg ProopsGregory Everett "Greg" Proops is an American actor, stand-up comedian and television host. He is widely known for his work as an improvisational comedian on the UK and U.S. versions of Whose Line Is It Anyway?...
,
Chip EstenCharles "Chip" Esten Puskar III is an American comedian, actor and singer known for his appearances on the improvisation show Whose Line Is It Anyway?....
,
Kathy GreenwoodKathryn "Kathy" Greenwood is a Canadian actress and comedienne. She appeared on the American version of Whose Line Is It Anyway? numerous times, and played Grace Bailey on the Canadian television drama series Wind at My Back....
, Jeff Davis, Laura Hall, and Linda Taylor). The season 5 finale "A
Very Special"Very special episode" is an advertising term originally used in American television commercials to refer to an episode of a sitcom or television drama that deals with a serious or controversial social issue...
Drew" indulged in intentionally manipulative and syrupy melodrama in a facetious attempt to get an Emmy nomination.
Neverending Store Era (2002–2004)
In the fall of 2002, Winfred-Lauder closed and the set became the office of online retailer Neverending Store, where Drew, Mimi, and Nigel were hired (the latter as a janitor). Nigel was written out of the series, and Steve was phased out as well. Kate left and was quickly replaced with Kellie, an old high school friend of Drew's who had been working as a stripper.
The show began featuring cameos from reality-TV participants in the final two seasons, such as former
Road RulesRoad Rules was an MTV reality show that debuted on July 19, 1995. The series, which was MTV's second reality show after The Real World followed six strangers between the ages of 18 and 24 after stripping them of their money and putting them on an RV traveling from location to location only guided...
star Timmy Beggy,
The Real WorldThe Real World is a reality television program on MTV originally produced by Mary-Ellis Bunim and Jonathan Murray. First broadcast in 1992, the show, which was inspired by the 1973 PBS documentary series An American Family, is the longest-running program in MTV history and one of the...
alumna Cara Khan, and
The Amazing RaceThe Amazing Race is a reality television game show in which teams of two people, who have some form of a preexisting personal relationship, race around the world in competition with other teams...
winner
Reichen LehmkuhlReichen Lehmkuhl, , is an American former reality show winner, model, and occasional actor...
. Tony the Bus Driver (
Bill CobbsWilbert "Bill" Cobbs is an American film and television actor. He has starred in over 120 television programs and movies.-Life and career:...
) became a regular, serving as smart-alecky "bartender" type to whom Drew could tell his problems.
The eighth season was put in a timeslot that frequently clashed with
Monday Night FootballMonday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
. It was pulled mid-season and the remaining episodes were shown during the summer 2003. ABC was obligated to produce a ninth season, which was not shown until the summer 2004, with some of the episodes out of order.
The last season's tone changed radically from the previous seasons. The directors started experimenting with
one-camera set-upThe single-camera setup, or single-camera mode of production, is a method of filmmaking and video production. A single camera—either motion picture camera or professional video camera—is employed on the set and each shot to make up a scene is taken individually...
s, showing that the sets were completely built, there actually were four walls in most rooms, and the rooms were actually linked together. The writers were equally brazen, as they had Gus burn down Mimi's house, forcing her to move in with Drew after Steve left her. Drew and Mimi's mutual hatred finally vanished and they became friends.
Main characters
| Actor | Role | Years | Seasons | Episodes |
Drew CareyDrew Allison Carey is an American actor, singer, comedian, photographer, sports executive, and game show host. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps and making a name for himself in stand-up comedy, Carey eventually gained popularity starring on his own sitcom, The Drew Carey Show, and serving as...
|
Drew Allison CareyDrew Allison Carey is an American actor, singer, comedian, photographer, sports executive, and game show host. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps and making a name for himself in stand-up comedy, Carey eventually gained popularity starring on his own sitcom, The Drew Carey Show, and serving as...
|
1995–2004 |
1-9 |
233 |
Ryan StilesRyan Lee Stiles is an American actor, comedian, director, and voice actor whose work is often associated with improvisational comedy. He is best known for his improv and co-production work on the American and British versions of Whose Line Is It Anyway? and the role of Lewis Kiniski on The Drew...
