Sherri Shepherd re-enters the daytime talk show fray with “Sherri,” premiering Monday, Sept. 12, at 10 a.m. on WNYW/Ch. 5.
Shepherd isn’t new to the genre, of course, having co-hosted “The View” for seven seasons (2007-2014) and, last season, frequently guest hosting for Wendy Williams, who missed the entire season of “The Wendy Williams Show” — which was cancelled after 13 seasons by Debmar-Mercury, the producers behind “Sherri.”
“It’s a completely different setting and we’re in a new studio,” Shepherd, 55, told The Post.
“Am I borrowing anything [from ‘The Wendy Williams Show’]? Nope. I’m not a borrower; I’m coming on with something that’s unique — because if you try to borrow from someone else, it doesn’t work.”
Shepherd answered a few questions about her new talk show and what viewers will see when “Sherri” hits the airwaves.
Sherri Shepherd.Getty ImagesIs this a big transition for you?
Not only do I have the experience of co-hosting “The View” but I’ve been a game show host on two game shows [“The Newlywed Game,” “Best Ever Trivia Show“] by myself for an hour at a time, which is a lot of ad-libbing and improvising. I co-host an award-winning podcast with my bestie Kym Whitley called “Two Funny Mamas” and have been doing that for three years. I do standup, where I stand on stage for 45-to-90 minutes and talk by myself … so I think doing [“Sherri”] by myself makes it a little bit easier for me.
Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Whoopi Goldberg, Barbara Walters, Joy Behar and Sherri Shepherd (right). WireImageWill there be any overarching themes or topics that you will cover?
Absolutely. I am a comic and I love all-things standup comedy because that’s what I’ve been doing for decades. I want to showcase comedians; there are so many amazing comics out there who just need a chance. They may not be able to sit on the couch and be interviewed … but they can sit in a chair across from me on “Sherri’s Laugh Lounge” and talk about their life. It was the best feeling to be doing five minutes of standup on Jay Leno’s “Tonight Show” and then go and sit on that couch with Jay and him respect me as a standup comedian. And I got work from that. So if I can do that for another comic? Wow.
Sherri Shepherd on “The View.” ABC via Getty ImagesWill there be the standard-type of daytime talk show fare, like cooking segments?
I think there are elements to a talk show that people love. I am going to implement them with the Sherri touch on the show. I love to eat and I’m into my health so you’ll see [cooking] and exercise segments — but what will be different will be that it’s Sherri doing them. They rated very well on “The View.” Without giving away any specifics, people are going to see lightness and they’re going to know they can escape for a hour. We’re going to be intentionally joyful. That’s what I’m bringing.
Joy Behar and Sherri Shepherd on “The View” in 2010. Disney General Entertainment ConDo you pay much attention to ratings and what people say about you on social media?
You’re in a win/win or no-win situation. When you’re in trouble it’s not so good and when people love you, it’s great. I don’t get into that; there are a lot of people who are concerned about ratings. That’s not my job. My job is to go out there and be Sherri and have a party and open the door and say, “Come on in and join me.”
Being the age that I am … that’s why I don’t pay too much attention to social media. Nobody who makes a comment is paying my rent, paying my son’s school fees, nobody’s taking him to basketball practice. Not one person on Facebook, Instagram or TikTok … is going to make up my son’s bed. So when you get to this age those [comments on social media] don’t matter as much. Life matters, living matters. If I had this [talk show] happen to be 18 years ago I’d be fixated. I learned that on “The View” — I was fixated on what people said about me, wrote about me … and I realized that no matter what you say, if you try to capitulate to everybody and take the weight of the world’s opinions on your shoulders, it will drive you batty. You know what I don’t like? Being driven batty. I like peace in my life.
