Daytime television is going to look a little different heading into next season. Not only is The Kelly Clarkson Show coming to an end as the American Idol winner wants to put more focus on her kids, but Sherri is also ending. In February, the talk show was surprisingly canceled after four seasons, but Sherri Shepherd has remained positive and optimistic. She didn’t hold back on her thoughts on the cancellation, and has shared that she’s not going down without a fight. That sentiment remains true, and here’s what’s next for her.

Just like Stephen Colbert, Shepherd bid farewell to her talk show on Thursday, and while fans won’t be able to tune in to Sherri anymore, she’s not going down so easily. The actress and comedian recently ran into TMZ before signing off from Sherri and was asked if she ever thought about taking the show to YouTube or podcasts. Shepherd admitted that if she started a podcast, she wanted it to be set apart from the millions of other podcasts. But she has thought about it, and other potential opportunities:

Over the last few years, it seems like more and more celebrities are jumping on the podcast train for a lot of different reasons. It sounds like Shepherd hasn’t completely taken it off her plate. It’s just something that she definitely needs to think more about, which she’s doing. Whether or not that will ever actually happen is unknown, but Shepherd is staying busy:

On top of all the meetings she’s doing and finding more projects, Shepherd is actually working on a new movie, Angel in the Rubble, as she told TMZ. She's also got a new Hallmark film, and her new romance novel coming up, so who knows what’s next? That being said, she has been able to do a few projects during Sherri, so it’s not entirely impossible for her to go the podcast or YouTube format if she wanted to try to keep the show going in that way... or do a different show completely.

It’s clear that Sherri means a lot to her, so it wouldn’t be surprising if the show makes a comeback in some way, shape, or form in the future. Since Shepherd is pretty busy right now, it might take some time, but it’s always possible that she could make some time for podcasting. For now, though, Shepherd is prepared to look ahead and keep focused on other projects.

Now that Sherri has officially come to an end, it’s unknown what else Shepherd will be working on, aside from the projects she’s currently doing. She definitely has a lot planned, that’s for sure, and she isn’t slowing down any time soon.

Daytime television will be looking a little different in the near future on the 2026 TV schedule. Kelly Clarkson has decided to end her talk show to focus more on her family, while Fox has canceled Sherri. For Jennifer Hudson, though, her show is staying strong and was even recently renewed for a fifth season, securing The Jennifer Hudson Show’s future for at least another year. Now the EGOT winner is opening up about how it feels to be without her fellow talk show colleagues.

While it’s definitely an exciting time for Hudson knowing that her show is going to come back, it can probably be a conflicting time as well, knowing that two great talk show hosts aren’t going to come back. Hudson admitted to People just how she’s feeling about taking on the extra weight, though she hasn’t exactly thought about it too much just yet:

Despite the fact that the three of them were fighting for the same audience and were in a talk show competition, it’s nice to see Hudson being so supportive of Clarkson and Shepherd. They all know what it’s like to be on both sides of the couch, which is why it was so great to have them hosting their own talk shows. It will be weird when The Kelly Clarkson Show and Sherri eventually end, but Hudson seems ready to make them both proud.

When it was announced that The Kelly Clarkson Show would be ending, Hudson had the best take on it. She gave her fellow successful American Idol alum some well-wishes, telling her that she’s a GOAT. I wouldn’t be surprised if Clarkson ended up appearing on JHud’s show in the future, as well as Shepherd, and perhaps the only thing that would make those appearances better is if Hudson managed to get Clarkson and Shepherd on at the same time.

Meanwhile, Hudson is not the only one whose talk show is still going strong. It was actually just announced that The Drew Barrymore Show has been picked up for two additional seasons, per Variety, keeping the series on the air through at least 2028. So even with two daytime shows down for the count, there are still talk shows to look forward to that will surely keep fans happy.

Speaking of, check out a clip from one of this week's episodes, in which the host addresses the life lesson she keeps stumbling upon.

As of now, it’s unknown exactly when Sherri and The Kelly Clarkson Show will air their final episodes, but the longer fans wait, the longer they will be able to prepare their goodbyes. The final shows will definitely be emotional, but Shepherd and Clarkson are leaving daytime talk television in good hands, even if it wasn’t Shepherd’s own decision to make. Plus, with another season of The Jennifer Hudson Show and two of The Drew Barrymore Show on the way, there is going to be much more to look forward to.

We all know that The View co-hosts can throw some shade, but even since walking away from the table in 2021, Meghan McCain hasn’t had any trouble speaking her mind. This weekend she hit up social media to share her thoughts on current events like watching the Super Bowl halftime show and the recent daytime talk show cancellations, the latter of which included what appears to be a pretty brutal dig at Kelly Clarkson and Sherri Shepherd.

Last week news broke that both The Kelly Clarkson Show and Sherri would not return following the end of their current seasons on the 2026 TV schedule. Meghan McCain seemed to have a strong opinion about the reason for that, as she wrote (via EW) in a since-deleted post on X:

Meghan McCain didn’t mention either Kelly Clarkson or Sherri Shepherd by name, but given that this post came just days after these two major cancellations, it seems fairly simple to connect the dots. She went on to shout out another former talk show host whose style McCain had more of an appreciation for, writing:

It’s strange that Meghan McCain would fire such shots at Kelly Clarkson, who is generally loved for her relatability, but it seems the daughter of late Sen. John McCain prefers talk show hosts who push the envelope, perhaps challenging their guests a little more than the American Idol singer.

Meanwhile, Meghan McCain has had issues with Sherri Shepherd — who also previously co-hosted The View — in the past, which possibly makes the shade easier to explain. Back in 2022, Shepherd trash-talked McCain on Watch What Happens Live, and McCain responded by calling out the “toxic mean girl” reputation on ABC’s award-winning daytime series.

Sherri Shepherd was also the host chosen to replace Wendy Williams when health issues prompted her own series cancellation. Is it possible Kelly Clarkson just got caught in the crosshairs of an old beef? That would be easier to believe if McCain’s post had mentioned just one cancellation and not said, “all these daytime talk shows.”

Kelly Clarkson made the announcement on February 2, saying that stepping away from The Kelly Clarkson Show after seven seasons “will allow me to prioritize my kids, which feels necessary and right for this next chapter of our lives.” Brandon Blackstock, her ex-husband and the father of her two children, died in August after a long battle with cancer.

News of Sherri’s cancellation following Season 4, meanwhile, came just hours later from Ira Bernstein and Mort Marcus, the co-presidents of Debmar-Mercury, who said:

Sherri Shepherd spoke out the following day to thank fans for their support, saying that she had COVID and would “address all of the news that has come out” when she was feeling better.

We don’t yet have end dates for Sherri or The Kelly Clarkson Show, but both will finish out their current seasons and can still be seen each weekday. Check your local listings for time and channel.

Earlier this month, the news came down that Sherri Shepherd’s talk show had been canceled after four seasons. As it currently stands, the show is set to conclude later this year amid the 2026 TV schedule. Last week, Shepherd briefly acknowledged the situation via an Instagram post shared last week in which she thanked fans for their support. The host of Sherri has since, however, addressed the situation on air. With that, Shepherd didn’t hold back her thanks as well as her desire not to give up hope so quickly.

Shepherd – who revealed in that previously mentioned IG post that she was battling COVID – returned to the airwaves for a Sherri taping that was broadcast on Monday, February 9. Eventually, the media personality took some time to discuss the cancellation, and that entire monologue was later posted to YouTube. Shepherd began by discussing the “hard morning” she and her colleagues were having before stating the obvious. Additionally, she also made a bittersweet quip regarding healthcare:

Sherri Shepherd also revealed that she’d taken some time to reflect amid the big development. As she explained, what comes to mind for her is the “outpouring of love” from her various fans, and she shouted out everyone from “the audience to everybody on social media, to people who stopped me in the store and still talk to [her] despite me not having a wig on”. In short, the Dish Nation alum had a considerable amount of gratitude to share for those who’ve supported her. She also added some more sweet sentiments:

After the cancellation of The Wendy Williams Show in 2022, Sherri was greenlit as a replacement. Shepherd – who received advice from Oprah Winfrey and more ahead of her show’s debut – emphasized early on that she wanted to approach the show in a way that wasn’t “mean.” That principle falls in line with the host’s statements about wanting to bring joy to viewers. While Shepherd shared measured thoughts on her show’s demise, she also declared that she wasn’t too keen on letting that joy fade without doing something about it:

Debmar-Mercury attributed Sherri’s cancellation to the change in the daytime TV landscape and emphasized that the move did not reflect the strength of the show itself. It was also said that execs were looking into other ways to utilize Shepherd’s program on alternative platforms. As of this writing, there hasn’t been any further information regarding potential plans for the series, but Shepherd’s comments also reflect the notion of it continuing in some fashion.

The cancellation of Shepherd’s show also coincided with the announcement of The Kelly Clarkson Show’s end after seven seasons. In that situation, it was Clarkson who reportedly made the decision to step away from the program, and she’s reportedly “excited” to have the flexibility to devote more time to her children and other professional endeavors. Years ago, upon Sherri’s premiere, Clarkson shared positive thoughts about having it along with The Jennifer Hudson Show as fellow daytime offerings.

Clarkson’s show will air out its final episodes at the end of the year like Sherri. During her address, Shepherd addressed the final tapings, as she humorously asked that upcoming guests not do anything wild to show “solidarity.” She also joked that she’d keep an eye on her production manager, Norman Baker, and friend and fellow actress, Kim Whitley, so that they don’t take things from the set. All in all, Shepherd seems prepared for what’s to come but also isn’t giving up hope that her show can still carry on in some way.

As the 2026 TV schedule pushes on, we’ve reached the point in the year in which show renewals and cancellations begin to come down the pipeline, and Sherri Shepherd’s series has just been hit with the latter. Sherri, the daytime talk show Shepherd has hosted for several years now, has officially been canceled after four seasons. Fans subsequently spoke out online to share their support for the talk show and its eponymous host. Shepherd herself has since broken her silence with a response I didn’t exactly see coming.

Shepherd saw the various messages of support she received from fans and shared some of them in a post shared to Instagram. That response came a couple of days after the cancellation news came down. In the caption of her post, Shepherd admitted she hadn’t posted right away, because she had been “struggling” over the past few days. However, the reason for those struggles isn’t what fans are likely assuming:

I’m both surprised and sorry to hear the Less Than Perfect alum has been dealing with COVID over the past few days. Considering Shepherd’s health at the moment, it’s even more meaningful that she took some time to shout out her fans in the aftermath of her show’s cancellation. After sharing her response, she also received even more well wishes, including a shoutout from her longtime pal, actress Niecy Nash-Betts:

The cancellation of Sherri was announced this past Monday by Debmar-Mercury, with the decision being attributed not to the quality of the show itself but to the changing daytime TV landscape. Coincidentally, this week, Kelly Clarkson confirmed the end of her talk show, which she reportedly chose to step away from to prioritize her children. Like Clarkson’s show, Shepherd’s is set to air its final episodes near the end of this year. It’s also said that execs are going to look at ways to utilize Shepherd’s series on other platforms.

Sherri Shepherd’s show debuted in 2022 as a replacement for the canceled Wendy Williams Show. At the time, there was a bit of a daytime TV vacuum, given the end of Williams’ series as well as Ellen DeGeneres’ talk show, and Shepherd spoke about filling the “void.” Early on, Kelly Clarkson also shared positive thoughts on Shepherd getting her own show and also praised Jennifer Hudson, whose own talk show premiered in 2022 as well.

Even before landing her own self-titled show, Shepherd was no novice when it came to hosting. From 2006 to 2014, she served as a regular co-host on The View (where she was mentored by Barbara Walters) and won a Daytime Emmy Award in 2009. Shepherd also served as a key host on Dish Nation from 2019 to 2022, with the back half of her tenure coinciding with production on her early episodes of Sherri.

It was late in the summer that television fans found out we’d be without some familiar faces on the 2025 TV schedule because of several cast shakeups at Saturday Night Live for Season 51. Among those who departed was seven-season star Ego Nwodim, and while several new Not Ready for Primetime Players were announced for SNL, there just so happened to be no Black women in the group. Now, comedian/talk show host Sherri Shepherd has sent an open plea to the series to right that wrong.

What Did Sherri Shepherd Say About SNL Needing Black Women Cast Members?

Saturday Night Live has, in its landmark 51 seasons as the reigning sketch comedy series on American TV, launched many comedians into the fame stratosphere. We can count stars like Eddie Murphy, Kristen Wiig, Dan Aykroyd, Amy Poehler, Will Ferrell, Bowen Yang, and dozens more among that number, but the names of Black women rarely show up.

The legendary series recently debuted Season 51 with no Black women in the cast (and only three Black men, but we can get into that later…), and while speaking about the season premiere on her daytime talk show, host Sherri Shepherd said:

The longtime actress/comedian continued, noting that when it came time for the series to parody her era of The View (where she co-hosted for several years), there was no one in the cast to portray her, and longest-running cast member Kenan Thompson had to play Whoopi Goldberg. She also offered some suggestions of fellow comedians who could fit the bill, while adding, “It’s so important. We gotta have representation on that show”

Why SNL Having Black Women In The Cast Matters

OK, let’s start with the obvious: SNL hasn’t exactly been #1 when it comes to on-screen (or behind-the-scenes, I’m guessing) diversity over the decades. There have only been a couple of handfuls of Black performers in the cast overall, the number of Black women is lacking even more, and the numbers are even worse when you look for those with Asian, Indigenous, Middle Eastern, or Latin American ancestry and folks who openly call the LGBTQ+ community home.

Here’s the problem, with about 18-20 performers per season in the modern era of the show, whether they’re regular cast members or only show up here and there, the comedy is regularly leaving out a huge swath of humanity and potential viewpoints in its casting choices.

No one is claiming that white folks and men aren’t funny, but by leaving so many different people out you do suggest that the rest of us couldn’t possibly be funny. Even worse, and where the representation really matters, is that it continues a thousand-plus years of racist patterns of turning everyone who isn’t a straight white guy into an “OTHER,” meaning that we aren’t really recognized as regular-ass members of the human race.

And we all know the truth: WE ARE REGULAR-ASS MEMBERS OF THE HUMAN RACE. We go to work, cry when the people we love die, get angry when assholes cut us off in traffic, achieve great things, make huge mistakes, ask for forgiveness, pretend we haven’t done anything wrong, and have hopes, fears, desires and dreams before every single one of us leaves this planet. Also? We fucking laugh and make others laugh, and just because you don’t care to attempt to locate Black women who’d be good for the show doesn’t mean they aren’t out there.

People, not people of a special class, or race, or ethnic group, etc., make this whole fucking world as we know it go ‘round. So stop pretending Black women (and everyone else) don’t exist. At the very least, do it for the show. You must realize that when Beyoncé drops her next album, or Oprah has a blockbuster interview with Kanye West (or whomever) and it’s not Maya Rudolph’s time to guest host, no one wants to see Kenan or Michael Che portray those women!

