Meghan McCain to Sherri Shepherd: Don't Tell Me to "Lighten Up"

"We can take things seriously," the View host tells Andy Cohen

Meghan McCain never asked for Sherri Shepherd's feedback.

Earlier this week, Shepherd appeared on Bravo's Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen and proceeded to critique McCain, who is currently a co-host on ABC's The View alongside Joy Behar, Paula Faris, Whoopi Goldberg, Sunny Hostin and the soon-to-be departing Sara Haines. "She just has to evolve. She has to get used to sitting there at that table," said Shepherd, who stars in NBC's sitcom Trial & Error. "I think she has to not take the whole Republican world on her shoulders. It's too much to take that whole world. It's like: You are not the Republican voice! It makes you stressed. It makes you tense. So, I think [she needs] to lighten up a little."

After Shepherd's comments made headlines, she attempted to mend fences via Twitter:

@MeghanMcCain my response to @Andy on #WWHL wasn’t intended to be anything but constructive. We have talked at length privately & I’ve been nothing but supportive of you & everyone who has co-hosted @TheView -If I came across as not being supportive of you, that wasn’t my intent.

— Sherri Shepherd (@sherrieshepherd) July 24, 2018

@MeghanMcCain I can not control how my words are reinterpreted for tabloids and gossip blogs - I can only take ownership of my intent and my truth - #supporterofwomen

— Sherri Shepherd (@sherrieshepherd) July 24, 2018

Coincidentally, McCain was a guest on Andy Cohen's show last night, where she was asked to comment on Shepherd's assessment of her performance. "I was super bummed out when I saw her saying that. She said I need to 'lighten up.' You know, The View—it's a tough show that's really politically heavy," she said. "We're a news show now; it's not the show she once hosted."

"Right now—and not to make this too heavy—but in [Donald Trump]'s America, we should not be telling women to lighten up. It's a serious time," McCain said. "We can take things seriously."

In the same episode, McCain spoke about her frequent on-camera spats with Behar. "I have to say, Joy and I are like drinking buddies, and I genuinely have so much affection for her," McCain assured Cohen. "I really am over this feuding of Meghan and Joy. We fight like boxers and then we get out of the match and we pump gloves and we're good." Regarding Goldberg's recent televised tussle with Judge Jeanine Pirro, McCain said, "It is really hard not to love Whoopi Goldberg­—she is really fair. I sit diagonal from her every day. She's a really fair, open person."

Goldberg has "been very open to my politics," McCain added. "I thought it was unfortunate that Judge Jeanine didn't see what I see in her every day...She's very open to hearing the other side."

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