“I’m not going into this show trying to be anybody but Sherri.” That’s one of Sherri Shepherd‘s main goals for her new daytime talk show Sherri. Stepping into The Wendy Williams Show‘s time slot starting September 12, the syndicated show will be Shepherd’s first solo adventure on daytime TV following successful runs on The View and as a Wendy guest host.
As the Sherri logline teases: “Sherri’s warm, relatable, and engaging personality will shine through as she offers her comedic take on the day’s entertainment news, pop culture, and trending topics with the daytime audience. As America’s favorite girl next door, her comedy-driven show will feature celebrity interviews, informative experts, moments of inspiration, and amazing everyday people to create an hour of entertainment escapism.”
Speaking with journalists during a press conference for the upcoming series, Shepherd explained her priorities for the Sherri feel. First and foremost, the show will be live — a feature she loved about The View. And it will be uplifting above all else.
“We had to look at things through the lens of funny, through the lens of joy and love, because that’s who I am,” she said. “I’m not trying to ‘get’ anybody, I’m not trying to be mean to anybody. My outlook on life is always through the lens of love.”
To that end, don’t expect the host to focus on politics. Sherri, as Shepherd described, will be your daytime escape.
“I don’t feel I need to lean into politics. You have a plethora of shows that you can lean into to get your politics — No. 1 my old stomping grounds, The View,” she shared. “I’m your escape from the doom and gloom. Sometimes you want to escape, you want to relax, and you want permission to breathe and feel good. That’s me!”
Speaking of The View, Shepherd explained the appeal of hosting solo vs. on a panel to TV Insider, saying hosts like Ellen DeGeneres and Oprah Winfrey make her confident she can handle riding solo (the latter, Shepherd says, is one of the people she turned to for guidance when signing onto Sherri).
“It’s always nice when you have people underneath you and holding you, because you don’t have to do all of the work,” Shepherd explains. “I always liked that it’s a camaraderie you have when it’s a panel. You can share the work. When you get the backlash, you can share it. When it’s just you as a solo artist, it’s just you. There’s no net. It’s all on me. That’s a lot of responsibility, but I’ve done panel, I’ve done co-hosting, so I’m ready to take the challenge of doing this on my own and showing you what I got.”
So, what will Shepherd do to make people feel good? First and foremost, she’s paying it forward by elevating up-and-coming artists like Whoopi Goldberg did for her years ago. During the press conference, The Sex Lives of College Girls alum said that earlier in her career when money was tight, Goldberg paid for her clothes one day, telling her to pay it forward to other struggling artists when she has the means. That kindness and support in a pivotal moment coming from a legend like Goldberg has stuck with Shepherd ever since. And she will follow Goldberg’s instructions by using Sherri as a platform to give people their big break.
Sherri will feature a weekly comedy segment called “Sherri’s Laugh Lounge,” during which a comedian will get to perform a set for the audiences in the studio and at home. Shepherd said she hopes this will help comedians launch their careers, like Johnny Carson and Jay Leno did on their late-night staples. Other goals she has for the show are to host Oprah, Michelle Obama, and Goldberg as guests (her dream lineup), as well as hosting reunions for The Jamie Foxx Show, Everybody Loves Raymond, and Girlfriends.
Shepherd has long been in the industry, but this daytime talk show solo adventure has been an unfulfilled dreams for close to 20 years. Now in her 50s, Shepherd wants women her age to know “dreams are not dead.”
“Maybe they’re just deferred, maybe you just gotta grow a little bit into that dream,” she told journalists. “This has been 18 years+ in the making for me. I want to show women who are older, it’s not over. That dream you’ve had on the China shelf, you can still do it. It’s not too late. As a matter fact, it’s probably better, because you’ll appreciate it more and you’ve got the wisdom, the confidence to go after it.”
Sherri is executive produced by Jawn Murray (Shepherd’s producing partner and one of her closest friends) and David Perler (The Wendy Williams Show, The Rosie O’Donnell Show) with Suzanne Bass, Joelle Dawson, and Fernita Wynn joining as co-executive producers. Taped live in New York City in front of a live studio audience, Sherri is produced and distributed by Debmar-Mercury and has been cleared in 98% of the U.S.
Sherri, Series Premiere, Monday, September 12, Check your local listings