Everybody's got their favorite Friends character when it comes to Ross Gellar, Rachel Green, Chandler Bing, Monica Gellar, Phoebe Buffay and Joey Tribbiani. But what about the dozens of other people who came in and out of their lives over the NBC Must See TV show's 10 seasons? Here are 32 side characters from one of the best sitcoms of all time that we still love today:

Janice Litman-Goralnik

Oh. My. God! Chandler's on-off girlfriend Janice Litman-Goralnik (Maggie Wheeler) was nothing short of iconic, and despite all the cute moments Chandler and Monica blessed us with in Friends' later seasons, there is still a contingency of the fandom that thinks he and Janice should have been endgame. 

Carol Willick

Things weren't always easy for Ross (David Schwimmer) and his ex-wife Carol Willick (Jane Sibbett), as the series opened with them navigating not just their divorce, but their unexpected pregnancy and her new relationship. However, they continued to be there for each other when needed — Ross walking Carol down the aisle at her wedding, for instance — and we couldn't help but love her too.

Julie

The six Friends had a lot of girlfriends come and go over the years, but poor Julie (Lauren Tom) was simply a victim of bad timing. She came back into Ross' life just as Rachel was finally reciprocating his years-long crush on her. Julie was never anything but sweet and kind, but nobody could have stood in the way of Ross and Rachel finally getting together.

Richard Burke

Tom Selleck was one of Friends' best guest stars, playing Richard Burke, Monica's fan-favorite Season 2 boyfriend. Forget the fact that he was 21 years older and her dad's best friend. He still fit in just fine with Monica's close-knit friend group, even if Joey and Chandler did see him more as a father figure. Their breakup because Richard didn't want to have more children was truly heartbreaking.

Gunther

No one will ever forget Gunther, the Central Perk barista with hair brighter than the sun. James Michael Tyler stood mostly quietly behind the counter for an impressive 162 episodes, secretly pining for Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) the entire time.

Frank Jr.

Phoebe's half-brother Frank Jr. (Giovanni Ribisi) really seemed to prove which side of the family her wacky personality came from. Frank Jr. was hard to rein in, but he had so much love for his sister, and you can't help but smile at how enthusiastic he was to be having triplets with his wife Alice. Because he never had a dad around, and "now I always will, 'cause, you know, it'll be me!"  

Marcel The Monkey

It was certainly a unique choice of Friends to bring in a pet monkey for Ross. Marcel, who was actually a capuchin named Katie, was a hilarious companion to the newly divorced character in the first season. To this day can Friends fans even hear "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" without thinking of Marcel?

Ugly Naked Guy

It may be strange to love a character whose face we never saw, but Ugly Naked Guy provided quite a few comedic moments for the gang watching him from Monica's apartment.

Rhonda

Sherri Shepherd has said she loved guest starring on Friends as Rhonda, a museum employee who helped Matt LeBlanc's Joey (a new tour guide) navigate the lunchtime situation. Just as Joey was hurt that Ross chose to sit with the other scientists rather than him, we can all understand why Rhonda called out Peter, a fellow employee she'd known since grade school, for the same thing. After all, she shared her pudding with him. She gave him her Snack Pack!

Sandra Green

Marlo Thomas made a few appearances over the years as Rachel's mother Sandra Green, and she was at her best when she was marveling at the life her daughter had created. Sandra had never had to take care of herself, and she admired Rachel for being brave enough to not go through with a wedding to a man she didn't love.

Jack Gellar

Who was more lovable than Ross and Monica's dad Jack? The character, played by Elliott Gould, may have still shown a little favoritism toward Ross, but Jack clearly had a soft spot for his little Harmonica. Fans continue to love him for his musings on being buried at sea, selling ice on the Internet and the sun-dried tomato business. Don't tell me your heart didn't melt when he went to check on Monica (Courteney Cox) after her breakup with Richard.

Estelle Leonard

Estelle Leonard, played by a heavily made-up June Gable, was not the most talented of talent agents, as Joey struggled as an actor possibly more than necessary over the years. However, her exaggerated New York accent and chain-smoking proclivities made for consistent laughs in an unforgettable role.

David

It's hard to believe Hank Azaria appeared in only three episodes as David, the scientist who was forced to move to Minsk (which is not in Russia) so soon after he and Phoebe fell in love. I wouldn't have been upset if she'd ended up with him.

Mike Hannigan

It's hard to argue against Mike Hannigan though. Paul Rudd played a pretty significant role in Seasons 9 and 10, as his character eventually married Phoebe. Mike didn't always understand Phoebe's unconventional ways, but he always allowed her to be herself, even if that meant changing his name to Crap Bag to prove a point to Princess Consuela Banana-Hammock.

Mr. Heckles

Anybody who's ever had a noisy upstairs neighbor can likely relate to Mr. Heckles. Larry Hankin's character was a bizarre one, indeed, as he spent his sporadic appearances either telling Monica and co. to keep it down or insisting that he could have a cat/play the oboe/have birds, etc. According to "The One With the Flashback," we also have Mr. Heckles to thank for Joey and Chandler becoming roommates!

Susan Bunch

Susan Bunch gets a bad rap on Friends, and I honestly don't get it. We all know that Ross was kind of the worst, and nobody got the brunt of his pettiness more than the woman Carol left him for. While their interactions were often strained, Susan was as understanding as possible of Ross' perspective, but she never allowed herself to be pushed aside, especially when it came to Carol or their son Ben, and I love that. 

Eddie

Man alive! Who didn't love this dehydrating maniac? Adam Goldberg played Eddie, Chandler's roommate when Joey temporarily moved into his own place. Eddie didn't always have a strong grasp on reality, and there was really nothing creepier than finding out he liked to sneak into Chandler's room to watch him sleep, but Eddie sure was an amazing character who fans continue to love to this day.

Ursula Buffay

The character of Ursula Buffay originated on Mad About You, with Friends creating Phoebe as her identical twin to justify Lisa Kudrow's appearance on both NBC series. Ursula was the "evil twin" of sorts, just as flighty as Phoebe but with none of the warmth. She was still a heck of a lot of fun to watch.

Leonard Green

It was interesting to get to meet Rachel's dad Leonard Green (Ron Leibman), the man who spoiled his three daughters so shamelessly, but the best part about this character was how ruthless he could be, particularly toward Ross. "Nice hair. What'd you do, swim here?" Classic.

Nora Bing

Like many of the Friends characters, Chandler had a loving but complicated relationship with his mom Nora Bing (Morgan Fairchild), particularly because of her line of work writing erotic novels. But how fun was it for his friends to be able to meet the woman who wrote page 79 of Mistress B... well, never mind.

Jill Green

If there's one thing we learned about Rachel's sisters on Friends, it's that they're used to getting what they want. Reese Witherspoon was a joy to watch as Jill Green, who easily manipulated everyone around her, even dating Ross for no other reason than to prove to Rachel that she could. After all, the only thing she can't have is dairy!

Erica The Birth Mother

Erica (played by Anna Faris) wasn't the brightest crayon in the box, but she made the process of Monica and Chandler adopting her twins extremely easy for them, despite the fact that they lied to her about their identities during their first meeting.

Erika The Obsessed Fan

Brooke Shields went way over the top to play Erika, Joey's stalker who somehow didn't understand that his soap opera character Drake Ramoray didn't exist in the real world. Her hand-licking scene lives in infamy, and who didn't love watching her throw water in Joey's face after she saw him kissing another character on Days of Our Lives? 

Paul Stevens

Things could have gotten all kinds of weird when Rachel started dating Paul Stevens (Bruce Willis), the father of Ross' girlfriend Elizabeth. Oh, and they definitely did get weird, but one can't blame Paul for giving himself that mirror pep talk before he continued his romantic weekend with Rachel. Everybody needs a little reminder that they're a neat guy (and a love machine).

Parker

Alec Baldwin guest-starred as Phoebe's date Parker in Season 8, and how could you not love how excited he got about every little thing? The brake lights were "aglow with the light of a thousand fairies!" The Long Island Expressway was "a concrete miracle!" Parker, I just want to take a mental picture of you ... click!

Pete Becker

Who hasn't dreamed of being pursued by a multi-millionaire? Jon Favreau guest-starred in six episodes as Pete Becker, and I can't even be mad that he tried to woo Monica by leaving $20,000 tips and whisking her away to Rome for pizza on their first date. Too bad their relationship couldn't withstand Pete's dream of becoming the Ultimate Fighting Champion.

Amy Green

While Rachel's sister Jill was defined by her manipulative personality, Amy Green was the very definition of self-centered. Christina Applegate's character couldn't be bothered to learn anyone's name (even Rachel's daughter Emma), constantly mistook Ross for a guy who worked at the falafel stand and somehow still thought she would get custody of Emma if something happened to Ross and Rachel. Talk about a character you loved to hate!

Judy Gellar

Christina Pickles appeared 19 times in Friends' 10 seasons as Monica and Ross' mom Judy, and while the micro-aggressions she hurled at Monica were pretty brutal, it was downright hilarious to see what aspect of her daughter's life she would nit-pick next: The un-fluffed pillow? The "easy" lasagna she made for dinner? Still not having a boyfriend? It was a lot, but it was relatable to a lot of Friends viewers.

Mr. Treeger

Sure, Mr. Treeger made Rachel cry that one time, but he wasn't exactly wrong in calling her out for being spoiled. As far as building superintendents go Michael G. Hagerty's character was a pretty nice one, not evicting Monica from the apartment she was apparently living in illegally. He also had a great storyline where he learned to dance so he could impress a woman he liked at the Super Ball.

Alice Knight

If you can get past the age difference between Frank Jr. and his wife Alice Knight (Debra Jo Rupp), and the fact that he was her student (her BEST student, obviously), the love between them was so undeniable. In pretty much all of their appearances together, they couldn't keep their hands off of each other, and that's one of the things that made Alice such a great side character.

Charlie Wheeler

Ross and Joey each had a lot of girlfriends over the series' 10 seasons, and they both dated Aisha Tyler's Charlie Wheeler. One can certainly see how they'd both be attracted to her, as she was brilliant, beautiful and pretty funny too. Frankly it was also nice to see a Black character with a major storyline.

Kathy

It's a little surprising that Kathy is so beloved by Friends fans, given the fact that she ultimately cheated on both Joey and Chandler. But the Joey situation was just unfortunate, because he was dating other people too, and Paget Brewster's on-screen chemistry with Matthew Perry was simply electric. I join many other Friends fans in wishing she and Chandler had lasted longer ... and ended differently.

Friends may have aired its final episode decades ago, but you know what they say: I'll be there for you, and that includes all of the beloved side characters that we met along the way. You can revisit any of your favorite episodes and guest stars, as all 10 seasons are available to stream with a Max subscription.

A top executive of the Sherri show has been found dead during an investigation into financial irregularities on the show. Matt Uzzle was an executive-in-charge of the daytime talk show hosted by Sherri Shepard, who was reportedly found dead on February 13, though information is only coming to light now. While authorities are not commenting on the open investigation, at least one report is claiming the death was by suicide.

Page Six says that Uzzle was under investigation by the show at the time of his death. His responsibilities on Sherri included dealing with the show's finances, and it seems there were some serious problems there. 

Reportedly the rent on the New York studio where Sherri was taped had not been paid since September and there were also concerns regarding petty cash, though it’s not clear exactly what those concerns were. The issues were brought to the attention of the parent company that owns the Sherri show, and an investigation was launched. 

Some reports cite sources that were afraid that Sherri might end up being canceled due to the financial problems, though others claim things were not so dire. It does seem that when the parent company launched an investigation, many behind-the-scenes became seriously concerned about the show's future. 

The report claims that Uzzle told investigators he needed some time to get the paperwork together regarding the financial questions. After people lost touch with Uzzle and hadn’t heard from him in a few days, a welfare check was performed by police, where he was found dead. 

Matt Uzzle had been the executive-in-charge since the days of The Wendy Williams Show. Sherri Shepard took over the show in 2022 following Williams’ departure for health reasons, and much of the crew behind the camera simply moved on from one show to the other, a move which reportedly caused tension on the new Sherri show.  The show included an “in memoriam” to Uzzle on February 15, but beyond that, the exec’s death hasn’t been major news. 

While the timing of the investigation and the death are certainly coincidental, we certainly shouldn’t jump to conclusions until more information is known. There are many questions left unanswered in the wake of Uzzle’s death, and it’s unclear if there will ever be answers. 

The Sherri parent company, Debmar-Mercury, told Page Six it had retained legal counsel as part of its investigation into the financial issues, and until we get more details from both that investigation and the one from the police, it will be impossible to know for certain what has happened here.

Whatever the full story, a man has died and there will be those mourning his death. Matt Uzzle had worked in daytime TV since at least 1994, with jobs on Maury and The Montel Williams Show before working on The Wendy Williams Show.  

Few people have had quite the year that Jamie Foxx has seen. The actor was rushed to a hospital earlier this year following some sort of medical emergency and while there’s still a lot we don’t know about what happened to him, Foxx has been more visible in recent weeks and so what is clear is that he is on the road to recovery. And he's got plenty of fans and celebs behind him.

Foxx posted a message to Instagram as yet another update on his own status, saying that he’s “finally starting to feel like myself,” which certainly sounds wonderful. He also expresses his thanks for all the well wishes that he received from so many friends and fans, saying that they truly did help, and he hopes to thank everybody who supported him in person down the road.

Foxx’s update received a lot of positive responses from those friends. Among them, is Jeremy Renner, who has seen his own share of physical trials in the last few months following Renner's snowplow accident that broke several bones and has led to a significant recovery of his own. Renner and Foxx are also supposed to appear in a live-action Spawn movie down the road. Renner said… 

Following the initial report of Foxx’s hospitalization fans and friends had little idea what was happening. Foxx said later in a video that he didn’t want people to see him in the state he was in following the incident, so he remained out of the public eye during his initial recovery. 

What the underlying condition was is still not officially known. In an interview, Mike Tyson stated Foxx had a stroke, which would be consistent with what little we know but has not been confirmed. What’s clear is that people are happy Foxx is recovering so well. Sherri Shepard posted a comment saying simply…

In the same way that we still have many questions about what happened to Foxx, we have many questions about when he can return to something like a regular work schedule. Foxx had to step aside as the host of Beat Shazam for the new season, and we don’t know the fate of various upcoming Jamie Foxx movies. Some may be put on hold until he has ready, others may look at recasting, and still, others may die on the vine without him.

Of the many people Foxx thanked in his recent post was God. He clearly feels that some higher power helped him through and one friend who supports that is fellow Oscar winner Octavia Spencer, who said…

Now that Foxx is willing and able to say more, we’re likely to be able to follow his recovery closely through Instagram, much in the same way we have with Jeremy Renner. It’s wonderful to see them both doing so well. 