|
Lewis Kiniski |
233 (Possible Credit Only In 1 Or 2 Episodes) |
Diedrich BaderKarl Diedrich Bader , better known as Diedrich Bader, is an American actor, voice artist and comedian. Many know him for his roles as Oswald Lee Harvey on The Drew Carey Show, Lawrence from the film Office Space, the Tae Kwon Do instructor Rex from Napoleon Dynamite, Tank "Shredder" Evans in Surf's...
|
Oswald Lee Harvey |
| Kathy Kinney Kathy Kinney is an American actress and comedian. She gained considerable popularity in the late 1990s for playing Mimi Bobeck, the outrageously made-up, flamboyantly vulgar, and vindictive nemesis of Drew Carey on the sitcom The Drew Carey Show...
|
Mimi Bobeck(-Carey) |
| Craig Ferguson Craig Ferguson is a Scottish American television host, stand-up comedian, writer, actor, director, author, and producer. He is the host of The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, an Emmy Award-nominated, Peabody Award-winning late-night talk show that airs on CBS...
|
Nigel Algernon Wick |
1996–2004 |
2-8, 9 (2 Episodes) |
186 (Numerous Credit Only) |
| Christa Miller Christa Miller is an American actress who has achieved success in television comedy. Her foremost roles include Kate O'Brien on The Drew Carey Show and Jordan Sullivan on Scrubs . She has also appeared on Seinfeld and CSI: Miami...
|
Kate O'Brien |
1995–2002 |
1-7, 8 (2 Episodes) |
183 (Possible Credit Only In 1 Or 2 Episodes) |
Cynthia WatrosCynthia Michele Watros is an American television actress, who also starred in films and on stage. She is known for her roles as Libby on the ABC TV series Lost, Kellie in The Drew Carey Show, Erin in Titus, and Annie Dutton in Guiding Light...
|
Kellie Newmark |
2002–2004 |
8-9 |
52 |
Recurring characters
- Mrs. Dotty Lauder (Nan Martin
Nan Martin was an American actress who starred in movies and on television.Born in Decatur, Illinois and raised in Santa Monica, California, her first film role was The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit...
)
- Larry Almada (Ian Gomez
Ian Gomez is an American actor best known for his comedic TV work, the most notable of which are his series-regular stints as Javier on Felicity and Andy on Cougar Town.-Career:...
)
- Chuck (Kelly Perine
Kelly Perine is an American television actor and a comedian. Perine attended Lake Forest Academy near Chicago, Illinois, where he studied stage acting. He spent his undergraduate years at Pomona College in Claremont, California. After graduating, he studied at the University of California,...
)
- Mr. Gerald Bell (Kevin Pollak
Kevin Elliot Pollak is an American actor, impressionist, game show host, and comedian. He started performing stand-up comedy at the age of 10 and touring professionally at the age of 20...
) - Drew's boss in Season 1
- Lisa Robbins (Katy Selverstone
Katy Selverstone is an American actress. She is primarily known for her work on The Drew Carey Show as Lisa Robbins, Drew's girlfriend in the first season and a couple of episodes in the second season of the show. After that, she got roles on other shows that lasted less than one season...
)– Drew's girlfriend in Season 1
- Jay Clemens (Robert Torti
Robert Felix Torti is an American actor.Torti was born in Van Nuys, California. He married DeLee Lively on June 24, 1999. Together, they have three children.-Filmography:*Quincy M.E....
)– Kate's boyfriend in Season 1
- Sharon Bridges (Jenica Bergere)– Drew's "girlfriend" in Season 4/5
- Nicki Fifer (Kate Walsh)– Drew's girlfriend in Season 3
- Steve Carey (John Carroll Lynch
John Carroll Lynch is an American actor, known for his role as Drew Carey's cross-dressing brother on The Drew Carey Show, and for his role as Norm, the unassuming husband of Margie Gunderson in Fargo....
) – Drew's brother
- Scott (Jonathan Mangum
Jonathan Mangum is an American actor and comedian. He was a cast member of the variety show, The Wayne Brady Show and is an announcer for the game show Let's Make a Deal.-Early life:...
