Crystal Renee Hayslett and Sherri Shepherd chat about Sherri’s winding road to the apex of daytime talk, how she’s managing motherhood, the beauty in being “Fit Over 50” and the importance of setting boundaries.
Chapter 1: What is Sherri Shepherd's journey in the entertainment industry?
Coming up on Keep It Positive, Sweetie. I played Sheila on the Jamie Foxx show. Yes. And we're best of friends because we worked together on Jamie Foxx. And somebody came on and they had done like a couple lines. Now I was a recurring on the show because I made Jamie laugh. He kept bringing me back. And she was a comic. And she said this to me. She said, girl, you know,
you good on here, but everybody talking, they said, you know, you must've slept with Jamie to be on this show. Like, you know, like they trying to protect me and it hurt my feelings so bad. Cause I was like, I worked for this.
Hi, I'm Chris Renee Hazlett, and this is the Keep It Positive Sweetie Show, a safe space to heal, laugh, grow, and love. Today's show has me all in my feelings, and it's crazy, guys. We're just getting started. I'm having a one-on-one with the one and only Sherri Shepherd.
I'm so excited to grab some gems from the talk show queen, and I know it's going to be a really special time for us and for you as well. Whether it be television or movies, comedy stages or daytime talk, Sherri Shepherd is the master of all mediums. Her journey through the entertainment industry has been anything but linear, and she's the epitome of waiting your turn.
Well, her turn and her time is now, and it's now time for us to get together and get the real of her journey up the entertainment ladder and much more. I'm here on my couch, and she is checking in from her dressing room on set. Sherri, thank you so much for coming on today. How are you feeling?
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Chapter 2: How does Sherri feel about her third season of the talk show?
I am great. My grandmother always say, I'd live to see you in another day.
Amen. My grandma used to say, if the Lord will and the creek don't rise, I'll see you tomorrow. See, right there, that's too many words, but I agree with your grandmother. Yes, yes. Well, I just want to first off say congratulations on your third season of the Sherri Shepherd Show. How does it feel?
Oh, my goodness, girl. I'm just like, Jesus, Lord, thank you so much. A third season like this is when talk shows get canceled after the first season to know that I'm connecting with people to know that they're enjoying my brand of silliness and humor. Crystal, when I tell you I'm so thankful, girl, I'd be wanting to go into a praise show.
I know that's right. Listen, I'm so proud of you. Like you've gained so many accolades and nominations. Have you had time to just really sit in it? Because I know you're so busy. When do you find time to just be like, wow, this is my life right now?
When I come out and sit in my chair, the door opens and I see all of these faces that are clapping, that are smiling. And it's not because the DJ has prompted people to do it. I can see what God's assignment is when I'm walking out. And I, and I'm always walking out going, Lord, wow. Or when I walked down the hallways and see, you know, my name and I go, this is what I dreamed about.
Or when, you know, like people send me a picture of like, I'm on my pictures on the billboard outside and I go, oh my gosh, that's like, that's my, that's me. Yes. My voice get all high. What? That's Sherry. So yeah.
That is when, when I'm here and I see it or when people come and tell me, you know, my husband, he passed away and we used to watch it together or my mom and I watch it together or, you know, they just tell me what the show means to them. And I just go, thank you, Lord. And then I start crying.
I love it. That's beautiful. I'm happy that you actually find time because sometimes life can be so busy and pass us by. We look up and like, wait, I accomplished all these things, but I didn't really get to sit in it. So I'm happy that you daily can sit in it and find time to just be grateful. That's so beautiful. I love that.
I don't know if I get to like, you know, take breaks or anything, but I guess it's just, I wanted the dream for so long. So sitting in it and seeing the, I was at Howard university yesterday and I When all of the young people kept coming up and hugging me going, Miss Sherry, I want my own talk show. I got to sit in it by saying I'm a living embodiment of what you were dreaming about.
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Chapter 3: What advice does Sherri have about waiting for success?
He has seasoned you up so that you when you come out and people adore you and appreciate you. It's because they can relate to all that life experience you are bringing into your character. It is right there. When I tell you, girl, I sit on my couch, and I mean my talk show couch, and I'm like, Laura, why you gave me this talk show at 54 years old? You know I'm tired.
You know I ain't got no stamina. Laura, who is this person sitting there? I'm going to tell you this. One time, Lorenz Tate, he came on the show. And he was sitting across from me. I said, okay, who is this? I know him. I know him. But his name slipped from my mind. Yes. Lorenz Tate, you watching this? I know who you are. Like everything he had ever done. Old dog. You know, like everything.
