She also has a reputation for playing very well with others. Lynch is an honored member of the Christopher Guest improv team, the Judd Apatow comedy fraternity, the "L Word" sorority, and so on. "I travel between the groups, kind of like I did in high school," she laughs.

Lynch, who grew up in south suburban Dolton, considered drama during her time at Illinois State. But "I always knew I'd play the funny part," she says. Touring with Second City and playing Carol Brady in the Annoyance Theatre's "Real Live Brady Bunch" confirmed that.

It wasn't until age 40, though, that Lynch got her big break: a role as an aggressive dog handler who romances Jennifer Coolidge in 2000's "Best in Show." Director Christopher Guest remembered Lynch from the year before, when he worked with her on a Frosted Flakes commercial.

Lynch is a comedy original -- who else could convincingly play a witch who worships the "vibratory power of color" in "A Mighty Wind"? -- but was influenced early on by character actresses Eileen Brennan ("Private Benjamin") and Eve Arden ("Our Miss Brooks"). Like them, she exudes authority. Even when there's nothing to back it up.

She has family in La Grange now, but her Chicago roots run deeper than that. "I have to come back every six weeks," says Lynch. "I get my hair highlighted at the Charles Ifergan salon. Mariah, she's fantastic."

You can enjoy the ever-busy Lynch -- and her double-process hair color -- in four signature roles this summer.

'Party Down' (Starz)
In the cable sitcom, Lynch plays Constance Carmell, a has-been glorified extra with a resume that includes credits such as "Dingleberries" and "Scream Weaver." Now she puts on a perky pink bow tie to work as a cater waiter in Los Angeles, and she couldn't be more content. "Constance lives in a soft cotton place," says Lynch. "She's completely accepting of all her circumstances. Everybody wants to be somewhere else but her."

This ensemble is another in-group that Lynch has infiltrated: the Rob Thomas gang, which made "Veronica Mars" a cult hit.

Constance's past often pops up, whether it's Ed Begley Jr. trying to remind her of the intimate moments they shared, or a Russian mobster who delights in hearing another Dom DeLuise story. A typical anecdote begins, "So I'm standing there in half a string bikini ...." and usually ends with "God, the coke was so good back then." Constance's combination of worldly yet childlike is irresistible.

(In later episodes, Constance's character is replaced by Jennifer Coolidge, who says they met while auditioning for "Cannonball Run II.")

'Glee' (Fox)
This musical series set in a high school is getting major hype and will debut the first episode at 8 p.m. Tuesday after "American Idol" -- with the rest of the series returning in the fall. Ryan Murphy, the creator of "Popular" and "Nip/Tuck," hired Lynch to essentially channel his inner mean girl. She plays Sue Sylvester, a nasty cheerleading coach who gets results (they've appeared on Fox Sports Net). "Sloppy babies!" she barks at the "Cheerios." "I want the agony out of your eyes!"

"Sue lives to terrorize," says Lynch. "She's one of those strategizers who always needs to have an enemy." In this case, she's targeted the glee club.

"One of the things that cracks me up is the way people throw their power around," says Lynch. "They're not even realizing that people aren't buying it."

There was much less improvisation on this set, but the writers seem to have a strong handle on Sue. One day in the teachers' lounge, she spits out, "Your resentment ... is delicious."

'Julie and Julia' (opening Aug. 7)

In this Nora Ephron romantic comedy, Meryl Streep plays Julia Child, whose seminal cookbook changes the life of a modern-day Julie (Amy Adams). Lynch plays Child's sister, Dorothy McWilliams. "They needed an actress who was 6 feet tall, and I guess I popped into [Ephron's] mind," says Lynch. The real McWilliams was 6-foot-5 and living in France in the '40s, when the tallest man could only hope for 5-foot-5. "They were huge, eccentric characters," says Lynch fondly.

Julia and Dorothy were beloved in France precisely because they were so alien, and eager to learn about how deeply the French felt about their food. "It was the national treasure," says Lynch. What did the French respond to? "The openness of their hearts," says Lynch. "They were such a force of nature."

'Post Grad' (opening Aug. 21)

Alexis Bledel ("Gilmore Girls") is a bright-eyed college graduate looking for a job ... who ends up moving back in with her family. Lynch is her mother, Michael Keaton her father and Carol Burnett her grandmother.

Working with Burnett in particular was "amazing," says Lynch. She was obsessed with Burnett's variety show growing up. "We'd tape the audio on my dad's tape recorder and spend the week acting it out," says Lynch. The legend turned out to be anything but a diva. "She's open and generous and kind," says Lynch. "Very aware. She does great belly laughs."

One of Lynch's proudest moments was earning one of those belly laughs. "I was driving a car and she was in the back seat," remembers Lynch. "I said, 'Look at my backup face,' and she laughed so hard I thought she was going to pee her pants."

Can you match the Lynch line with the character?

QUOTES

1. "I learned to play the ukulele in one of my last films, 'Not-So-Tiny Tim.' "

2. "You know what I used to have for breakfast? Cocaine. Know what I had for lunch? Cocaine."

3. "I'm very discreet ... but I will haunt your dreams."

4. "I've got a Joan Van Ark story that will blow your mind."

5. "We started this magazine, American Bitch. It's a focus on the issues of the lesbian purebred dog owner."

6. "You think this is hard? I'm living with hepatitis. That's hard."

ROLES

a. An overconfident dog trainer in "Best in Show"

b. A lusty boss in "The 40-Year-Old Virgin"

c. A vicious cheerleading coach in "Glee"

d. A porn star turned folk singer in "A Mighty Wind"

e. A recovering addict in "Role Models"

f. A D-list actress with "Cannonball Run II" on her resume in "Party Down"

(Answers below.)

ANSWERS
1. d; 2. e; 3. b; 4. f; 5. a; 6. c.