) - Drew's new boss in Season 8 and 9 (20 episodes)
- Tim (Tim O'Rourke) - Warsaw Bartender (11 episodes, 1996-2002)
Regular guest stars
- Beulah Carey (Marion Ross
Marion Ross is an American actress best known for her role as Marion Cunningham on the television series Happy Days from 1974 to 1984.-Early life:...
) – Drew's mother
- George Carey (Stanley Anderson
Stanley Anderson is an American actor.-Biography:Anderson was born in Billings, Montana. A Theatre Masters Degree graduate of San Jose State University in the sixties, he began his professional acting career in 1967...
) – Drew's father
- Kim Harvey (Adrienne Barbeau
Adrienne Jo Barbeau is an American actress and the author of three books. Barbeau came to prominence in the 1970s as Broadway's original Rizzo in the musical Grease, and as Carol Traynor, the divorced daughter of Maude Findlay in the sitcom Maude...
) – Oswald's mother
- Mother Bobeck (Tammy Faye Bakker) – Mimi's mother
- Gigi Bobeck (Lynn Wanlass) – Mimi's sister
- King Augustus Antonio Carey (Matthew Josten) – Drew's nephew, Steve and Mimi's son
- Misty Kiniski (June Lockhart
June Lockhart is an American actress, primarily in 1950s and 1960s television, but with memorable performances on stage and in film too. She is remembered as the mother in two TV series, Lassie and Lost in Space. She also portrayed Dr...
) - Lewis's mother
- Speedy – Drew's dog
Guest stars
- Nikki Cox
Nicole Avery "Nikki" Cox is an American actress known mostly for her roles on the television series Unhappily Ever After, Las Vegas, and Nikki.-Early life:...
– Drew's cousin Kirsten Carey, who briefly dates Mr. Wick in "Drew's Cousin."
- Shirley Jones
Shirley Mae Jones is an American singer and actress of stage, film and television. In her six decades of television, she starred as wholesome characters in a number of well-known musical films, such as Oklahoma! , Carousel , and The Music Man...
- Drew's lady friend Celia, (Season 4, 3 episodes))
- Caroline Rhea
Caroline Gilchrist Rhea is a Canadian stand-up comedian and actress who was the original host of the reality television show The Biggest Loser on NBC until she was replaced by Alison Sweeney after the end of the third season...
- Drew's date, Bonnie, (Season 2, 2 episodes)
- Pauley Perrette
Pauley Perrette is an American actress, best known for playing Abby Sciuto[p] on the U.S. TV series NCIS, a role that has made her the most popular actress on U.S. primetime television. She is also a published writer, a singer and civil rights advocate.-Early life:Perrette was born in New Orleans...
- Drew's girlfriend, Darcy (Season 4, 4 episodes)
- Kaitlin Olson
Kaitlin Olson is an American Bald Eagle best known for playing Deandra "Sweet Dee" Reynolds on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.-Early life and career:...
as Tralor
- Mark Curry
Mark G. Curry is an American actor and comedian. He is best known as the star of the ABC sitcom Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, and as one of the various hosts of the syndicated series It's Showtime at the Apollo.-Early life and education:...
as Robert Soulard
- John Ratzenberger
John Deszo Ratzenberger is an American actor, voice actor, and entrepreneur. He is best known for his role as Cliff Clavin in Cheers.-Early life:...
as himself in Drew Live III
- Eddie Money
Eddie Money is an American rock guitarist, saxophonist and singer-songwriter who found success in the 1970s and 1980s with a string of Top 40 hits and platinum albums...
as the former husband of Mimi Bobeck.
- Penn & Teller
Penn & Teller are Las Vegas headliners whose act is an amalgam of illusion and comedy. Penn Jillette is a raconteur; Teller generally uses mime while performing, although his voice can occasionally be heard during their performance...
as Fenn and Geller in "Drew Meets Lawyers" (season 1, episode 6) and "See Drew Run" (season 2, episode 17)
- David Cross
David Cross is an American actor, writer and stand-up comedian perhaps best known for his work on HBO's sketch comedy series Mr...
as Earl in "Drew and the Unstable Element" (season 1, ep.13) and "Two Drews & the Queen of Poland Walk Into a Bar" (season 2, ep. 20).