The View audiences have witnessed myriad moments that might be considered problematic for many other series, so whenever something goes down that’s considered controversial or questionable even by the show’s own standards, you know it’s a doozy. And it sounds like all of those moments represented exactly the kind of TV that former executive producer Bill Geddie intended to deliver when he co-created the show with Barbara Walters back in 1997. Sadly, Geddie passed away on July 20 at the age of 68, and the daytime talk show dedicated part of its July 24 episode to his memory, with moderator Whoopi Goldberg and former co-host Sherri Shepherd recalling the times when he stood supportively in their corner during their respective comments about the Holocaust and the shape of the Earth. 

Whoopi Goldberg and Sherri Shepherd both joined The View’s table in 2007, which followed the prior exits of Meridith Vieira, Star Jones, and Rosie O’Donnell. And it didn’t take long at all for both to fall victim to their own mouths, albeit at different times, with the EGOT winner sharing that she wasn’t a full week into the gig before she came under fire for defending NFLer Michael Vick for his illegal dogfighting sitch, but that she didn’t need to worry about being hung out to dry by Bill Geddie. In her words:

Goldberg, who remained visibly emotional throughout the entire in-memory segment (if not the whole episode), also spoke to the point in February 2022 when she was suspended by ABC over comments about the Holocaust, a rare move for the show’s producers. And she said that Bill Geddie, who’d stepped down from executive producer duties in 2014, sent her a personal message of support that didn’t quantify or qualify what she said, but voiced that she had every right to say it. She continued: 

After Whoopi Goldberg's kind words, which also included loving references to Geddie being cranky and old, Sherri Shepherd spoke up about having her own memorably disastrous-in-the-moment incident play out during her early days on The View. As fans will no doubt remember, that's when the stand-up comedian got lost in the midst of the conversation and appeared as if she was clueless about the shape of the planet. The Sherri host championed the former EP for always having her back and being a huge reason why she landed on the show to begin with as someone without much background in anything The View was already known for. Here's how she put it:

Now, was it weird that he didn't want this intelligent woman to go back and clear up the fact that she did, in fact, know that the pale blue dot is dot-shaped? It's not not weird, but perhaps the point was more that Geddie didn't want the hosts of The View to spend time worrying about the negative ways in which their points came across, since speaking one's mind is the entire purpose of sitting at the table. And if Shepherd took it as a positive, then that's how it I'll take it. 

She also spoke to Geddie being overtly blunt and harsh with her at times, but that he put the same energy into pushing her forward, offering advice, and providing opportunities. In her words:

Though she wasn't speaking about a response to anything controversial, Sunny Hostin provided her own anecdote about Bill Geddie that spoke plenty about his continued dedication to The View. She recalled his comments about her audition for the show, where he stressed that she not to be a spectator during the conversations, but an active participant. She followed by revealing he messaged her up as recently as two weeks prior to her death, saying:

The View airs weekday mornings on ABC, with eps available to stream with a Hulu subscription, though only for a week before they expire. We at CinemaBlend send our thoughts and condolences to the family and friends of Bill Geddie during their time of mourning.

Sunny Hostin has been a staple on The View since joining in 2016. One could argue that she's one of the show's most recognizable pundits at this points. (Especially since she's shared notable thoughts that have earned mixed reactions from her co-hosts and viewers alike.) Some may remember that Hostin was pretty much a TV newbie when she joined the long-running daytime program. As a result, when she was brought on, she didn’t quite have a grasp on the financial aspect of the business. Luckily, there was former co-host Sherri Shepard, who helped Hostin get more money when she was tapped for the program.

Sherri Shepard was a host on the ABC daytime chatfest from 2007 to 2014. So she only worked with Sonny Hostin during her final season, during which Hostin was a guest commentator. It was apparently during that time that Shepard gave the then-newly minted co-host some inside information on The View. The two TV personalities spoke about the shared moment while Hostin appeared as a guest on Sherri, where she expressed her gratitude:

That was definitely lovely of Sherri Shepard to fill Sunny Hostin in on how she should be compensated for her work on the highly watched daytime TV offering. One gets the impression that the insight was invaluable for her, especially since she came from a somewhat different news arena. Before sitting on The View panel full-time, Hostin had only served as a legal contributor on network and cable news. So this was her first real experience with consistent work within the television sphere.

Sherri Shepard was only paying it forward as former co-host Rosie O’Donnell -- who recently recalled her feud with Elisabeth Hasselbeck -- had done the same for her before she signed her first contract. It pretty much goes without saying that the ABC show gets a lot of criticism for the alleged in-fighting amongst its personalities. So it's really sweet to hear positive stories about them such as these.

Today, Sunny Hostin seems to be a pro when it comes to being on the air and making her voice heard on numerous topics. She’s opened up about representing women of color on TV every day. and, more recently, she addressed former co-host Meghan McCain’s viral criticisms of the talk show. The media pundit also dropped her thoughts on former CNN anchor Don Lemon’s firing. Hostin seems to have plenty of confidence as both a TV star and businesswoman and, when it comes to the latter, we can give a major thanks to Sherri Shepard.

Viewers can hear what Sunny Hostin had to say by watching The View on ABC at 11 a.m. EST every weekday. Also, learn when other daytime talk shows air by checking out CinemaBlend's 2023 TV schedule.

Sherri Shepherd has been bringing her comedic background to the world of daytime TV since last September, when her talk show Sherri officially replaced The Wendy Williams Show. She had hoped to create a friendly environment, where her celebrity guests wouldn’t have to fear a “gotcha” moment and could instead enjoy a fun and positive experience. It must be working, because Sherri celebrated its 100th episode earlier this month and has been renewed for another season. However, the host knows that without some tough lessons, her current career wouldn’t be possible, and she recently reflected on spending time in prison.

Back in the early 1990s, at the beginning of her career, the standup comedian/actress spent eight days in prison for owing $10,000 in unpaid moving violations. She recalled what that experience taught her, telling Page Six: 

Sherri Shepherd has spoken in the past about the struggles she faced in the early years of her acting career, including being homeless for a year and having her car repossessed. Serving time apparently impressed on her the importance of making sure her bills were taken care of, and she credited one of the women she met in jail with recognizing the potential Shepherd had to overcome her circumstances. It’s tough to think that had she not gone through that experience, she might not have gone on to find the success she has today.

It’s not altogether surprising that Sherri Shepherd would take a seemingly negative experience and turn it into a life lesson. In fact, learning seems to be pretty important to the former co-host of The View. When preparing to debut her own talk show — after filling in as a guest host on the final season of Wendy Williams’ show amidst her health struggles — Shepherd sought out the advice of some pretty big names in the interview game.

Sherri Shepherd said she took 15 pages of notes when she met with Oprah Winfrey ahead of her show’s premiere. The Queen of All Media advised the comedian not to worry about the ratings, but rather focus on the energy she put out to her audience. 

The actress was also able to pick the brain of Barbara Walters, her former colleague on The View, who died in December. As Sherri Shepherd prepared to fly solo with her own show, Walters told her to be curious about people and never take “no” for an answer. 

There’s definitely something to be said for Sherri Shepherd listening to those around her — whether that’s Oprah freaking Winfrey or the bonds she formed in jail — and learning the importance of keeping her finances in check is definitely a lesson that has paid off.

Check your local listings to see when and where to catch Sherri in syndication in your area, and be sure to take a peek at our 2023 TV schedule to see what new and returning shows are premiering soon. 

While contestants on shows like Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! likely don’t want to make embarrassing mistakes in front of those shows’ hosts like Pat Sajak and Ken Jennings, it’s a whole different ball game where Family Feud is concerned. Like no other game show host out there, Steve Harvey absolutely loves to troll derpy contestants and their awkward, revealing, and/or NSFW guesses. And it’s hardly a rarity, especially as the questions being posed have become all the more salacious in nature. Though the subject matter is watered down a bit for star-studded eps of Celebrity Family Feud, there’s definitely still room for regrettable answers, as talk show host Sherri Shepherd is all too aware. 

Steve Harvey stopped by as a guest on Sherri this week, where things quickly and hilariously took a downward turn for Shepherd after Family Feud came up, as he ranked her among the worst celebrity contestants to ever take the stage. Which, even said in jest, is something of a slap in the face, given just how terrible some of the celebrity contestants have been in recent years. (And yeah, I’m looking right at you, Boyz II Men’s Shawn Stockman.) 

As Sherri Shepherd was in the midst of thanking Harvey for having her family on the primetime telecast, the comedian stopped her from continuing, laughing as he said:

At this point, he shared the clip from Shepherd’s Celebrity Family Feud ep against Ian Ziering, in which her very first response during the Face Off set things off. (Note that the uppercase letters are very much indicative of how loudly she voiced her answer.)

• Steve: Name something a lady cop might do to her husband in the bedroom.
• Sherri: CUT HIS PENIS OFF!!!

Understandably, that answer had everyone in the studio more than a little stunned, and it was just as fun to see Harvey and Shepherd’s reactions to seeing the clip again. After the video, the Feud host questioned Shepherd’s instincts with a magnificently logical observation.

To her credit, the Sherri star attempted to blame her nervousness for why she shared such a wild answer, but Harvey wasn’t having any of it, saying he knew her too well, and that it was definitely personal. She even tried sweet-talking her way back to his good side, saying she’d love to be invited back, and that she bought the home edition. To which Harvey told her she could play the game at her house. Presumably without any cutlery nearby. 

Check out the Sherri clip below!

Family Feud airs weekdays in syndication, so be sure to check your local listings to see when and where it plays in your area. Celebrity Family Feud, which capped off its most recent season with an extended episode featuring the Jackass cast, was renewed for a ninth season by ABC this week. While waiting for that season to arrive later this year, head to our 2023 TV premiere schedule to see what’ll be popping up before then.

Barbara Walters, a revered television journalist who pioneered the way for so many women in journalism, died at age 93. Walters was a big name in the news industry who spent decades in the limelight interviewing some of the biggest names around the world. She was an inspiration to many, so it's no surprise that shortly after the news of her death broke, notable names like Oprah Winfrey, Sherri Shepherd and more paid tribute to her. 

Not long after a representative for Barbara Walters confirmed the journalist passed away in her home surrounded by friends and family, celebrities began to share their tributes for the reporter and the legacy she left behind. Oprah Winfrey, a fellow icon and a journalist with many impressive accolades of her own, said on Instagram that a trailblazer like Walters made it possible for the success she's celebrated to this day: 

Actress and former co-host on The View Sherri Shepherd also shared that she owed her success to Barbara Walters, but she also had a more personal experience with the late journalist. Shepherd referred to Walters as a "mother lion" who often defended her and fellow co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck, someone that fans know Walters occasionally butted heads with. She also wrote that Walters was a great mentor even when she was tough: 

Another one of Barbara Walters' former colleagues on The View, Star Jones, paid tribute to the woman she considered a friend. Jones, who was one of the founding members of The View alongside Walters, Debbie Matenopoulos, Meredith Vieira, and Joy Behar, noted that she owed her friend a lot: 

Many notable broadcast journalists also shared their thoughts following the loss of Barbara Walters, such as ABC World News Tonight anchor and 20/20 co-anchor David Muir. The anchor noted some of the strong adjectives the world is using to describe Walters, and he reminded everyone that all of those adjectives are valid: 

ABC's Good Morning America host Robin Roberts also paid her respects to Barbara Walters, and she spoke about her kindness. Roberts recalled a time when they both spoke at an event, and how quickly Walters responded when she sent her a gift: 

Dan Rather spoke about the impact that Barbara Walters had on the world of journalism, and how she worked hard to gain the standing she had in the industry. Rather put it best perhaps when he mentioned that Walters left the world better after a long and celebrated career. 

CNN host and frequent New Year's Eve correspondent Don Lemon shared a more personal tribute to Barbara Walters, perhaps aware that many would speak on her impact and accolades throughout her career. Lemon instead talked about what a joy she was to be around at dinner parties, and that he enjoyed her company: 

These are just a few of the many tributes to Barbara Walters on the internet, and one can imagine that the coming days will bring more tributes from her former co-workers, notable celebrities, and maybe even former presidents she's interviewed. The celebration of Walters' life will continue and further acknowledge the massive impact she left not just on journalism but the world at large. 

CinemaBlend would like to offer its condolences to the family and friends of Barbara Walters, and we wish them well during this time. Here's hoping there's more celebration of her legacy in the new year, and more people are inspired to do great things after seeing her work. 

Sherri Shepherd certainly made sure she was prepared before embarking on the first season of Sherri, her new daytime talk show. The comedian/actress served as a guest host on The Wendy Williams Show during its final season, before Debmar-Mercury decided she would permanently replace the longtime host with a series bearing her own name. Determined to not squander such an opportunity, Shepherd recalled the expert advice that she got from her fellow former co-host on The View, Barbara Walters, about interviewing people.

There are likely few better people to glean wisdom from when it comes to on-camera interviews than Barbara Walters. Sherri Shepherd had the privilege of co-hosting The View with her during Shepherd’s seven-year stint on the daytime TV staple, and she shared with CinemaBlend just how priceless that learning experience was for her. The Sherri host said: 

Not only did Sherri Shepherd take away some key advice regarding how to approach interview subjects, but the daytime talk show host said Barbara Walters even gave her advice on her voice to better her chances of success. She took those words to heart and, now, she knows what she has to offer, and she’s confident that she conveys that in the pitch of her voice. Shepherd continued: 

Barbara Walters wasn’t the only media giant who advised Sherri Shepherd ahead of her talk show debut. Shepherd said she took 15 pages of notes when picking the brain of Oprah Winfrey. The “Queen of All Media” told the Sherri host that the energy of the show was her responsibility and that the audience would give back to her the energy she put out.

Good energy definitely seemed to be in line with what the new host wanted for her show, as she said she was leaning into kindness and laughter. She said she was creating a celebrity-friendly environment, where guests wouldn’t have to worry about a “gotcha-moment.”

Sherri made its premiere in syndication on September 12, so check your local listings to find out the time and channel where you can catch the titular host in action. Also be sure to check out CinemaBlend's 2022 TV schedule to keep up with all of the upcoming premieres. 

It’s been a whirlwind year for comedian/actress Sherri Shepherd. The former co-host of The View was one of many to step in last year to guest host when Wendy Williams found herself too beset with health problems to host her beloved, eponymous daytime talker, and soon became a favorite with viewers. Now that Sherri has taken over the timeslot previously owned by the “How you doin’” host’s show, though, there’s reported drama behind the scenes with some of Williams’ former employees. 

What’s Going On With Sherri Shepherd’s Show And Wendy Williams’ Former Staffers? 