And I was like, but I can't remember his name. And we talk. And I was like... And then God just gave it to me. I mean, Janet Jackson came, I jumped up and I said, I think I didn't, I think I got to go to the bathroom. Like it's, I go, why you give it to me now? When I'm, you know, I can't run out there and be dropping it like it's hot and running up and down the stairs.
And cause he's like, cause I need you to be settled. That's why. Because if I gave it to you in your 20s, you'd be all out in the streets. You'd be going to these clubs. You wouldn't be home and getting sleep when you're supposed to. You'd be feeling yourself. Angels wouldn't be able to do nothing with you. Because they like she in the club. She at some kind of party. She ain't so...
Right where we're supposed to be. I forgot what you asked me.
No, you answered it. I asked you, what did you do in that waiting phase in the meantime?
Crystal, in the waiting phase, everything that I did, I am able to use in this talk show space. I just, you know, when it didn't happen for me in the talk show realm, I really got back to my stand up and stand up is what I do when I first sit in my chair. I do stand up. I was, you know, I'm able to talk for 90 minutes on the stage so I can do, you know, 19, 20 minutes in that chair.
So that worked together. When I was on The View, I learned how to read a prompter. I do that every day. When I was a co-host on the show Dish Nation, I was by myself in the studio in LA while Da Brat and everybody in Head Crack were in Atlanta. So I had to pretend, look in that camera and pretend like we were all together. So that's how I talk to my audience.
Even though I'm reading words on a prompter, I talk to them like we're all in the room together. So all of that experience...
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Chapter 4: What lessons did Sherri learn from her experiences on The View?
And I said, I want to be able to do that. I want to be able to hug people and really let them know this is a safe space. I promise you we're going to have fun.
you have nothing to worry about with me and and and that i know you i've watched you know episodes of what you've done i follow you i'm i'm completely blessed that you're here so thank you for that girl yes no i'm telling you i was like i i literally feel seen every time i walk out so thank you because like like we both experience it can be the complete opposite sometimes
Yes. Seeing that showed me how I need to move forward. I learned so much from so many people that I look up to. And that's definitely something I took away from you when I left your show. Thank you, girl. When you have yours.
So there we go.
Thank you. You are so multi-talented. You do comedy, you do movies, television. Now you have your own talk show. You and I have something in common. We both have worked with the incomparable Tyler Perry. Listen, honey, I got to tell you, I got a sneak peek of Straw. Oh, you did? Sherri. Sherri. My series going off, going, uh-huh. Baby, you embodied the character so beautifully. It was so grounded.
The dance that you and Taraji did in your scenes, I was blown away. When the credits rolled, we were like, Oh my gosh. And like Davao was there. It was so many people in the room and we were both like, Sherry killed it. And I just want to give you your flowers and ask you, what was it like working with Tyler?
Because I know what it's been like working with him and the amazing things that he has instilled in me as an actor. But what was that experience like for you?
It was so funny because Tyler will text me and he'll say, Sherry, I had a screening and this was so good. And, you know, you were so good. Or he'll text me like after the screening, he'll say, you know, what did y'all think about Sherry Sheppard? And he'll send me the video. And then you can hear him go, OK, don't say nothing more because I don't want to get a big head, which makes me laugh.
And we were talking about it and I don't take compliments very well. So he was telling me how much he liked me and how I was doing. And I just totally skipped over it. I said, I love what Taraji did and Tiana and, you know, you even had Sinbad. And so he said in all caps, he said in all caps, yeah. accepted what I'm saying to you. And hold on, because I want to get this right.
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Chapter 5: How does Sherri manage working with close friends?
I know you're watching. You have to get Sherry a car.
Or can I just stay in a wing at his estate?
Oh my goodness. Sherry, why did I tell him one day? I was like, I could just live here. You would never know I was here. He was like, no. I said, or I could build on your land. You would never know I'm here. He was like, no. Maybe I need to say something different because I was like, can I take my clothes off?
And he goes, he goes, why is everything about sex with you? And I said, Tyler, this house is calling for me to be naked. I'm supposed to run butt ass naked through this house. And I said, huh, Tiana? She was like, yeah, we got to do this. Yeah. And I was like, I'm telling you, like, I'm supposed to go swim in all these pools. Right. I mean, I ran through.
I was like, it's just it calls for me to take my clothes off. I was the last one to leave. And I said, I thought we were spending the night. He said, no, you got to go home.
Listen, that's his favorite line. All right. So y'all ready? Bye, y'all.
He's standing on that stairs for a minute to see you through. And I'm like, drop me off here because I'm about to go back. I'm about to sneak back into this house until I found out that Tyler got wild boar and giraffes and all kinds of stuff that will eat a black lady. Absolutely. Yes. I got back into that car and I left. So there. I love Tyler Perry.