- Tim Allen
Tim Allen is an American comedian, actor, voice-over artist, and entertainer, known for his role in the sitcom Home Improvement...
as himself in "The Front" (season 1, episode 17)
- Norm Macdonald
Norman Gene "Norm" Macdonald is a Canadian stand-up comedian, writer and actor. He is best known for his five seasons as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, which included anchoring Weekend Update for three years...
as Simon Tate in "The Bully You Know" (season 2, episode 4)
- Henry Rollins
Henry Rollins is an American singer-songwriter, spoken word artist, writer, comedian, publisher, actor, and radio DJ....
as E-Bay Ass Kicking Guy and Amy FarringtonAmy Farrington is an American actress and model that is best known for her role as Stacey Devers on The Michael Richards Show. She was born in Boston, Massachusetts but raised in Garland, a suburb of Dallas, Texas. After attending a musical theatre conservatory program, she worked in local and...
as Bonnie in "Hickory Dickory... Double Date" (season 8, episode 5)
- Gregory Jbara
-Early life:Jbara was born in Nankin Township , Michigan, the son of an advertising office manager and an insurance claims adjuster. He is of Lebanese and Irish descent. After graduating from Wayne Memorial High School in Wayne, Michigan, Jbara attended the University of Michigan from 1979 to 1981...
as Ron in "Drew and the Conspiracy" (season 4, episode 1) and "Golden Boy" (season 4, episode 3).
- Charles Nelson Reilly
Charles Nelson Reilly was an American actor, comedian, director and drama teacher known for his comedic roles in theater, movies, children's television, animated cartoons, and as a panelist on the game show Match Game....
as Mr. Hathaway, Lewis's boss, in "The Salon" (season 3) and "DrugCo" (season 4)
- Joe Walsh
Joseph Fidler "Joe" Walsh is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He has been a member of three commercially successful bands, the James Gang, Barnstorm, and the Eagles, and has experienced notable success as a solo artist and prolific session musician, especially with B.B...
as Ed, a guitarist (in several episodes)
- French Stewart
Milton French Stewart , better known by his stage name French Stewart, is an American actor, best known for his role as Harry Solomon on the 1990s sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun.-Early life:...
as Buddy in "Drew's Best Friend" (season 9, episode 10)
- Colin Mochrie
Colin Andrew Mochrie is a Scottish Canadian actor and improvisational comedian, most famous for his appearances on the British and US versions of television improvisation show Whose Line Is It Anyway?.-Early life:...
as Eugene in "She's Gotta Have It", "Drew Live", and "Drew Live II"
- Brad Sherwood
Bradley "Brad" Sherwood is an American actor and comedian. He has worked in entertainment as an actor, comedian, singer, writer, and producer.- Early life and career:...
as himself/host of "Drew Live" and "Drew Live II"
- Wayne Brady
Wayne Alphonso Brady is an actor, singer, comedian and television personality, known for his work as a regular on the American version of the improvisational comedy television series Whose Line Is It Anyway?, and as the host of the daytime talk show The Wayne Brady Show...
as himself in "Drew Live" and "Drew Live II"
- Greg Proops
Gregory Everett "Greg" Proops is an American actor, stand-up comedian and television host. He is widely known for his work as an improvisational comedian on the UK and U.S. versions of Whose Line Is It Anyway?...
, Chip Esten and Kathy GreenwoodKathryn "Kathy" Greenwood is a Canadian actress and comedienne. She appeared on the American version of Whose Line Is It Anyway? numerous times, and played Grace Bailey on the Canadian television drama series Wind at My Back....
as themselves in "Drew Live II"
- Chris Palmer, head coach for the Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
- Susan Saint James
Susan Saint James is an American actress and activist, most widely known for her work in television during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s.-Early life:...
(Christa Miller's real life aunt) as Kate's mother in "Drew and Kate and Kate's mother".