When it became clear that the frequently controversial daytime host wouldn’t be able to return for Season 13 of her show at all, and there was also no word on whether or not she’d be up for a potential Season 14, Williams’ show was canceled and Sherri was set in its place. That new series hit the airwaves early this week, but according to The U.S. Sun, there are those who came to the freshman talker from The Wendy Williams Show who now worry they’ll be replaced. An anonymous source told the outlet:

If you’re wondering why supervising producer Norman Baker and co-executive producer Suzanne Bass were simply referred to by their first names in the above comment, it’s because fans of their former show knew the two well. For much of the time Williams was on the air, as long as Baker and Bass were present for a taping, both were seen on camera during episodes, with them usually interacting with the host either during the Hot Topics segment (Baker) or during the opening moments (Bass). 

However, when Sherri debuted, neither producer was seen on the series, which left fans missing them, and has possibly led to those staffers, especially, not feeling very secure in their positions with the new show. 

Obviously, there were a lot of moving pieces and quite a bit of confusion that surrounded the creation of this show, which could lead to a divide between new staffers and those who transferred from the previous series. Prior to her missing the final season, there had been increasing controversies over her on-camera behavior and rumors about how she acted behind the scenes. An executive behind the show even admitted recently that when they’d survey the audience about the host, they’d note that they watched daily, but also that Williams was “so mean to people.”

It makes sense that Shepherd would want to separate herself from Williams, particularly with regard to what viewers see on her show, but only time will tell if she continues to employ those who worked on the series she’s now replaced. 

Over the years, The View has welcomed a wide array of panelists, who’ve varied in terms of popularity. Meghan McCain is arguably one of the polarizing personalities that the long-running talk show has ever featured. The media pundit received much backlash during her co-hosting stint and on occasion, she still receives critiques today. To that point, fellow View alum Sherri Shepherd threw a little trash talk her way just this week. McCain does seem to understand why the media personality would throw shade but, at the same time, she slammed their former TV show for having a “toxic mean girl” sort of nastiness. 

Sherri Shepherd made comments about Meghan McCain during a recent appearance on Watch What Happens Live. While speaking with host Andy Cohen, she stated that she keeps in touch with pretty much every host of The View, except for McCain. Shepherd also referred to the Daily Mail columnist as the most “disappointing guest” to appear during her own tenure on the chat show. Shortly after that interview, Cohen caught up with McCain on his Sirius XM show, where she explained why the comments about staying in touch don’t bother her. She also shared her take on why Shepherd shared those sentiments:

The Daytime Emmy winner does indeed have a new talk show on the way, one that serves as a replacement for The Wendy Williams Show. So the host has been making the rounds as of late, promoting her show and explaining how it will differ from Williams’ and other programs. With the press tour in mind, Meghan McCain seems to think that her fellow View alum is simply trying to drum up buzz. During the same interview, she went on to claim that the star’s actions line up with the mentality that’s allegedly present on the ABC show:

Meghan McCain has been very candid about her experiences on The View, from opening up about being booed to admitting that she didn’t always see eye-to-eye with Whoopi Goldberg and others. The daughter of the late U.S. Senator John McCain joined the show in 2017 and made her highly publicized exit in 2021. McCain subsequently revealed candid details about her View experience and exit, including a comment made by co-host Joy Behar that ultimately contributed to her decision to depart the program. 

So if there’s anything we can gather from Meghan McCain’s comments, it’s that she isn’t really close to Sherri Shepherd. And of course, it’s only become clearer that McCain doesn’t have much love for the highly-watched show that she co-hosted for four years. 

The View airs weekdays at 11 p.m. ET on ABC as part of the 2022 TV schedule.

Kelly Clarkson may be taking over the coveted time slot that Ellen DeGeneres and Oprah Winfrey previously held, but her domination of daytime TV is not guaranteed. While this spring marked the end for such talk show hosts as Wendy Williams, who was replaced after 13 seasons amid health struggles, and Nick Cannon, whose show was canceled after just one season, this fall brings the debut of some new faces to the game in Sherri Shepherd and Jennifer Hudson. Clarkson spoke about her new competition, saying she really doesn’t feel like she’s being pit against them.

Season 4 of The Kelly Clarkson Show will premiere on Monday, September 12. That’s the same day that Sherri and The Jennifer Hudson Show will air premiere episodes. While the trio may be fighting for some of the same audience, Kelly Clarkson told Variety she couldn’t be happier about the opportunity that all three of the women have. She said:

Talk about positivity! The original American Idol champion said that she, Sherri Shepherd and Jennifer Hudson all have the chance to bring something different to daytime television, and I’ve got to say that I love to see women supporting other women on this level. Shepherd seems to be on a similar wavelength to Clarkson, as she has spoken recently about wanting to stay away from the negativity that can sometimes be found on talk shows. Feedback from audiences of The Wendy Williams Show pointed out how “mean” the namesake host could be, and Shepherd hopes to create a more celebrity-friendly environment. 

You can count J-Hud right in there with them when it comes to those positive vibes. The Season 3 American Idol contestant said she hopes her audiences find inspiration from The Jennifer Hudson Show and “feel on top of the world by the time they leave.”

All three hosts seem to be ready to bring some really good energy to their upcoming seasons, and it will be interesting to see how their individual personalities play into their interviews and other segments. While Kelly Clarkson will definitely continue to incorporate music into her revamped talk show, Sherri Shepherd looks forward to filling a void in daytime TV with her background in comedy. EGOT winner Jennifer Hudson, for her part, has endless talents to display, so be it music, theater or something else, audiences should have a good variety to choose from.

They won’t have to wait long, either. The Kelly Clarkson Show, Sherri and The Jennifer Hudson Show are set to premiere on Monday, September 12, so check your local listings for time and channel. Also be sure to check out our 2022 TV Schedule to see what other premieres are coming up soon.

The day is fast approaching for Sherri Shepherd to debut her new talk show, and she’s excited to finally be taking over the time slot previously held by Wendy Williams with her own show, rather than just serving as a guest host. The comedian/actress has some big ideas when it comes to what she wants Sherri to accomplish, and it sounds like she’s getting advice from the right person to make those things happen. Shepherd opened up about the wise words she was offered from none other than Oprah Winfrey about how to find success in the daytime TV realm.

Sherri is set to premiere on Monday, September 12, as a replacement for The Wendy Williams Show, which was canceled after its 13th season when the eponymous host was unable to appear for the final season due to health issues. Sherri Shepherd filled in for Williams as a guest host, but now that she’s set to call all her own shots, she took advantage of the opportunity to pick the brain of one of the most famous talk show hosts in TV history. Shepherd recalled to EW the advice she got from Oprah:

If Oprah says to bring the energy, you can bet that Sherri Shepherd will do just that. For one thing, I can imagine that following any advice “The Queen of All Media” sends your way would be a good idea. But also, Shepherd’s background in stand-up comedy proves that she already knows how to engage her audience. In fact, she’s said that with Ellen DeGeneres ending her show after 19 seasons, she has the opportunity to fill that void of a daytime talk show hosted by a comedian.

Sherri Shepherd was apparently able to glean a good bit of advice from Oprah Winfrey, as she said she took multiple pages of notes during her audience with the iconic host. She said:

I can only imagine the gems that Oprah Winfrey dropped, and Sherri Shepherd must feel pretty fortunate to have those words of wisdom. Shepherd already had some ideas about how her show will differ from Wendy Williams’. She wants a celebrity-friendly atmosphere, where her guests won’t have to worry about a “gotcha” moment. Audience feedback suggested that some people thought Williams was “mean,” but that is not something Shepherd plans to carry over to Sherri. Perhaps that will help her attract A-listers including Michelle Obama, Meryl Streep and, of course, Oprah Winfrey herself. 

Sherri is set to make its debut in syndication on Monday, September 12, so check your local listings for time and channel. You can also check out these movies and shows to watch if you love Oprah Winfrey.

Sherri Shepherd is mere weeks away from debuting her new daytime talk show Sherri, Debmar-Mercury’s replacement for The Wendy Williams Show, which was canceled after its 13th season amid the host’s health struggles. Shepherd served as one of many guest hosts in the outgoing series' final season, which ultimately won her the opportunity to lead her own chat-friendly project. Because not only did the company reportedly see good ratings for episodes with the comedic actress running thangs, but audience members’ feedback regarding Wendy Williams herself also played a part in Shepherd being named the official replacement.

As it became increasingly obvious that Wendy Williams would not be able to return to work while dealing with medical issues, Debmar-Mercury co-president Ira Bernstein told THR that he and others began looking at their longer-term options. Along with needing a host who could bring their own style and personality, they wanted to be sure to retain as much of the impressively large crowds who already tuned in for The Wendy Williams Show as possible. Feedback from her hardcore fans and critics helped them do that, with Bernstein saying:

It was important to Debmar-Mercury that whoever take over for Wendy Williams “fill that niche about gossip and entertainment,” so her audience would continue to tune in, and Sherri Shepherd seemed the right fit to do that in a more celebrity-friendly way than Williams had, the co-president said.

While Wendy Williams’ strong opinions and fearless attitude was part of what attracted so many fans, apparently some of it came off as “mean” to some within her audience. (To be fair, that's also why another section of her fanbase liked her so much.) But “mean” is something Sherri Shepherd says she is not going to do. The former View co-host has said her guests will not have to worry about facing a “gotcha-moment” — which is pretty important if she hopes to attract the caliber of celebrity on her wish list, which includes Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey and Meryl Streep. 

Another aspect Sherri Shepherd hopes to bring to daytime TV is her comedy background. With Ellen DeGeneres ending her award-winning talk show after 19 seasons, an opening was created for hosts with stand-up comedy experience, and that’s a “void” Shepherd is excited to fill. Not that comedians aren't sometimes known for being mean themselves, even outside of Roast specials, but Shepherd has experience with speaking confrontationally without becoming disrespectful. 

Sherri is just one addition to the ever-changing landscape of daytime TV. The Jennifer Hudson Show will also make its debut in September, with the EGOT winner joining fellow American Idol veteran Kelly Clarkson in the talk show universe. Sherri Shepherd’s former colleagues on The View also added two conservative-leaning co-hosts for their 26th season in Alyssa Farah Griffin and Ana Navarro.

With so much happening, be sure to stay tuned to our 2022 TV Schedule for all of the premiere dates, and check your local listings to see what time and on which channel you can find Sherri in syndication when it premieres Monday, September 12. 

Fans have had the opportunity to see a bit of what Sherri Shepherd will bring to the table with her new talk show through her stints as a co-host on The View and guest host on The Wendy Williams Show. But the comedian/actress insists we haven’t seen all she has to offer, saying she’s going to fill a void on daytime TV. As we inch closer to that September premiere date, we’re learning more about the tone Sherri is going to take in comparison to Wendy Williams’ show. We know Shepherd’s going to bring her standup background, but one thing she’s not going to be is mean.

While Wendy Williams was famous for giving her unfiltered opinions on all things pop culture, Sherri Shepherd told Daily Mail she plans to keep the vibes positive when she hopefully welcomes a number of big celebrity names to her show. She said:

Creating that safe space for celebrities is likely the first step to drawing the caliber of guest Sherri Shepherd hopes to attract. Her dream guest is former first lady Michelle Obama (Shepherd said she wouldn’t mind “the guy that she is married to” accompanying her either), but she’s already got a whole list in mind. She said: 

Sherri Shepherd is aiming high, and why shouldn’t she? The longtime comedian was named Wendy Williams’ official replacement in February, with Debmar-Mercury announcing TWWS’s 13th season would be its last. Shepherd has expressed her gratitude for the doors that guest-hosting on that show opened for her, but said that nobody can recreate what Williams did. 

Even while continuing to show her predecessor love, the new host admitted she has not talked to Wendy Williams and the two women are not friends. She did co-host The Wendy Williams Show’s series finale, which aired a video to honor its namesake host but did not feature Williams herself. There’s been much criticism that Williams did not get the tribute she deserved, with Williams’ ex-husband Kevin Hunter speaking out to call the sendoff a “travesty.” 

It’s no wonder Sherri Shepherd wants to focus on positivity moving forward, and fans don’t have too much longer to wait. Sherri premieres on Monday, September 12, in syndication, so check your local listings to find the time and channel. Also be sure to check out our 2022 TV Schedule to see when all of your favorite shows are returning. 

The daytime TV landscape is going to look pretty different when the new and returning talk shows start premiering this fall. This year has seen a bevy of new host announcements, cancellations and, of course, Sherri Shepherd’s takeover of Wendy Williams' slot in the schedule. But as Sherri gets set to premiere, with hopes of filling what Shepherd thinks is a “void” in daytime TV, Jennifer Hudson is not to be overlooked, as a new promo for her talk show proves she’s got big aspirations.

Jennifer Hudson, who recently celebrated a major career milestone by completing her EGOT, is set to make her daytime talk show hosting premiere with The Jennifer Hudson Show this September. A first look at JHud’s show made it look like viewers are in for some singing (naturally) and plenty of fun, and in a new promo the host discusses her high hopes. According to Hudson herself: 

How better to help fans find their superpower than by displaying her own? We are definitely expecting to see some singing on The Jennifer Hudson Show, much in the same way that fellow American Idol veteran Kelly Clarkson does with her soon-to-be-revamped daytime talk show. We’ll have to wait and see just how much she shows off her pipes, but either way it sounds like JHud is ready to inspire her audience.

If Jennifer Hudson and Kelly Clarkson have the music side of daytime TV covered, Sherri Shepherd is looking to bring the laughs. The former View co-host said especially with Ellen DeGeneres ending her show after 19 seasons, she’s ready to show what she brings to the table as a host with her stand-up comedy background, rather than follow The Wendy Williams Show’s format, which she did as a frequent guest host for that series’ final season.

Wendy Williams did not appear for any of her final season’s tapings amid reports of health and financial struggles. A series of guest hosts took over for Williams, ultimately filming a series finale that paid tribute to the eponymous host but did not include her. This drew the ire of some fans, as well as her ex-husband, Kevin Hunter, who called the sendoff “a travesty.”

Along with Wendy Williams’ show being canceled, The Real was not renewed for a ninth season, though Warner Bros. said that cancellation was unrelated to the announcement of Jennifer Hudson’s show. Other daytime TV moves included Nick Cannon being shut down after just one season and Maury Povich retiring after a 31-year talk show career. And not only will The View return for a 26th season, but two co-hosts, Alyssa Farah Griffin and Ana Navarro, were announced to be joining the table. Needless to say, daytime TV is entering a new era, and Hudson seems ready to help lead the charge.

The Jennifer Hudson Show is set to premiere Monday, September 12, which is also the date Sherri Shepherd will debut Sherri. Check your local listings to see when and on what channel you can find these new shows, and keep up with all of the upcoming premieres with our 2022 TV Schedule. 

