Karen Mills is a nationally touring comedian with more than 30 years of experience bringing laughter to audiences across the country. The Tennessee native has performed on the iconic stage of the Grand Ole Opry, toured with comedy sensation Leanne Morgan, appeared on the daytime show The Talk, and was recently featured in Stephen Wilson Jr.’s music video “Gary” alongside Gary Sinise.
Karen’s comedy has reached millions, with clips from her special “Baby Got Bad Back” surpassing 40 million views. She was also featured in “The Showcase,” a special produced by Nate Bargatze, and she can be heard regularly on SiriusXM comedy channels.
A self-proclaimed “crazy dog lady,” Karen brings a straight-forward, honest take on the realities of everyday life. From aging and family to life’s unexpected challenges, her smart, relatable observations keep audiences laughing at themselves as they relate to her experiences.
But Karen offers more than just laughs. A cancer survivor, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2013 and chose to face it with the same humor and resilience that define her comedy. Her TEDx talk, “Cancer Is a Laughing Matter,”highlights how laughter can be a powerful tool in navigating life’s toughest moments. Her story is both hilarious and inspiring.
Before comedy, Karen was a standout basketball player at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. At just 5’2”, she led the nation in assists and became UTC’s first Division I First Team All-American in any sport. Her #12 jersey was retired, and she was inducted into the Chattanooga Basketball Hall of Fame.