- Jamie Lee Curtis
Jamie Lee Curtis is an American actress and author. Although she was initially known as a "scream queen" because of her starring roles in several horror films early in her career, such as Halloween, The Fog, Prom Night and Terror Train, Curtis has since compiled a body of work that spans many...
as Sioux in "Playing a Unified Field".
- Steve Buscemi
Steven Vincent "Steve" Buscemi is an American actor, writer and film director. An associate member of the renowned experimental theater company The Wooster Group, Buscemi has starred and supported in successful Hollywood and indie films including New York Stories, Mystery Train, Reservoir Dogs,...
as Mimi's lawyer in "Mr. Lauder's Birthday Party".
- Tom Poston
Thomas Gordon "Tom" Poston was an American television and film actor. He starred on television in a career that began in 1950...
as Oswald's father
- Beata Pozniak
Beata Poźniak is a Polish-American actress, film director, painter, fashion model and activist who is now based out of the United States.-Biography:...
as Raisa in "What Women Don't Want".
- Julia Duffy
Julia Duffy is an American actress from Minneapolis, Minnesota, specializing in character roles, best known as the spoiled rich girl and Dick Loudon's inn maid, Stephanie Vanderkellen, on the 1980s sitcom, Newhart.-Career:Duffy's early caeer included parts in soap operas such as One Life to Live,...
as Lindsey Mercer, Lord Mercer's ex-wife who temporarily takes control of Winfred-Louder in "Rich Woman, Poor Man" (season 7, ep. 23)
- Nicholas Turturro
Nicholas Turturro, Jr. is an American film, television and prolific on-stage character actor, perhaps best known for his role as James Martinez, on NYPD Blue from 1993 to 2000.-Early life:...
as the New York detective in "New York and Queens" (season 2, episode 24).
- Paul Johansson
Paul Joseph Otto Johansson is an American-born Canadian actor, writer and director, best known for playing Dan Scott on the WB/CW television series, One Tree Hill, and for his role as Nick Wolfe on the short lived Highlander: The Series spin-off Highlander: The Raven...
- Mike McShane
Michael "Mike" McShane is an American actor, singer, and improvisational comedian who first became known through his appearances in the early 1990s on the British version of the television show Whose Line Is It Anyway?-Biography:...
as Ray in "Drew's Inheritance" (Season 6, Episode 3)
Special appearances
- Donald Trump
Donald John Trump, Sr. is an American business magnate, television personality and author. He is the chairman and president of The Trump Organization and the founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts. Trump's extravagant lifestyle, outspoken manner and role on the NBC reality show The Apprentice have...
and Carol ChanningCarol Elaine Channing is an American singer, actress, and comedienne. She is the recipient of three Tony Awards , a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination...
as themselves in "New York and Queens" (season 2, episode 24).
- "Weird Al" Yankovic
Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic is an American singer-songwriter, music producer, accordionist, actor, comedian, writer, satirist, and parodist. Yankovic is known for his humorous songs that make light of popular culture and that often parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts...
as himself in "Drew Between the Rock and a Hard Place" (season 4)
- Daffy Duck
Daffy Duck is an animated cartoon character in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons, often running the gamut between being the best friend and sometimes arch-rival of Bugs Bunny...
as himself (Applies at Drew's work place for a job in scene before opening title) in "My Best Friend's Wedding".
- Rush Limbaugh
Rush Hudson Limbaugh III is an American radio talk show host, conservative political commentator, and an opinion leader in American conservatism. He hosts The Rush Limbaugh Show which is aired throughout the U.S. on Premiere Radio Networks and is the highest-rated talk-radio program in the United...
as himself in "The Salon" (season 3)
- Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
as The Disciplinarian, Pro Wrestler Sponsor for Buzz Beer
- The Reverend Horton Heat
The Reverend Horton Heat is the stage name of American musician Jim Heath as well as the name of his Dallas, Texas-based psychobilly trio. Heath is a singer, songwriter and guitarist....
as The Underprivileged in "That Thing You Don't" (season 3, episode 10)
- Slash
Saul Hudson , known by his stage name Slash, is a British-American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During his later years with Guns N'...
, Rick Nielsen-External links:* * *...
