Sherri Shepherd: A Sweet Candid Comedienne

Sherri Shepherd, co-host of ABC’s “The View,” is not one to hold back.  And it’s her candid honesty that has helped her skyrocket as a comedienne, talk show host and in her new role on “The Newlywed Game.”  Even with the 43-year-old celebrity mom’s whirlwind schedule, Sherri stopped by and talked with the editors of Cotton Candy.  And like Sherri we didn’t hold back, asking her tough questions that yielded some pretty funny answers.  Read on and watch Cotton Candy TV to discover a side of Sherri few get to see.

Cotton Candy: On what occasion do you lie?
Sherri Shepherd: On what occasion do I lie? Oh, wow. (Laughs) It’s usually if I’m late to work. I’m always saying, “It was traffic.” And then Barbara [Walters] busted me one day. She said, “Dear, you live across the street.” So I couldn’t use that excuse anymore.  (Smiles)

[Also] I’m not the type of person to say someone is bad at something. If someone wants a critique [on their comedy skills] – even if they’re bad – I won’t say you did well when you didn’t.  But I’ll try to coach it in positivity.

I’m that person that likes to love on people. I like to say things in love. I won’t lie and say, “You were great,” when you were bad. But I try to coach, and say, “I see what you were trying to do, but maybe you can work on this [aspect.]”

'The View' co-host Sherri Shepherd with Cotton Candy TV host Kristina Behr

CC: What motto do you live by?
SS: Do it scared.  I feel like that if you are scared, run towards it… If somebody asks you to do something or you want to do something, if there is a tingling in your stomach, a fear, run towards it. Go for it. Do it. That’s because on the other side, there are so many amazing blessings.   I don’t like debating.   I don’t like to interrupt people. But I’m on “The View.” I do those very things. It has afforded me the opportunity to meet so many people [including] sitting across from President [Barack] Obama, President [Bill] Clinton. Some really amazing people.

And if I didn’t do something that scared me – that’s why do “The View” because it was scary. It was very scary.  That means I need to do it. And I wouldn’t have had as many blessings. I get to sit next to my idol, Whoopie Goldberg everyday. And I get to learn so much from her and Barbra Walters.

I say, “Do it scared,” because it has to be done anyway.  So whether you are scared or confident, just do it.

CC: Most people have the opposite approach.
SS: They have the opposite [approach,] and I think it holds you back. And I think they live in a constant state of I wish.

You know what? It’s okay to fail. Failure doesn’t mean failure. It means you get back up, and you re-tweak it.  Do it again. It’s an experience you would never have if you didn’t try it.

CC: Tell us, what do you like most about yourself?
SS: What do I like most about myself?  Probably my sense of humor. Yeah my sense of humor.

And I think I’m able to forgive very easily.  And stuff kind of rolls off.  I’ve been through a lot, and I’ve been able to get back up. When I got divorced – I was with my husband for 11 years –  I thought, “Oh my gosh. What am I going to do?” I put together a highchair for my son when he was one-year-old.  And I did it myself. Now, little stuff was on backwards. But I did it myself.

And I got lost on the train. I went to Brooklyn. But you know what, I got off of that train and went [inside] a café, and I said, “OK, I’m lost. But, I’ll take a cab.”

So once I realized that I was out here in this big, bad New York City and that I could do it by myself, I realized that I’m OK. I’m all right.

ABC/STEVE FENN

CC: Because of stereotypes, did you ever believe you couldn’t do something?
SS: Oh yeah.  I wrote about it in my book Permission Slips. My grandmother once said, “They don’t let people like us [African Americans] get into the entertainment field. So she said, “You should just work at the Post Office because you can’t ever get fired.” (Laughs) She said to work for the government because they don’t let people like us do that type of thing. And that’s what I always lived with.

I was also told, “You’re fat. So you’re not going to make it in this business.”  “You have to be beautiful.” “You have to be skinny.”

And on both accounts, I proved everybody wrong.

CC: So, are you dating anyone?
SS: I met a guy recently. It was through one of my friends, Niecy Nash.  She’s hysterical. She had a party, her and her fiancé.  Niecy invited ten of her girlfriends who all always complain about not being able to find a man.  [Her fiancé ] invited ten of his guy friends who he thought were really good and wanted to settle down.  And through that we did this speed dating kind of thing. And I met somebody. He’s really crazy. He’s really loud like me. (Laughs) I don’t know if that’s a compliment or not. He’s not in the business. So it’s really cool.

CC: What’s next for you?
SS: Have another baby. I would like to have another baby. I’m going to see how many of my eggs I got left. You know, when you’re 43, you only have 3 percent of your eggs. .. As a matter of fact, do you want to carry my baby? I’m looking for people! (Laughs) I will give you free wigs for a year.  And a Honda. … I’ve asked my cleaning lady, and she said, “No.” So, I’m just asking anybody I know. (Big beautiful smile.)

Written by: Natasha Danielle Smith