As Sherri Shepherd started running The Wendy Williams Show last year, a spotlight was shined on Williams’ health troubles as it became apparent she would not be returning to her daytime show. While The Wendy Williams Show was canceled after a full season of missing its star on the air, in more recent weeks, reports have broken about new comments the star reportedly made about being married (she's not) and more. Now, Wendy Williams’ brother has spoken on the record about the situation, calling it “very unnerving.” 

Early in August, Hollywood Unlocked revealed a conversation that allegedly happened with Wendy involving news about her recent nuptials. Host Jason Lee noted when he’d talked to Wendy on the phone she’d told him she had gotten “married” in what would have been surprise news. The conversation was pretty straightforward, with the host recounting: 

That interview was quickly followed up by her rep, who said the marriage comment was “inaccurate,” and that the star “probably got carried away.” Now, her family is speaking out about the stories related to the daytime host that have broken in recent days, including the faux marriage comments.

What Wendy Williams’ Brother Had To Say After The Married Quotes Broke

To note, the comments Williams’ allegedly made on the podcast do not seem to be accurate to what is actually going on in her personal life. The former daytime host’s brother Tommy confirmed to Page Six that his sister had not married an LAPD officer, also sharing his feelings about his sibling's behavior. 

He also noted the two had been in touch recently and she hadn’t mentioned a husband before noting the family feels Williams may not be “healthy” enough after her myriad issues to be going out and making appearances already. Per the report, she may not be around people who have her best interests at heart. Tommy also said it’s been “really sad” to watch from the outside, also stating: 

I’ve been with Wendy since the very beginning and she’s never talked like this, but I don’t think it’s her fault. It’s a precarious situation.

The news comes a little over a month after Tommy spoke about his sister in a separate interview. She’s been doing press recently to talk about her daytime show’s cancellation as well as her health battles, including a struggle with lymphedema. Williams has also been going out in public more often, to events including an after party following this year’s Met Gala and more. 

Regardless, Tommy has been clear he feels Wendy Williams  is “struggling,” previously saying that it’s been hard because his sister doesn’t seem to recognize a need or want help. 

Wendy Williams’ Family Aren’t The Only Ones With Concerns

Her rep William Selby has even said that Wendy Williams is not yet 100%. He’s noted he’s “trying [his] best to make [his] client happy,” even when he doesn’t always agree with where she wants to take her career. 

Though her talk show has been canceled, Wendy Williams has plans to launch a podcast by mid-August. She’s been moving forward with certain interviews and more, but it sounds like there are concerns about what might happen if the former daytime personality goes into full gear too soon.

Her pals and fellow TV hosts are rooting for her, however, with Charlamagne tha God has shared his hopes Williams will make a comeback given her history of success in the TV business. Nick Cannon also allegedly sent support to Wendy after his daytime show was also cancelled this year. We'll be sure to keep you updated if any further news related to the host breaks.

It’s been an intense last few months in the world of daytime talk shows. The Ellen DeGeneres Show concluded after a 19-season run. Meanwhile, the likes of The Wendy Williams Show, The Real and Nick Cannon’s self-titled entry were all canceled. In the case of Williams, guest hosts had been temporarily filling in for some time as the namesake reportedly struggled with health and financial problems. The patience seemingly ran out from her production company, but the star allegedly got major support from fellow ouster and longtime friend Cannon in the wake of the cancellation.

The infamous “Hot Topics” talker is being replaced in her time slot by none other than Sherri Shepherd, who had been frequently filling in as a temp host. Lionsgate’s Debmar-Mercury company followed up the move by not featuring Wendy Williams in the finale of her show. (The producers used a tribute video instead.) Nick Cannon’s show had been fronted by the same company and, according to a source for Page Six, he supposedly didn’t appreciate how he and Williams were treated. In addition, the Wild ‘N Out alum is said to have taken a stand against Shepherd’s appointment:

The first season of Nick Cannon had been streaming on YouTube while also airing on TV after Wendy Williams’ time slot. The source claimed that Cannon felt “indebted” to Williams, whose faith in him reportedly led to the creation of his own talk show. Apparently, though, Debmar-Mercury was relying too much on bringing in leftover audiences from TWWS and The Real in order to “propel Nick’s numbers,” and as a result, “they failed miserably.”

However, another insider for the outlet refutes the insinuations about The Masked Singer host’s supposed loyalty to Wendy Williams. On the suggestion that he wouldn’t back Sherri Shepherd as the replacement, they say is entirely “not true.” In fact, he was evidently “always a pleasure and business professional” in his BTS dealings, according to them.

Initial reports had indicated that the syndicated talk show was only supposed to be on a five-week hiatus so Nick Cannon could attend to his other filming obligations (The Masked Singer and Wild ‘N Out). Eventually, though, there was talk of a sudden change of plans by Debmar-Mercury that led to the series getting shuttered entirely, with crew receiving severance pay. For his part, Cannon had reflected after the cancellation that he understood the “business” reasons behind the talk show getting cancelled after one season, adding that he was essentially just going with the flow of change.

The Drumline actor has a lot else on his plate anyway besides allegedly going to bat against Sherri Shepherd’s come up as a host, including the slew of babies he’s helped conceive with different women of late. (On the last count, his ninth child is on it way later this year.) In tandem, the media personality has been having to backpedal certain statements of his regarding wanting to win back ex-wife Mariah Carey.

But back to Wendy Williams. There was a lot of criticism from both the fanbase and Williams’ ex-husband that her show’s series finale handled things poorly by not including her in the plans. Williams weighed in herself in an interview with The New York Post. She told them that there was “nothing” she liked about the supposed tribute to her work on the show. What's more is that she confirmed the speculation that she hadn’t even received an invitation by Debmar-Mercury for a last appearance, saying her reaction to watching it play out from her living room was largely, “Eek!”

To add yet another insult to injury, as she prepares for her post-talk show future, Williams' fans got some bad news. Recently, her former show was scrubbed from the internet ethers almost entirely, as though it didn’t even really exist… Eek, indeed. Nevertheless, Nick Cannon and Sherri Shepherd are seemingly going to be just fine moving forward: Season 8 of The Masked Singer, and the freshman season of Sherri are slated for fall premieres on the 2022 TV schedule.

The Wendy Williams Show aired its final episode on June 17, having wrapped after 13 seasons. The somewhat awkward affair was a rather fitting end to a final season during which its eponymous host never once returned. A montage recalled a number of memorable guests and moments from years past, and the host’s trademark, “How you doin’?” catchphrase was repeated quite a few times throughout the episode by guest host Sherri Shepherd, the audience, crew members, and assorted guests. But apparently Williams was not doin’ OK when she heard her famous purple chair and other memorabilia were headed for the trash after the finale, because she has apparently rescued the items. 

After reports that set pieces from The Wendy Williams Show — including the iconic purple chair and multiple wigs — were being “thrown in the trash,” The Sun reports that Wendy Williams’ manager Will Selby went with the former host to retrieve her belongings. Selby said: 

Along with Wendy Williams’ chair and “a couple of wigs,” Will Selby said they claimed some custom-made shoes and some artwork that was created for her. He said those items were important to the host, as well as her fans, and the purple chair will find a new home in a different studio, as the media personality spoke recently about starting a podcast. It was important to Williams that she reclaim what was hers, her manager said: 

Wendy Williams didn’t appear in any episodes from her talk show’s 13th season, amid health concerns from COVID and other ongoing issues, but with reports that she was “on the mend” and hoping to return to TV, some wondered if she’d make an appearance on the series finale. She didn’t, and while the host herself didn’t comment publicly on her show’s final episode, her ex-husband called it a “travesty.”  

Fans were dealt another blow when the show’s official YouTube channel was scrubbed, along with other domains that included clips and interviews from The Wendy Williams Show, and it sounds like that memorabilia was simply going to be discarded as well, as The Sun previously reported that a source said:   

I’m glad Wendy Williams was apparently save her items, because to simply get rid of them like that just doesn’t seem right. Regardless of the drama that surrounded The Wendy Williams Show's final season, or any before it, there’s no denying the media personality left her mark on daytime TV, and in the 12 seasons she did host, she was nominated for multiple Daytime Emmys.

Back in February, Debmar-Mercury announced The Wendy Williams Show would be officially replaced by a new talk show hosted by Sherri Shepherd, who was one of many guests to fill in for Williams in Season 13. While Shepherd has remained respectful and complimentary to her predecessor, she has clarified that the two women are not friends, and Wendy Williams previously threw some shade at her replacement, saying she would not be tuning in when Sherri premieres. So we can probably assume Shepherd wouldn't have been the one to step in and save the purple chair.

Even with reports of Wendy Williams trying to get back to work, her brother reports that It’s a sad situation overall. We hope she continues to take care of herself, and her fans will be excited if and when she makes her return to media. Until then, be sure to check out our 2022 TV Schedule to see what new and returning shows are premiering soon.

Daytime TV viewers are seeing a huge shift in the landscape after a number of longtime talk shows came to an end this year. Ellen DeGeneres, for one, wrapped her show after 19 seasons, and The Wendy Williams Show was canceled after 13 seasons when its namesake host was unable to return for the final season amid health and financial struggles. To that end, Sherri Shepherd is stepping in with her own show, Sherri, and she sees a specific void in the daytime TV slate that she plans to fill.

Sherri Shepherd was one of many guest hosts who stepped in for Wendy Williams when she was unable to return for Season 13 of her show. The decision was eventually made to cancel The Wendy Williams Show and give the time slot permanently to Shepherd. However, the former co-host of The View told People, she’s going to put her own spin on her series, filling a hole that’s been left in the world of daytime TV, particularly since the end of The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Shepherd said:

The Kelly Clarkson Show has been tapped to take over Ellen DeGeneres’ vacated time slot, and the American Idol winner is apparently putting her show through a complete overhaul in order to do that. Every host has their strengths, however, and where DeGeneres is known for her comedy, Kelly Clarkson is more musically inclined. Singing is and will likely remain a big part of the former Voice coach’s show, clearing the lane for Sherri Shepherd and comedy background.

The actress said as a guest host on The Wendy Williams Show, she stayed within the format that Wendy Williams had established, but with her own eponymous talk show, Sherri Shepherd looks forward to bringing her own flavor and finding “the lightness and the humor of a hot topic story.” She said:  

Sherri Shepherd seems excited about being able to call the shots on her own series, but when Sherri premieres, there’s one person who likely won’t be tuning in. Wendy Williams threw some shade at the woman who’s replacing her, saying that what Shepherd brings to the table is “really not my thing.” To each her own!

As well as Wendy Williams and Ellen DeGeneres, Maury Povich hung up his hat after a 31-year talk show career. NIck Cannon saw his talk show axed after just one season, and The Real was also canceled following the end of its eighth season. In the musical milieu, meanwhile, Kelly Clarkson will be joined by fellow American Idol alum Jennifer Hudson, who’s set to debut her own show this fall.

Viewers who are excited to see Sherri Shepherd put her stamp on the world of daytime TV can do so this fall, with the premiere of Sherri coming September 12 (check your local listings for time and channel). You can also see what other premieres are coming soon with CinemaBlend's 2022 TV Schedule.

Just a few weeks ago, talk show aficionados witnessed the end of an era, as The Wendy Williams Show aired its final episode. The fan-favorite series signed off after 13 years, without the titular host actually being there. Williams, who’d had a revolving door of guest hosts filling in for her since last year, is currently in the process of planning her post-talk show future. Meanwhile, Sherri Shepherd is set to take over the veteran host’s former timeslot with her own program. Avid fans are more than likely sorry to see Williams go and, unfortunately for them, they just got hit with some more bad news. 

It would seem that The Wendy Williams Show’s presence on the web is being scrubbed in the aftermath of its cancellation. The show’s official YouTube channel, which included a sizable number of clips from various interviews, has been deleted. In addition, domains for the show like “wendyshow.com” and “wendywilliamsproductions.com” no longer forward users to resources for the production. Variety notes that the former merely gives an error message, while the latter domain now appears under an auction at Go Daddy. 

The YouTube channel’s deletion is a serious blow for longtime followers of the program. There’s a chance that a number of people might’ve continued to visit the account in order to check out some of the sassy media personality’s most memorable moments. Considering the cancellation and the Sherri Shepherd rebrand, it was probably only a matter of time before said footage was made inaccessible, to be honest. Still, some are sure to find this disappointing, as the channel was the only public place where one could access the archived content. 

As time goes on, the reality of The Wendy Williams Show’s demise is really starting to settle in. Fans got a real shock just a few weeks ago when it was reported that Williams’ purple chair and other pieces of memorabilia were being “thrown in the trash.” This includes the former host’s famous wigs, which she reportedly never returned to claim. Though it’s not too surprising to hear that she didn’t pick up any momentos, especially since she’s apparently been very focused on the next steps in her career. 

With her health and financial problems apparently behind her, the star initially seemed to be eyeing a return to TV. The host said during an interview back in March that she was gearing up to head back to the old grind in a matter of months. And by April, a source alleged that she was “ready to work.” A recent report, however, suggests that her brand-new career plan involves a podcast, on which she’d interview an array of celebrities. Her manager even claimed that the star had already reached out to some high-profile celebrities about possibly appearing as guests.

Sherri Shepherd, on the other hand, is looking forward to headlining her own talk show, which premieres in September.  All the while, she’s been candid about Wendy Williams’ legacy, crediting her for blazing a trail for other TV personalities. Shepherd, who clarified that she and Williams are “not friends,” also helped pay tribute to her on the show’s final episode. While discussing her successor, Williams said that she liked Shepherd but threw a bit of shade when she “won’t be watching her” because “I know what she’s going to be doing and that’s really not my thing.”

It’s honestly weird knowing that we won’t be able to experience any of that signature snark via clips from past episodes of The Wendy Williams Show. I suppose fans do still have the memories, at the very least, and those could tide them over until the star is ready to return to the media landscape. 

Following a year of health concerns and financial issues for the namesake host and temporary guests filling in the interim, the decision was made to ultimately cancel The Wendy Williams Show after Season 13. There was some talk that Williams herself might return one last time on the show for the finale, but that was not to be. The final episode was instead handled with only a montage tribute video to the 57-year-old. And her ex-husband, Kevin Hunter, shared some brutally honest thoughts on her absence.

The syndicated talk show has long been produced and distributed by the company of Debmar-Mercury, which presumably opted not to have Wendy Williams return for a last bow. Or so Kevin Hunter claimed in a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight. Hunter was a co-creator and former executive producer on the series until his ouster by the company in 2019 after the couple’s divorce. As he tells it, his ex-wife might’ve wanted to be part of the finale, saying:

He claimed that the production company had shown a “lack of professionalism” behind the scenes toward his former spouse and to the process of phasing her out from her show. The ex continued that the higher-ups didn’t support her “health-wise” during this time. (The host has reportedly been struggling with her flare ups related to Graves' disease and hyperthyroidism of late.) Furthermore, in his view, they didn’t respect that their “personal relationship” had suffered for the sake of The Wendy Williams Show. He said:

Wendy Williams’ ex-husband filed a lawsuit against Debmar-Mercury this year for wrongful termination. He alleged in the court documents that his firing was illegal in the state of New York since it was based on marital status. And he stipulated that he wanted at least $7 million in the suit, along with “punitive damages, lost wages, commissions,” as well as compensation for his legal fees.

