LMAO. I remember often wondering how the hell she's always employed, but it really was part of the fun!
That's a great observation about Amanda. She has always been tooted as the big bitch of the show and, certainly, she did and said some very bitchy things but the funny thing is, if you really pay attention, she's not The Bitch (at least not in the typical sense). Amanda was, almost for the whole run of the show, a very well and specifically written character, and her biggest "flaw" was that she took no crap from anyone and she was very honest and direct -- which is important because that's what made her a 'bitch.' The truth is, in most cases, unless someone did something to provoke a reaction, Amanda took it relatively easy, but she had no qualms letting you know where you stand, and she was often right.
Of course, she did have her own issues, and maybe she didn't need to take certain things quite so far, but all that makes her so utterly fascinating.
Yes, he instantly made a difference to the show (after giving us the brilliant Seasons 4-6 of KL).