, Dusty HillJoseph Michael "Dusty" Hill is the bassist and vocalist with the American rock group ZZ Top.-History:Hill was in Dallas, Texas and grew up in the Lakewood neighborhood of East Dallas...
, Matthew SweetSidney Matthew Sweet is an American alternative rock/power pop musician. He was part of the burgeoning Athens, Georgia music scene in the early and mid-1980s before gaining commercial success during the early 1990s...
, Joey RamoneJoey Ramone was an American vocalist and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist in the punk rock band the Ramones. Joey Ramone's image, voice and tenure as frontman of the Ramones made him a countercultural icon.-Early life:Joey Ramone was born Jeffry Hyman to parents Noel and Charlotte Hyman...
, Lisa LoebLisa Anne Loeb is an American singer-songwriter and actress. She launched her career in 1994 with the song, "Stay ". She was the first artist to have a number one single in the United States while not signed to a recording contract.Loeb's efforts now include music, film, television, voice-over...
, Dave MustaineDavid Scott "Dave" Mustaine is the founder, main songwriter, guitarist, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Megadeth. Prior to Megadeth, Mustaine was the first lead guitarist and a co-songwriter of the heavy metal band Metallica until he was fired from the band in 1983. In 2009, he...
, Roy ClarkRoy Linwood Clark is an American country music musician and performer. He is best known for hosting Hee Haw, a nationally televised country variety show, from 1969–1992. Clark has been an important and influential figure in country music, both as a performer and helping to popularize the genre...
, Johnny Lang, and Michael StanleyMichael Stanley is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and disc jockey. Both as a solo artist and with the Michael Stanley Band, his brand of heartland rock was popular in Cleveland and around the American Midwest in the 1970s and 1980s.-Biography:Michael Stanley Gee graduated from Rocky...
as themselves and Joe WalshJoseph Fidler "Joe" Walsh is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He has been a member of three commercially successful bands, the James Gang, Barnstorm, and the Eagles, and has experienced notable success as a solo artist and prolific session musician, especially with B.B...
as Ed in "In Ramada da Vida" (season 4, episode 2)
- Lemmy Kilmister
Ian Fraser "Lemmy" Kilmister is an English heavy metal musician....
and his band Motorhead as themselves in "Drew Gets Out of the Nut House" in season 7, playing a loud song with altered lyrics from Mimi to apologize for putting Drew in a mental institution.
Ratings
The show finished its first season (1995–1996) barely in the Top 50, placing 48th in the
NielsenNielsen Media Research is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre films and newspapers...
ratings, with an average rating of 10.1. The second season did considerably better, making it into the Top 20 finishing the 1996–1997 season 18th in the Nielsen ratings with an average rating of 11.5. Viewership increased 13.9% from season one.
The show finished its third season at a higher place in the ratings, placing 16th with an average rating of 11.1 during the 1997–1998 season; however, the ratings share was a drop of 3.5% from the second season.
During season four (1998–1999), the series finished the season in the Nielsen ratings higher in the Top 20 making it to 14th place but with an average rating of 9.9, a decrease of 10.8% from the third season.
The show finished the 1999–2000 season 24th in the Nielsen ratings, the first time since season one that the show was not in the Top 20, with an average rating of 9.5, a decrease of 4% from the fourth season. This was a much smaller drop than many series suffered (given the erosion of network audiences). This was also a smaller drop than it suffered the season before. The shows 2000–2001 season finished 41st with an average rating of 8.23, a decrease of 13.4 percent from the fifth season.
ABC signed a new contract to keep the show on through a ninth season, even though the show had yet to enter its seventh season at that time. The 2001–2002 season saw one of the show's biggest drop in ratings, finishing 57th with an average rating of 5.9, a significant drop of 28.3% from the sixth season. The show finished the 2002–2003 season 119th with an average rating of 3.29, a drop of 44.23 percent from the seventh season. This caused ABC to put the series on hiatus, airing the rest of the season in the summer of 2003. Unable to get out of their contract, ABC was forced to allow the show to film a ninth season, paying three million dollars per episode. Not doing well enough to make a slot in the fall, the ninth season was aired during the summer of 2004.