It isn’t clear if the lawsuit has been settled in court yet. However, Kevin Hunter maintained his side of things to the outlet, saying his firing was due to the divorce, not his “job performance.” He also stated that the company attempted to “divide and conquer” in their relationship so they would have total “access” to the fan-favorite host. In addition, he accuses them of “deplorable” practices over the years and alleged that the real reason for the show’s cancellation would “come out very soon.”

Whatever the case may really be, the June 17 episode did celebrate the TV personality, just not with her present. Per Deadline, along with the tribute video, The Wendy Williams Show brought back the first-ever guest on the show, Vanessa Williams, for the final lap. Williams commended how “real” the former host was over the years, adding that she would “miss her presence.”

Wendy Williams’ replacement in her time slot, Sherri Shepherd, echoed those same sentiments. She called her the “Queen of all Media” and proposed that Williams changed the face of daytime talk shows forever with her “unique” approach. Shepherd has stated in recent months that she is not actually friends with Williams but, in the finale, she gave her props again for being an “icon” and continued that she was still “loved by so many.” The show ended with the crew delivering Williams’ notorious “How you doin’?” line all together.

The new series, Sherri, is expected to take over sometime in the fall. Be on the look out for the official premiere date and everything else that's slated for release on the 2022 TV schedule.

The end of The Wendy Williams Show is officially upon us, as the popular daytime talk show will come to a close after a successful run that endeared audiences to the titular host's no-nonsense opinions and unapologetic personality. The final season has been clouded by rumors and concerns about the health and financial well-being of its star, who did not appear on any of the Season 13 episodes. We now have official word on how the show will wrap its impressive run, and how it will pay tribute to Williams in the final episode.

Wendy Williams did not return for the Season 13 premiere of her talk show in October 2021. The host was said to be struggling amid a breakthrough COVID-19 diagnosis early last fall and complications that arose from her many other on-going health issues, including Graves’ disease. A number of guest hosts came in to fill her chair, including Sherri Shepherd, Remy Ma, Fat Joe, Michael Rapaport and Terrence J, and the series will conclude without a final appearance from Williams, a spokesperson for the series confirmed to Deadline:  

There had been some questions about whether or not the media personality would make one last appearance on the show before she officially passed the torch to Sherri Shepherd, who Debmar-Mercury tapped to take over the time slot permanently with her own talk show, Sherri. The show’s staff — most of whom will reportedly continue working on Shepherd’s show — apparently had mixed feelings about how the former host should be included in the final episode. Some people apparently wanted her to come back, while others were ready to put the past behind them and focus on the new lead.

When Sherri Shepherd does return with her own show, Wendy Williams has said she will not be watching, and despite the former The View co-host saying she’s thankful for the opportunity Williams provided her, the two don't appear to be close, as Shepherd has clarified that they are not friends.

Wendy Williams seems hopeful about returning to television herself someday soon, and her more frequent public appearances are a promising sign that she really is feeling like “her old self” again. However, after Wells Fargo appointed her a full-time financial guardian, it appears she’s still got some battles to fight. 

She has “strenuously” denied claims of being “of unsound mind,” after troubling reports that the former talk show host could no longer dress or feed herself prompted Wells Fargo to cut off her access to her finances and bank statements. After an investigation by the bank, a guardian was put in charge of her money — a decision her lawyer has said she “definitely isn’t going to accept.”

As she continues to fight to regain full control of her finances and make a return to television, we can at least see how The Wendy Williams Show pays tribute to its host in its finale. The talk show’s final episode will air Friday, June 17, so check your local listings to for the time and channel in your area. Also be sure to check out our 2022 TV Schedule to see what shows are premiering and returning soon.

Season 13 of The Wendy Williams Show has been a strange one. The eponymous host has not appeared on her show this season, with guest hosts — including Sherri Shepherd — filling in as Wendy Williams reportedly battled health issues. Even as Williams denied some scary rumors and insisted that she was on the mend, the decision was made to officially end The Wendy Williams Show and replace it permanently with Sherri. As Debmar-Mercury, Shepherd, the crew, and everyone else involved continue turning over this new leaf, is there a chance Williams could make an appearance in her show’s series finale? 

Wendy Williams really does seem to be in better health these days, and she says she’s gearing up for a return to television after she regains control of her finances. Is there a chance, though, that she could get some closure on her current show before its last episode, which is reportedly slated to air June 17? According to Page Six, some staffers on The Wendy Williams Show are angling for her to return one last time, with an insider saying that many feel there should be a tribute to the host or a farewell: 

It certainly seems like a long shot, since Wendy Williams hasn’t been on the show all season, and she’s even thrown some shade in the direction of guest host Sherri Shepherd ahead of the official takeover. There seems to be no love lost for the new host, however, as Shepherd recently pointed out that she and Williams aren’t friends. Regardless of the relationship between the former and incoming hosts, another source told Page Six that the crew has no interest in looking back:

Sherri Shepherd will reportedly inherit most of Wendy Williams’ staff for Sherri. A third source seemed to agree that an appearance by the beloved entertainer is unlikely:

While it may be wishful thinking, it would make sense for The Wendy Williams Show to pay tribute to the woman whose name the show still carries. Even if this last season was a chaotic one for all involved, you don’t get to Season 13 by accident, and the show owes a lot to Wendy Williams, regardless of who is hosting its final episodes.

Earlier this year, a report claimed that the star wasn’t always “functioning” like she used to and needed “help eating, getting out of bed and getting dressed.” Around the same time, Williams’ bank, Wells Fargo, reportedly suggested that she needed guardianship when it came to financial matters. The former talk show host voiced frustrations with her bank, which she said had denied her access to her accounts. She also accused her ex-manager of spending $10,000 on one of her credit cards without permission. 

Within the past few weeks, the celebrity gossip maven publicly stated that she’d be ready to make her television return in a matter of months, after getting her financial affairs in order. In April, a source claimed that she was working with Wells Fargo to get access to her accounts again and that she’s ready to get back to work. 

We’re excited to see what’s next for Wendy Williams, whether that means a farewell appearance on her talk show or a new project altogether. While we wait for updates on that, check out our 2022 TV schedule to see what shows are premiering soon.

Wendy Williams has been at the center of a plethora of rumors over the past several months. Much has been said about the alleged health issues that have apparently kept her away from her eponymous talk show. And in February, it was first reported that the media personality was facing financial problems related to her bank as well. Williams has been speaking out as of late, though and, this past week, she revealed just how dire her money situation is. She also threw some shade at Sherri Shepherd, who’s taking over her timeslot now that her own show has been cancelled. 

Earlier this year, a report claimed that the longtime host was unfit to return to her duties at The Wendy Williams Show because she was not “functioning” as she once did. Others alleged that Williams had even developed Alzheimer’s disease, which was apparently keeping her from performing basic tasks. She opted not to discuss her health while appearing on TrueExclusives with Fat Joe. However, she didn’t hold back on her finances and state that she only has a few dollars to her name:

Wells Fargo, the TV staple’s bank, expressed concern about her personal situation and suggested that there be a guardianship component to her finances. The star’s former financial advisor, Lori Schiller, would eventually declare her to be “of unsound mind,” leading the bank to cut her off from her accounts. The gossip queen eventually called out both the bank and Schiller in a social media post, in which she called out an ex-manager for allegedly charging $10K to her credit card for legal services. In her interview with Fat Joe, the star went on to say that at this time, she has friends who provide her with cash for “essential things.” She says that this applies to restaurant visits or get-togethers with friends like Madonna.

Of course, the other part of Wendy Williams’ new reality is the aforementioned cancellation of her long-running show. Sherri Shepherd appears set to change things up a bit, and Williams is aware of this. When asked about Shepherd, Williams said that she does like her successor but doesn’t have any plans to watch her in action: 

After getting the new gig, Sherri Shepherd shared thoughts on her predecessor as well. Shepherd expressed how “thankful” she is to the former host for paving the way for her, though she also clarified that they’re not actually friends. While Wendy Williams threw the shade at Shepherd, she seems to enjoy the other hosts who’ve guest-hosted her show as of late, including Fat Joe:

It would appear that Wendy Williams has mostly moved on from her old talk show, which makes sense, as she’s reportedly looking to land a new TV project. Sources claim that she’s ready to get back to work and, based on her recent public appearances, she seems healthy. Of course, as it’s been alleged as of late, her small-screen return will apparently only happen if she's able to work out those lingering financial issues.

Wendy Williams has been MIA on her own show through the entirety of the 2021-2022 TV season,  and more recently we learned she won’t be back on her namesake series at all. In fact, Sherri Shepherd will take over the slot as the next TV season hits the schedule. For now, The Wendy Williams Show has expanded with a few more guest stints, but when is the series actually ending so the transition can happen? 

This week, the show revealed that both Sherri Shepherd and Michael Rapaport have been signed on to work Wendy Williams’ show during the month of April. Both have served as guest hosts in the past, though it will be late in the month before these new stints begin. The Wendy Williams Show has a spring hiatus planned, following which Shepherd will host April 19-25. Rapaport’s stint will come at the end of the month. 

All of this is good and well, but it also begs the question: When will The Wendy Williams Show be ending? For that, we need to do a little 2022 TV schedule sleuthing or maybe even look back at last year. In fact, Williams was still on board the series last summer, taping her final Season 12 episode during July of 2021. 

One thing we do know for certain is that Sherri, which is what Shepherd has called the new show, is expected to hit the schedule in September of 2022. This is per a report at TMZ, but it would gel with the typical fall starts in primetime and daytime on the fall TV schedule. So sometime between now and then, the lights will dim, the curtain will close and the rotating guest hosts announcements will slow, to make room for some spring cleaning and the start of something brand new. 

Since Sherri will include staff currently working on The Wendy Williams Show, including David Perler, the showrunner for 12 of 13 seasons on the original show, it only makes sense that one series will transition into the other. A release from Debmar Mercury indicates the show will continue to sport Wendy’s name for the “remainder of this season” though gives no clear date at this point. A separate report at The Hill mentions the original series running until “this fall,” though given a lot of shows hiatus in late summer, that’s where I’d be putting my money on the last episode of The Wendy Williams Show airing, at least if I were a betting woman. 

Wendy Williams had been open in the past about suffering from Graves Disease and had separately taken breaks on her series previously before the events during Season 13. She also previously had mentioned a battle with Covid-19 and lived in a sober house for a while, among other health issues. She’s been dealing with personal life troubles as well, as issues coming to light in recent weeks have included back-and-forth with her bank, as well as Williams accusing an ex-representative of misusing her credit card. 

For her part though, Sherri Shepherd has only had nice things to say about Wendy Williams and her show, though Shepherd's noted they aren't "friends." The producers of the series have also wished Wendy “a speedy and full recovery.”

Rumors continue to swirl in regards to former talk show host Wendy Williams after The Wendy Williams Show was officially canceled. Sherri Shepherd is slated to take over the timeslot with her own program after filling in as a guest host on Williams’ series this season. While Shepherd is grateful for the opportunity filling in for the lovingly unpredictable host has provided, the former co-host of The View said she has not spoken to Williams, and clarified that they are "not friends." 

Wendy Williams did not return to her eponymous show when Season 14 premiered in January, as she was diagnosed with COVID and had complications from other medical issues. Sherri Shepherd was only one of the many guest hosts who stepped in amid Williams’ absence, like Michael Rapaport, Jerry Springer, Leah Remini and others. In an Instagram post, Williams claimed she was looking forward to returning to work, before the decision was made to keep Shepherd in that spot permanently with a new project. Shepherd told Deadline that she has Williams to thank for being given this opportunity:

The media personality said hosting her own talk show has been a lifelong dream for her, and she recognized that she has Wendy Williams to thank. She even said she’d invite Williams on as a guest. When asked if she’d been in touch with the former host, however, the Mr. Iglesias alum clarified that she and Williams are not close:

Sherri Shepherd said she hasn’t spoken with her predecessor personally, which isn’t altogether surprising, given the fact that they don’t seem to have a relationship beyond their TV dealings. Also, the news of her show being canceled couldn’t have been easy for the former host to hear.

The rumors surrounding Wendy Williams’ condition haven’t let up since that announcement was made. Friends are reportedly worried about her well-being, since she’s reportedly been missing medical appointments. There’s been no new activity on the Instagram account she set up. Among the posts that have been shared is a video of Williams saying she was “on the mend” and excited to return to New York, where her show is filmed. However, some of the things she said in the video — including incorrectly referring to her own age — have led some to believe it was old footage.

The media mogul is also fighting a legal battle with her bank, Wells Fargo. The establishment refused her access to her accounts and banking information due to a report from a former financial advisor that said she was “of unsound mind” and the “victim of undue influence and financial exploitation.” The star has since denied those allegations.

Even though they Wendy Williams and Sherri Shepherd don’t have a personal relationship, Shepherd clearly knows has played a part in opening the door for her new gig. And she — like all of us — is wishing the best for Williams.

The Wendy Williams Show had not really been The Wendy Williams Show for some time when a decision came down to cancel her longtime daytime talk show. It will be replaced, as had been rumored previously, with a talk show hosted by Sherri Shepherd, a TV personality and actress known for projects like Mr. Iglesias and The View. In the time since, both Williams and Shepherd have spoken out, but now the latter is speaking out about her predecessor’s legacy. 

During a recent appearance opposite Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live, the longtime nighttime TV host offered his congrats and then offered a nice compliment, telling the new Sherri host she’s consistently been one of his funniest guests. She has a lot of experience with talks shows, of course; as noted prior, she was on The View’s panel for a whopping eight years. 

She doesn’t take her upcoming hosting duties lightly, however, thanking Wendy Williams for letting her “fill in” during the uncertain period in which the talk show host was missing in action of the last several months. When Cohen asked what Sherri Shepherd admired about Williams, she was really candid with her answer.

Not only does Sherri Shepherd have nice things to say about Wendy Williams, she also kind of gives a little bit of a hint about how her own show may pay homage to what came before her. Shepherd said on WWHL that “she’s up there with the greats” in regards to her predecessor. 

Insofar as The Wendy Williams Show goes, the show had been running since 2008, but Wendy Williams hadn’t appeared in an episode of the series since last TV season. She left in July of 2021 for what we thought was a standard summer TV break, but she never came back and delays kept being announced through the fall and winter. We’ve seen health updates from her son and she’s spoken through representatives, but a lot of what’s been going on with the talk host has been shrouded in mystery. 

