Buzz
Do you remember the cult classic Strangers with Candy, which aired on Comedy Central from 1999 to 2000? If so, you probably recall its star, the quirky and lovable actress/comedian Amy Sedaris. She played Jerri Blank, a 40-something high school dropout and recovering addict who returns to her old high school, Flatpoint High School.
Sedaris’s portrayal of the self-proclaimed “boozer, loser, and user” was so unforgettable that viewers might have missed some of the other famous faces she appeared with—including co-creator Stephen Colbert, who played Chuck Noblet, Jerri's history teacher. Here are 10 other familiar actors who appeared on the tragically short-lived after-school special parody.
1. WILL FERRELL // "BOB WHITELY"
In the episode "Trail of Tears" (Season 3, Episode 3), Jerri learns that she is adopted—and that her heritage is Native American. Reluctantly, she is sent to a Native American-themed overnight camp to discover more about her roots. There, she meets Bob Whitely, the camp’s director, portrayed by none other than Will Ferrell.
2. ELLEN POMPEO // "LIZZIE ABRAMS"
Long before landing the role of Dr. Meredith Grey on Grey’s Anatomy, Ellen Pompeo appeared on Strangers with Candy. In season one’s episode "Feather in the Storm," Pompeo played Lizzie Abrams, Jerri’s rival on the school debate team.
3. PAUL RUDD // "BRENT BROOKS"
Brent Brooks, the most popular yet indifferent guy at Flatpoint High, is portrayed by Paul Rudd in the series finale, "The Last Temptation of Blank."
4. WINONA RYDER // "FRAN"
Winona Ryder is known for portraying popular girls with tough exteriors and tender hearts. In "The Last Temptation of Blank," she plays Fran, a snobby classmate of Jerri's tasked with transforming Jerri into someone cool enough to date the handsome Brent Brooks. By the end of the episode, the detached Fran reveals her hidden admiration for Jerri and vows to change her ways.
5. DAVID CROSS // "DR. TREPANNING"
It’s hard to think of David Cross without recalling his iconic role as Tobias Fünke, but in season three’s "Is My Daddy Crazy?" episode, he takes on the role of Dr. Trepanning, a physician who treats Jerri’s surrogate father figure, Stew.
6. JANEANE GAROFALO // "CASSIE PINES"
It’s no surprise that Janeane Garofalo—former cast member of The Ben Stiller Show and current star of Netflix's Wet Hot American Summer series—would make an appearance on Strangers with Candy. Garofalo portrays Cassie Pines, a student counselor at Flatpoint High who consoles a grieving Jerri after her father's death in "The Goodbye Guy." She also returns briefly in "The Last Temptation of Blank."
7. TIM MEADOWS // "PERCY KITTENS"
Mean Girls fans might remember Saturday Night Live alum Tim Meadows as Cady Heron’s high school principal. They might be less familiar with his role as Percy Kittens, a grief counselor who visits Flatpoint High after a hate crime in the first season episode "Let Freedom Ring."
8. CHERI OTERI // "HILLARY"
Cheri Oteri, another Saturday Night Live alum, plays Hillary, a member of Flatpoint High’s school board who transforms the school into a strip mall during the series finale. In response, the school’s outraged principal urges Jerri and her classmates to burn down the building—an absurd yet fitting conclusion to the show’s three-season run.
9. ANDY RICHTER // VARIOUS
Andy Richter made appearances in three episodes of SWC. In "Yes You Can’t," he works at the artificial flower shop in Jerri’s town. In "Trail of Tears," he plays a staff member at the Native American-themed summer camp where Jerri is reluctantly sent. In "Blank Relay," he portrays a pharmacy clerk.
10. HEATHER MATARAZZO // "RENEE"
Heather Matarazzo, known for her roles in Welcome to the Dollhouse and The Princess Diaries, appears in season three’s "Is My Daddy Crazy?" as one of Jerri’s guests at a sleepover.
