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What Sherri Shepherd Learned From Other Daytime Hosts Ahead of Show Takeover

By Allison Crist Aug 09, 2022 6:07 PMTags

It's Sherri Shepherd's time to shine. 

However, that doesn't mean she's not taking a few cues from the great daytime television hosts that came before her—namely, Wendy Williams. The talk show legend's eponymous series ended its 13-year run in June, although Wendy herself, citing health issues, stepped back from her usual hosting duties in Oct. 2021.

And now, Sherri, who stepped in to guest host the bulk of the final season, is getting her very own series (allowing the former employees of The Wendy Williams Show to continue working!). 

Sherri premieres next month, and as the 30 Rock alum explained during E! News' Daily Pop on Aug. 9, she plans to follow the example set by Wendy and a former co-host on The View. "I learned to be, from Barbara Walters, to be unapologetically me," Sherri said. "From Wendy, again, being unapologetically me. Watching her all the time, it was like that's who Wendy was. And who is not inspired by that?"

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Speaking of inspiration, the 55-year-old said she's also proud to bring more diversity to daytime television, telling E!'s Loni Love, "When we grew up, there were very few women who looked like us who led a talk show, and so I think it's really, really important for young girls of color to look up and see somebody who looks like them so they can close their eyes and go, 'I think I can do that, too.' I would like to be able to say to them, 'You can. You absolutely can.'"

Noam Galai/Getty Images for Hertz

Another goal of Sherri's? Simply making viewers smile. "If you pictured the inspiration of Oprah, the fun of Ellen, and then you put all the joy and lightness and laughter, that's Sherri," she said. "I want people to feel inspired and better than when they came. I want them to say, 'What is this silly girl going to be doing today?'" 

Hear more from Sherri—including her reaction to the news of Ana Navarro's promotion—in the above Daily Pop interview. Plus, learn all about her cross-country move, made possible by Hertz's new Box Trucks (which may or may not feature her face on the side of them!).

"Nothing was broken; I packed up way too much," Sherri added of the move. "There were customers around, and I said, 'Let me give stuff away.' I gave away lamps, blenders, and I gave away free upgrades because I wanted the customers to feel that 'Let's go!' moment excitement."

Sherri premieres Monday, Sept. 12 in national syndication. 

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