Wendy Williams’ Statement After News Her Show Was Ending Broke

Williams did reach out through her legal team after Lionsgate’s Debmar-Mercury – the producers behind her series – made the decision to go in a different direction for the 2022-2023 TV season, reportedly without working with Wendy Williams. The statement read that she basically “understands” why this had to happen, though it’s still unclear what all is going on behind-the-scenes Williams’ personal life. 

Meanwhile, reports have broken that Wendy Williams’ bank is fighting to have her marked as an “incapacitated person” so that “her affairs are properly handled” moving forward. For her part, Sherri Shepherd will finish out the year as the host of The Wendy Williams Show before embarking on her own journey moving forward. We wish them both only positive things to come. 

After months of silence, Wendy Williams finally addressed fans amid concerns about her health and rampant rumors regarding the media personality’s future on The Wendy Williams Show. However, despite Williams saying she wanted to return to New York and get back to her popular show, it was officially announced that Sherri Shepherd, who has been successfully guest-hosting on Williams’ show this season, will take over the time slot permanently with her own show, to be titled Sherri. 

The Wendy Williams Show will run through the end of its current season, Deadline reports, with a rotating slate of guest hosts, including Sherri Shepherd, before Sherri takes over the time slot in syndication this fall. While this is certainly upsetting news for Wendy Williams, who is reportedly “on the mend,” Lionsgate’s Debmar-Mercury, the producer-distributor of The Wendy Williams Show, left the door open for Williams’ possible return if and when she is able and willing to do so. 

In a statement, Debmar-Mercury Co-Presidents Mort Marcus and Ira Bernstein said: 

This news comes just days after Wendy Williams addressed her fans via a video posted to her new Instagram account — the first update from Williams herself in more than six months — in which she was seemingly looking to dispute the troublesome claims that have been made about her health. In the video, shot on a windy Florida beach by her son Kevin, Williams talks about coming back “stronger” and said she was looking forward to returning to New York, where her show is filmed. 

It really sounded like Wendy Williams was focused on getting back to her show, and I can only imagine that this news must have been pretty hard for her to hear. It’s unclear exactly when the video in question was taken, as the host states her age at 56 (she turned 57 last July) and she refers to her mother in the present tense (her mother died in late 2020), but a publicist told Page Six the video was taken February 16, and that Williams was referring to her mother being buried in Florida. You can see the full 5-minute video below:

Wendy Williams herself has been off of the air since July 2021, with the current season of The Wendy Williams Show being fronted by a series of guest hosts. Last month, a new report claimed that not only was Williams’ “spark” gone, but that she was having trouble dressing and eating on her own. This same report also claimed that she had been “having a hard time holding a conversation” and was frequently unable to recognize people she’d known for quite some time. Williams also recently took legal action against her bank, Wells Fargo, for denying her access to her financial accounts, including information about them.

This is disappointing news for Wendy Williams and fans of her as a brutally honest, unpredictable talk show host. Hopefully she will continue to get healthy and we will see her on TV again one day. While waiting to see how things shake out, check out our 2022 TV premiere schedule to see what else is on the way.

This season of The Wendy Williams Show has likely been one that was completely unexpected by not only those involved behind the scenes, but by the many fans who tune in daily. Williams herself signed off as host last July for what was to be a standard summer hiatus, only to be beset by health issues which delayed the talk show’s return, then led to guest hosts starting the new season for her. Unfortunately, Williams still has yet to return to her post, and now it seems like she may be done with the show, as reports are stating that a permanent replacement might be next, in the form of comedian and actress Sherri Shepherd.

How Will Replacing Wendy Williams On Her Show Work?

As Wendy Williams has continued to recuperate, a series of guest hosts have taken the stage to lead her beloved series. These have included stars like Whitney Cummings, Remy Ma, Fat Joe, Leah Remini, Michael Rapaport, Bevy Smith, the aforementioned Sherri Shepherd, and several others, with many hosts returning for repeat appearances as the Williams break continued.

According to TMZ, though, the producers are close to being done with a revolving door of guest hosts, and are now in the process of setting up Shepherd as a permanent guest host, with an option for her to take over the show as the new host, should Williams not be well enough to return.

The outlet’s source notes that Shepherd would be placed as the permanent guest host for the show’s next season, which is currently set to begin in September of this year. Her deal for the new position is said to be nearly done, with it probably being fully closed before much longer.

Obviously, the question for Williams’ fans is still, “What about Wendy?” Apparently, the idea would be for the producers of The Wendy Williams Show to keep a close eye on her health through September. If she appears to be basically back to her old fun, wild, and sometimes delightfully unpredictable self, then viewers will see her declare “How you doin!” at the start of the next season. If, however, she is still unable to return, they will change the name of the show as early as September. 

Those at the Fox Station Group, which carries the talker on stations it owns and operates, are said to be aware of the plan and on board with it. But, there’s currently no official word on any of this from the producers of the show.

How Is Wendy Williams’ Health Struggle Now?

The short answer to that question right now is that few outside of Williams' immediate circle truly know. The host already had well-documented struggles with Graves' disease and several other health concerns, which were then impacted by a breakthrough COVID-19 diagnosis shortly before she was due to return to her purple chair. Aside from a message to fans a bit over six months ago, we’ve heard very little official word on how Williams’ health problems are actually healing. 

This has led to a number of shocking allegations about the state of Williams’ condition, including that she has trouble carrying on normal conversations, spent the holidays alone because her behavior had run off all of her friends, and that she even has several periods where she can’t dress herself without help. While her son posted a photo of her eating about a month ago, it wasn’t until a few days ago that Williams’ representative, Howard Bragman, responded to the rumors about her health and the idea that she wouldn’t return to her show and simply noted that word about her current health was “inaccurate,” while talk of her being out of her daytime show was “speculation.”

All we can hope for right now is that Wendy Williams is actually able to feel more like herself at some point. Whether or not she returns to her show, or Sherri Shepherd takes over the hosting gig, will be revealed before much longer. The Wendy Williams Show airs every weekday, so check local listings for times, but for more to watch, check out the 2022 TV schedule.

There is no denying that NBC’s Friends is a beloved sitcom for many, and is still binged by fans who have watched the show since the ‘90s. Some have come to realize that the fan-favorite sitcom is lacking in the diversity department. Sherri Shepherd, one of the few Black people who appeared on the show, has now touched on this issue after Friends: The Reunion aired on HBO Max a couple months ago, despite saying she did enjoy working on the show.

Sherri Shepherd reflected to People on the lack of diversity in Friends, which she guest starred in back in Season 4. The show is set in New York, and the comedic actress notes a very real difference between the real-life city and the one portrayed in the sitcom. Here’s what Shepherd says, exactly:

Out of the small number of Black people who appeared throughout the ten seasons of the sitcom, Sherri Shepherd’s character was one of the even smaller number of characters who had a name. Her character Rhonda arguably had one of the most memorable and hysterical quotes from the show not uttered by one of the main characters when she motioned to her boobs and yells, “I’m Rhonda, and these aren’t real!” Even so, in the same interview, the actress says she was not invited back after she thought she was sure to be. In her own words:

Sherri Shepherd, like many of the Black actors who appeared on Friends, very briefly appeared on the hit show. Shepherd is far from the only person to call out the lack of diversity in the popular sitcom. In the CNN special History of the Sitcom, Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman admits and recognizes that representation on the series was lacking. According to her, the lack of diversity is a product of the time and her own ignorance. This is what the writer and producer has to say:

Friends ended over 15 years ago, and did incorporate more Black characters with larger parts in its later seasons. Even so, the lack of diversity is pretty obvious, even to the point where a creator would make a statement on it. It’s interesting to imagine how much Friends and other older films and shows would have improved and transformed if characters like Sherri Shepherd’s Rhonda were given more of a chance to shine.

With all of the challenges that the last year has brought to many people, there was a frequently undesired side effect for a lot of folks which was brought on by quarantine. For several people, the lack of things to do outside of their own four walls, along with some pretty undesirable new stressors, led to possibly a bit more snacking than necessary, along with a general lack of physical activity. In turn, this caused some weight gain for some of us. This was true for a former co-host of The View, Sherri Shepherd, but now she's back on track and showing off her weight loss in a new dress.

Even during the events of the past year, Sherri Shepherd was a busy woman. While the comedian / actress / host wasn't able to get up on stage as she normally would, that didn't stop her from finding other ways to perform, including doing a very socially distanced stand up act outdoors where the audience all stayed in their cars, and beginning a podcast, Two Funny Mamas, with friend and fellow comedian, Kym Whitley. Sherri has spoken a lot over the past several months about wanting to get her health goals back on track, and now she's showing off her slimmer figure in a very form fitting dress in a shot she posted to Instagram. Take a look!

Wooooo! Sexy, right? While Sherri Shepherd didn't specifically give a shout out to her weight loss in the caption for this post, from her talk of having friends who "challenge you to go higher, encourage you to step out of your comfort zone," it sounds like she may have had a lot of support from those around her when it came to meeting this new challenge. And, that's something we all need whether looking to meet certain goals or not.

Shepherd recently spoke to Closer Weekly, and noted that she had "been walking a few miles about three times a week" after gaining 25 pounds during quarantine. The busy entertainer was able to work all of that walking into her (probably) small amount of downtime, as she's been co-hosting daytime pop culture series Dish Nation since last August, along with her podcasting duties, and also has a role on the new ABC sitcom Call Your Mother.

Shepherd, who was also seen recently in the Netflix musical A Week Away, and had a rather "aggressive" time on The Masked Singer in 2019, did take another opportunity to show off her new shape in a different and even more joyous post, though, where she confirmed her 20 pound weight loss:

Wellllll! Someone is very happy, isn't she? Good for you, Sherri! I'm sure a lot of people can relate to Sherri Shepherd saying she "relied on sugar & carbs (the bad ones), cookies & candy to get me through," but it sounds like she's managed to take control and get back to where she wanted to be. And, that's a desire that all of us can understand, even if we don't struggle with our health.

The Masked Singer is, by nature, a show of surprises. The contestants are a mystery, and when they're unmasked as an entertainer that audiences didn't expect, judges and fans get thrown for a loop. Much like how Season 1 went, Season 2 has so far been a strong one thanks to a few surprising reveals, though not all of the unmaskings were so unpredictable.

For who haven't been keeping up but are still curious to know whoThe Masked Singer roped in for Season 2, we've created a rundown of all the celebrity contestants that have been revealed so far. Take a look below, and be amazed at some of the big names the Fox series managed to snag this season.

The Egg (Johnny Weir)

No one ever likes to be the first person to drop out of a competition, but it's inevitable. The Egg ended up being The Masked Singer's first eliminated contestant in Season 2 after his rendition of Lady Gaga's "Just Dance" couldn't measure up to the Butterfly's singing prowess. Egg tried to survive in a showdown against the Skeleton with a rousing rendition of Blondie's "One Way or Another," but like his shelled brethren Humpty Dumpty, he had a great fall from grace and was eliminated.

When the mask came off, the "egghead" turned out to be none other than former professional ice skater and sports commentator Johnny Weir. Weir was a popular guess online, primarily due to the not so subtle nods to his Olympic past and figure skating career. Needless to say, there's only a handful of notable skaters who would've fit the bill, so his reveal wasn't eggs-tremely surprising to the audience.

The Ice Cream (Ninja)

Out of all the costumes that viewers have seen in The Masked Singer Season 2, few have been as visually cool as the Ice Cream. It's a shame, then, that Ice Cream got eliminated so quickly when his version of Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road" came up short against Tree's "High Hopes." Ice Cream's run actually came to an end after a showdown with Ladybug, and talk about a total meltdown!

Some of the older crowd (who had previously guessed other celebrities) may have been confused when Ice Cream was unmasked, since Ninja's career clues hinted his profession may be looked down upon by older viewers. The famous video game streamer has millions of followers online, and is one of the biggest celebrities on the internet at the moment, recently hopping from Twitch to its competitor Mixer. Had his fans known he was on the show, perhaps The Masked Singer's ratings would've been even higher than they typically are.

The Panda (Laila Ali)

The early rounds of The Masked Singer typically cull the weaker singers from the competition, though it's debatable if that happened in the case of The Panda. The singer had a rough first round against one of this season's current frontrunners, Flamingo. However, she had a chance at saving herself in the showdown with Leopard. Either contestant could've gone, but it was Panda that fell to Leopard's performance of "Respect" by Aretha Franklin.

Former pro boxer Laila Ali wasn't too happy about her clues on The Masked Singer, and she later went on the record to state that she felt the clues were too easy. It's understandable, since there aren't a ton of professional boxers who are also successful cookbook authors, and the vague references to her father Muhammad Ali definitely made this an obvious one to seemingly everyone but the often clueless judges. (Seriously, sometimes it just feels like they intentionally guess wrong for entertainment value.)

The Eagle (Dr. Drew Pinsky)

The Eagle looked like the type of contestant that could fly high, though largely just visually. His vocal skills were solid for a limited number of songs, though none of them really showcased a wide vocal range. After performances of songs by Meat Loaf and Nancy Sinatra, it was time for The Eagle to take those boots and walk right out of The Masked Singer. The real shame is he left before he could really lean in on all the bird references present in rock music!

The Eagle was unmasked, and much to everyone's surprise, it was pop doc Dr. Drew Pinsky. HIs clue packages had some clues to his former radio show Loveline, which especially embarrassed judge Jenny McCarthy, whose radio show followed Pinsky's for close to two decades. In her defense, McCarthy is often wrong with a lot of her guesses, and once briefly suspected a contestant to be her own husband Donnie Wahlberg.

The Skeleton (Paul Shaffer)

While most all celebrities are thrilled to be on The Masked Singer, few commit to the bit like Skeleton did. He came prepared and managed to wow judges with both his charisma and a healthy amount of bone puns. He wasn't the best singer of the bunch by any means, but he was entertaining, and sometimes that's all that matters.

The Masked Singer unmasked Skeleton, and it turned out to be none other than famous late-night band leader Paul Shaffer. Many viewers were tipped off by the subtle references to his time on The Late Show With David Letterman, as well as his inclusion in the National Black Sports and Entertainment Hall of Fame. The latter career highlight was probably meant to throw viewers off with their guesses, but with all the other clues combined, it really drastically narrowed down the pool of people it could've been.

The Penguin (Sherri Shepherd)

Penguin nearly had an early exit with her first performance, but she managed to stave off elimination by bringing some fierce moves in the battle against Dr. Drew Pinsky's The Eagle. Unfortunately, Penguin was put in a particularly talented pool of competitors in the following round. The Masked Singer competitor tried her best, but ultimately couldn't fly high alongside the show's other top-tier talent.

The Masked Singer revealed The Penguin to be former View host Sherri Shepherd, and Jenny McCarthy wasn't that surprised. It turns out she and Shepherd are pretty good friends, and some of the personal references about Penguin's personal life clued McCarthy in on the faux bird's identity. Hey, credit where credit is due; McCarthy may not be as great a guesser as Robin Thicke but she nailed this one. Well, to be completely fair, she was pretty confident on her guess right up until the end where she actually changed it away from Shepherd, but that could just be chalked up to overthinking.