| Season | Years | Rank | Rating |
| Season 1 |
1995–1996 |
#48 |
10.1 |
| Season 2 |
1996–1997 |
#18 |
11.5 |
| Season 3 |
1997–1998 |
#16 |
11.1 |
| Season 4 |
1998–1999 |
#14 |
9.9 |
| Season 5 |
1999–2000 |
#24 |
9.5 |
| Season 6 |
2000–2001 |
#41 |
8.2 |
| Season 7 |
2001–2002 |
#57 |
5.9 |
| Season 8 |
2002–2003 |
#119 |
3.3 |
| Season 9 |
2004 (summer only) |
n/a |
3.1 |
Syndication
The Drew Carey Show entered off-network syndication in September 1999 and continued until September 2007.
During the early-to-mid 2000s,
The Drew Carey Show was also seen on cable's
TBSTBS , stylized in the logo as tbs, is an American cable television channel owned by Time Warner that shows a variety of programming, with a focus on comedy. TBS was originally known as WTCG, a UHF terrestrial television station that broadcast from Atlanta, Georgia, during the late 1970s...
. ION Television aired reruns of the show from 2007 to 2009, premiering on New Year's Eve 2007, with the station promoting it as "The Drew Year." ION Television did not air all of the episodes as it only aired the episodes that aired from seasons 1–5; the channel also removed references to the male genitalia from certain episodes, the season 5 episode "Do Drew and Kate Have Sex?" being one in particular. The CW Television Network also aired episodes during the 2008-2009 television season. Two back-to-back episodes was airing on Sundays at 6:00pm to replace the cancelled Sunday Night Block by
Media Rights CapitalMedia Rights Capital II LP is an independent film, television and digital studio founded by Mordecai Wiczyk and Asif Satchu. MRC specializes in the creation of premium content. It has full in-house physical production, legal, finance and sales teams, and a complete marketing infrastructure...
.
As of 2011,
The Drew Carey Show is not being syndicated on any cable channel in the United States.
In Australia, the show is currently being shown on 7Mate on a nightly basis.
Merchandise
The show has had many merchandise through its height of popularity, including Barbie-esque Drew + Mimi dolls, and Drew's VW Beetle made by Matchbox.
DVD releases
On April 24, 2007,
Warner Home VideoWarner Home Video is the home video unit of Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., itself part of Time Warner. It was founded in 1978 as WCI Home Video . The company launched in the United States with twenty films on VHS and Betamax videocassettes in late 1979...
released the complete first season of
The Drew Carey Show on DVD in Region 1. The WB has released a statement in which it said that the reason as to why the second season has yet to be released as of 2011 is because there are pieces of music that are copyrighted and Warner Home Video is unable to get around the copyrights legally. It is unknown if the remaining eight seasons will ever be released by Warner Home Video.
The first season was released in Australia (Region 4) on September 10, 2008. Small distribution company
Madman EntertainmentMadman Entertainment is an Australian company that distributes international films as well as Japanese anime and manga in Australia and New Zealand. The company is owned by Funtastic Limited and is one of the major entertainment companies in Australia. It employs 130 people and has an annual...
, usually known for releasing anime and manga, has picked up the rights to the series.
| DVD Name |
Ep# |
Region 1 |
Region 4 |
Special Features |
| The Complete First Season |
22 |
April 24, 2007 |
September 10, 2008 |
- 1-900-MIMI (a phone sex spoof featuring Mimi)
- Life Inside a Cubicle Featurette
|
On February 28, 2006, a six-episode release of the sitcom was released on DVD entitled "The Drew Carey Show: TV Favorites". Initially, the DVD was exclusively sold at
Best BuyBest Buy Co., Inc. is an American specialty retailer of consumer electronics in the United States, accounting for 19% of the market. It also operates in Mexico, Canada & China. The company's subsidiaries include Geek Squad, CinemaNow, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales, and, in Canada operates...
, but later sold at other national retailers as well. The DVD features the episodes "Pilot", "Playing the Unified Field", "We'll Remember Always, Evaluation Day", "Drew Blows His Promotion", "My Best Friend's Wedding" and "DrugCov. However, this DVD has since gone out of print.
External links