That is incredible. Oh my gosh. Everybody loves Tyler. He's just amazing. And I'm glad you got to experience that. One thing I do say after working with him, we, you look around, you're like, why is everybody moving so slow? Like, come on, let's move it. Cause we know it's done faster.
And I had to catch myself to kind of just slow down because I'm so used to running circles around everybody because I worked with him from a PA all the way to an actor.
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Chapter 6: What was it like working with Tyler Perry?
She was like, well, I think I say this. And I go, well, I don't know what you say because when you got to say your thing for me to say my thing. Now, here you go. What is what is going on back there? Oh, my God. Deanna, Sherry, what is going on? We jumped. And I would do it all again.
Yes. Yes. I love it. Well, congratulations. And I cannot wait for it to come out. I'm telling you, the audience is going to have, like our jaw was on the floor. So I'm excited for it. And congratulations again on that. I appreciate it. You've worked with some of your close friends. I work with some of my close friends. What is it like working with close friends and then also setting boundaries?
Because as you've climbed, you've taken people along with you. What is that journey been like?
I love working with my close friends and I've become close friends from working with people that I just love. And like Deval, oh my gosh. Yes. Oh my gosh. He and Kadeen, when I tell you for life, I keep saying to you, we got to get together because there's something about you that my spirit just connects with. Like we'll have a good time.
Yes, we will.
If you invite me over to your house to spend the night. I will. I love how you show the couch. I will have you on my couch. I will.
Yes, I will. Come on over. I got wine. That's it, girl. We can watch movies. What's your favorite movie?
Oh, man. I really want to see Cooley High again. OK, so we can have a Cooley High night. Like an old school night. And what's that one that Ryan Reynolds was in? I like romantic. I love romantic. I don't want nothing scary with nobody breaking in the house and killing you and all of that.
No.
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Chapter 7: How does Sherri Shepherd handle compliments?
What?
Yes. No, exactly. Because people read the they get on the Internet and they start reading these dumb ass sites. How much is this celebrity worth? And if you go on that site, it look like I'm making enough money to take care of the world. Right. I don't know what they're talking about. No. So a lot of as soon as I hear the phone, can you accept a collect call from this cousin? No. No, ma'am.
No, sir.
No money for books.
Putting on the books. Can't do it. Old boyfriends coming back. Old friends coming back that I knew when I was in second grade. Second grade. Not second grade where we could just shoot the breeze and talk about what we're doing and where we're at. Second grade where we shoot the breeze and as I go, okay, it was good talking to you. Hold on. Wait a minute. Sherri, you... Girl, you know, here we go.
Here we go.
Yes. I love that. You spoke on letting certain people go and like they can't, everybody can't come along with you. What are some things that you've had to shed as you continue to ascend?
What are some things that I've had to shed?
Or people or things that you had to realize I can't, this can't come with me.
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Chapter 8: What does Sherri think about being 'Fit Over 50'?
Oh, I love that.
So you have to be around people I feel who are secure, who know... who know who they are in your life. And Tyler said this to me, because I said, Tyler, I asked him about boundaries. And he said, Terry, you got to be friends with people that if you don't talk to them for six months, you can pick that phone back up and y'all can carry on where you left off.
They ain't going, you don't never call me. Why you don't invite me to nothing? That's what I was dealing with. Why I can't go here with you? How come you telling them you not? I couldn't. I was going... And so I started having to go, okay, you're not a person I can take with me. I have to put you in the outer.
Yes. That's it. I've dealt with the same thing as I've gained fame and just navigating friendships. So it's good to know that you were able to find good people like Niecy that you could do life with. And it's so important. I have friends like that too, where I can call her six months. It's never like... You know, acting brand new, nothing like that. It's just like, hey, let's catch up.
Like literally didn't skip a beat.
That's not acting, not acting brand new, but knowing you're busy. You're busy and I understand you're busy, but it's not going to affect our friendship because I'm going to be here so I can tell you what's going on in my life. And you can tell me and we'll and then I understand you can't talk for hours like you used to. Yeah.
You got to go having people in your life because I have other people in my life that I talk to and they're they're busy. They got to be on the set or they got to go and do something. And I go, OK, but I know, you know, I love you and I know you love me. And it's just a very quick but we check in with each other. So I the people in my life, they don't resent. And I'm grateful for that. Yeah.
That's beautiful. I love that. You touched on mental health. What are some things, do you have a therapist? What are some things that you do to really just keep your mental health strong with everything that you have going on? Because I know for me, I dealt with my first anxiety attack last year. just the weight of it all and worried about how am I supposed to keep all this up?
And what if it doesn't last? What if the show gets canceled? All these different thoughts crept in and literally had my first panic attack. And that's when I really got a therapist and really started talking through things and realized that if I'm grounded in my faith, what am I worried about? Flipping ends four and six.
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