The Black Widow (Raven-Symoné)

With the exception of maybe one key competitor, everyone in The Masked Singer was oozing talent at this point in the competition. This was also the case with Black Widow, who seemed like a surefire advancement in her round, but still somehow fell to the Leopard. Is it any coincidence that Black Widow was eliminated not long after she broke her arm? Competing with a broken arm in a costume would be tough, so it wouldn't be surprising if a contestant didn't want to remain in the competition after that.

Raven-Symoné was unmasked, and her identity was a surprise to very few. Her clue packages had lots of not-so-opaque references that pointed to her past on That's So Raven, and even a few that went back further to her younger years as a childhood actor in the Cosby Show era. Plus, there aren't many people in Hollywood who do those hilarious side squats like Raven, who gave the crowd one final side lean and then burst into song as the credits rolled on her final performance.

The Ladybug (Kelly Osbourne)

The Ladybug wowed the judges on The Masked Singer with her standout singing and southern charm, but as the competition continued, more and more talented competitors obviously had to go home. Her mistake, much like Penguin's, was getting paired up with the competition's strongest singers. The audience didn't pick her over the others, and The Masked Singer unmasked the southern bug.

It turns out Ladybug wasn't from the south at all, but far from it, in fact. The bug was actually Kelly Osbourne, which made all the references to her dysfunctional family a lot more understandable. Osbourne later said she used a southern accent while speaking as she was afraid her actual voice, even modulated, would've given her away to the judges immediately. The solid singing was a nice surprise, but honestly, Osbourne should definitely look into doing voice impressions for a living.

The Flower (Patti LaBelle)

Of all the eliminations on The Masked Singer in Season 2, this will likely be one of the most shocking, even if the reveal itself wasn't. The Flower was consistently near the top of the pack when it came to singing ability, and she rocked the stage each and every time she went out to perform. Unfortunately, one bad song choice in the singer-smackdown against the Leopard led to her elimination at the midpoint in the season.

Most everyone knew the Flower was Patti LaBelle the minute she opened her mouth to sing, since her iconic voice has been heard on the radio and TV for many decades. It would almost be insulting if the audience didn't know her by her voice, which LaBelle admitted she made no attempt to hide. Why would she, withGrammy-winning pipes like that? It's truly a shame she had to go out at the midpoint of this competition.

How The Masked Singer Keeps Its Contestants Top Secret

The Masked Singer airs on Fox Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET. Stick with CinemaBlend for updates on the competition and for a look at what's happening in television and movies throughout the rest of 2019.

The Masked Singer is a competition, but sometimes singing isn't the only important part. As The Leopard has shown week in and week out, a contestant can get a long way on personality alone, and one of the show's contestants recently revealed she was privy to that secret as well. Now that she's out, comedian / actress Sherri Shepherd revealed giving it all she had was a large part behind her aggressive performance against The Eagle.

Granted, Sherri Shepherd may not have meant to go as hard as she actually did, as she said low visibility was definitely a factor when she was up for elimination. As Shepherd explained below, she really couldn't see much of anything for the entire showdown.

Sherri Shepherd's aggressive tactics paid off, and she managed to defeat The Eagle, who was then unmasked and revealed to be Dr. Drew Pinsky. Pinsky was the one who described Shepherd's Penguin as "aggressive," which may be because he nearly caught a foot to the chest.

Penguin won the battle, though the performance nearly put her down for the count. Sherri Shepherd told TVLine that working that hard in the suit nearly caused her to collapse.

The Penguin won the night, though she ultimately lost the war. Sherri Shepherd wasn't able to escape elimination again, perhaps because there wasn't another showdown round to save her at this stage in The Masked Singer. She didn't even get the chance to completely surprise the judges as the panel has gotten much better at sniffing out celebrities ahead of their unmaskings.

How The Masked Singer Keeps Its Contestants Top Secret

The Masked Singer airs on Fox Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET. Stick with CinemaBlend for more on the series, and for the latest news in movies and television.

Sherri Shepherd recently shed some weight, and she did it for a very personal reason. The one-time television personality on The View decided to get healthier after her 13-year-old son was worried that she wouldn't be alive for much longer. She is making a valiant effort to stay in his life as long as possible. As she admits, it's easy to die for someone you love, but it takes just as much to live for someone you love. And Sherri wants to live for a long time. She said:

The emotional address came when the actress was doing press in the midst of shooting her new Netflix series, Mr. Iglesias, from comedian Gabriel Iglesias. She lost 30 pounds before shooting began, and she clearly had a personal reason for doing so. As she admits in the interview with Entertainment Tonight, Sherri wants to keep living so she can continue to provide for her son, who is dependent upon her.

Since that heartbreaking moment, Sherri Shepherd has been avoiding sugar and keeping her health in check. And she's hoping to keep the weight off. She believes she is 280 days off sugar, and she has no intention of returning to sugar consumption soon. Shepherd's son matters way, way, way more to her than sugar does.

Though Sherri Shepherd admits that it's "a perk" to put on little shoes and skirts and flaunt her new figure, it's ultimately her son's happiness that matters most to the comedienne and former daytime talk show personality. That's the reason Sherri keeps ticking days off on her calendar without sugar consumption. She gets to spend more time with her son and that matters more to Shepherd than anything she could hope to eat.

Meanwhile, when it came to inspiring other women who wish to lose some weight and gain the same confidence Sherri Shepherd gained, she said:

We're glad Sherri Shepherd is feeling good and feeling healthy. Especially since she's doing it not only for herself but for the people she loves as well.

Steve Harvey is known for bringing the laughs on Celebrity Family Feud. Another part of his job is dealing with his share of jaw-dropping answers from contestants. Such was the case during a recent episode of the popular game show, as Sherri Shepherd and Ian Ziering were going head-to-head in the "face-off" challenge. See what Shepherd answered when asked to "name something a lady cop might do to her husband in the bedroom" in the video below:

And the survey says: this has to be one of the most surprising answers ever to be shared on Family Feud, be it on the show's celebrity edition, or on the original version! There is a lot to unpack when it comes to this clip. To his immense credit, Steve Harvey managed to help the show recover following Sherri Shepherd's shocking reply. It is pretty evident that Shepherd had to know that her answer would not be one of the top six responses to the query.

But, she decided to go with it anyway, despite knowing that it could have consequences to the outcome of the game. Clearly, the game show's contestants' replies are unscripted, and when things fly off-the-cuff these sorts of shockers are bound to happen. It is times like these that you have to appreciate the strength of the host, as well as one who has mastered the art of facial expressions.

Steve Harvey's response to Sherri Shepherd's answer was simply everything. After getting a hold of the situation, Harvey gently reminded Shepherd that Family Feud is a game show and not therapy. It is, of course, a television show and Shepherd did manage to get a very memorable response from Harvey.

As you can tell from the clip, the former co-host of The View's shocking reply was not one of the correct answers. While Sherri Shepherd got that answer wrong, the Shepherd family still came out on top on Celebrity Family Feud, finishing the episode victorious over the Zierings. So, as the adage goes, "all's well that ends well."

It is difficult to imagine anyone being able to top Sherri Shepherd's answer in terms of shock value. No one could have really seen that one coming. While the show is called Family Feud, some of the answers are not always family friendly, as you can tell from the clip. Will future contestants be inclined to try and top Shepherd's response? You will have to tune and see, but the likely answer is probably.

New episodes of Celebrity Family Feud air Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. For more moments from the show, check out Celebrity Family Feud's YouTube channel. For other new television shows coming your way, check out CinemaBlend's guide to TV's summer premieres.

When The View returns to ABC for it’s 19th season, the popular morning talk show will be bringing along a mixture of familiar faces and new additions. Headlining this incoming crew is Joy Behar, who, it was just confirmed, will return to her old stomping grounds as one of the co-hosts.

Deadline reports that Behar, who left the show after hosting Seasons 1 through 16, will indeed come back to her old gig, and she’s not alone. In addition to Behar, Candace Cameron Bure and Paula Faris will also join the party as co-hosts. This is in addition to Whoopi Goldberg, Raven-Symone, and Michelle Collins, so yes, there will be six co-hosts.

Behar, who rose to prominence as a stand up comedian, originally appeared on the Barbara Walters-created The View on days when the legendary reporter was off, but eventually became a permanent co-host. She admitted that, especially with Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump in the current presidential race, she’s excited to interject her opinion.

Candace Cameron Bure was the star of ABC’s beloved family sitcom Full House, playing oldest daughter DJ Tanner, a role she’s reprising in the upcoming Netflix spinoff Fuller House. Last year, she was also seen on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars.

The host of the weekend edition of Good Morning America, Paula Faris has a background as a news correspondent and as the anchor of programs like World News Now and America This Morning on ABC.

In addition to the co-hosts for Season 19 of The View, ABC News made it official that Sherri Shepherd will return the lead contributor for the upcoming episodes. She’ll be joined by Top Chef host and actress Padma Lakshmi, model and actress Molly Sims, and Ana Navarro, a GOP strategist and frequent guest on a variety of news programs.

There have been reports that The View was going to return to a five-host format this season, and though there are in fact six of them, there will reportedly only be five on the show at any given time. This will allow them the flexibility to pursue other projects and commitments at the same time without causing a huge speed bump for the show.

With all of the hosts and contributors finally locked into place, ABC hopes that this new line up will bring some consistency to the show, both creatively and ratings wise, which has been all over the board in recent seasons.

The View, once a hot program, is now a bit of a hot mess. The past year saw the exits of three prominent members of ABC’s long-running morning talk show, and now veteran panelist Sherri Shepherd will be leaving The View. In addition, the morning show’s new—and controversial—panelist Jenny McCarthy will also be following Shepherd out the door. Unlike Barbara Walters, who retired from the series just a couple of months ago, ABC has ousted Shepherd and McCarthy.

According to TMZ, ABC called a meeting on Thursday, announcing that McCarthy and Shepherd would no longer be a part of the morning series. The official spin from ABC is a little nicer, with the network noting, "The View will be moving in an exciting new direction next season and ABC has made decisions to evolve the show creatively” (via THR). Really though, with Walters’ retirement and Elizabeth Hasselbeck and Joy Behar already out the door, this year should have been an exciting one for The View. Clearly, it just wasn’t working, and ABC decided to blow the whole operation up.

Not every single panelist is getting fired, however. With Shepherd and McCarthy ousted, Whoopi Goldberg is the only official host remaining on the series. TMZ has listed a few people that they think ABC is interested in hiring, including bringing back Rosie O’Donnell and signing on retired boxer Laila Ali. This is all hearsay at this point, but it’s safe to say that ABC will need to retain some new panelists before the show’s 18th season hits the schedule.

The View has been kind of a mess recently. Ratings are down, and most of the show’s longtime personalities have left for other opportunities. In fact, since Walters' retirement, the show has only been anchored by three women: Whoopi Goldberg, Sherri Shepherd and Jenny McCarthy. To fill the gap, The View has lately been employing a slew of guest hosts and co-hosts to chat with the celebrities who come onstage. The show hasn’t been the most organized series recently, and if anything can attest to that, it is probably the return of Barbara Walters as a guest on Friday. The woman has only been retired for six weeks and the show has already called her back to talk about a recent interview with the father Elliot Rodger, who took his life after allegedly killing six people in Santa Barbara last month. I’m sure it will be an interesting episode, but Walters’ return also sheds a light on the fact that the show is not doing so well in the post-Barbara era.

If CBS’ The Talk ever wanted to gain footing, now looks to be an excellent time.

Chris Rock, still probably known better these days as part of the quartet of morons in Grown Ups or a voice from the huge Madagascar animated series, has two high-profile but only marginally films behind him as a director. There's 2003’s high-concept comedy < a href=http://www.cinemablend.com/reviews/Head-of-State-454.html>Head of State and 2007’s marital dramedy I Think I Love My Wife-- say what you will about them, but they're Rock's vision through and through, since he also wrote and starred in them. It’s worth noting that the more realistic of those two films was co-written by Louis C.K. (I Think I Love My Wife), whose amazing FX series Louie has featured Rock as himself in a couple of really enjoyable episodes. People may forget that C.K. wrote and directed 2001’s “still not quite cult classic” bizarro comedy Pootie Tang, which starred Rock and comedian J.B. Smoove…

…Which brings us to TheWrap’s news that film scene comedy Finally Famous, Rock’s next directing gig, landed a casting gold mine in Smoove (Curb Your Enthusiasm), The View’s Sherri Shepherd and comedian Kevin Hart, whom you may recognize from just about everything from his stand-up specials to This is the End. Too bad for fans, though, that he only has a cameo in the film, while the other two actors have larger roles.

Thanks to his previous two films and especially his collaborations with Adam Sandler, Kevin Smith and even Julie Delpy, Rock is already popular with cross-cultural mainstream audiences in a way that doesn't often happen with films featuring all-black casts (i.e. Tyler Perry's ouvre). Smoove, Hart and Shepherd have a whole lot of that same appeal. It’s no coincidence that these same three all starred together in last year’s highly successful comedy Think Like a Man, which made $91 million domestically off a $12 million budget-- way, way more than the romantic-themed with a largely white cast plus Chris Rock, What To Expect When You're Expecting, made a few weeks later. That spring, when Chris Rock was out promoting Madagascar 3 at Cinema Con, he said that Think Like A Man's box office opening was "not an only-black-people number. He continued, "The black audience is looking for movies, but this movie is really good. ... You can put anybody in a good movie. And this movie happened to have some black people in it." No wonder he wants to get three of the stars from that movie-- especially the breakout Kevin Hart-- on board for his next project.

This new film will star Rock as Andre, a recovering alcoholic comedian-turned-movie star trying to spin his career as a serious actor, and Smoove will play Andre’s security guard and assistant, always at his boss’ side. I can’t wait to see the chemistry Smoove and Rock have together, given Smoove’s immediate bonding with any actor he’s paired with. Hart will play Andre’s Ivy League agent. Shepherd is an ex-girlfriend back in Andre’s hometown who still wonders what might have been between the two.

Finally Famous also co-stars Gabrielle Union as Andre’s fiancée. A reality TV star, she’s credited with Andre’s sobriety, and she wants to film their wedding on her show, which Hart’s character is apparently all about. Rosario Dawson plays a journalist set to interview Andrew for a New York magazine. Likewise a former drinker in a steady relationship, she nonetheless woos Andre, and that’s where things probably get hectic.

Hart will be adding to the comedy in the DeNiro/Stallone comedy Grudge Match, while J.B. Smoove will next be seen in Larry David’s all-star HBO film Clear History.

No word yet on when the New York production will begin, but we’ll keep an eye out.