Sherri Shepherd slammed for BOASTING she's ready to fill 'Ellen DeGeneres-sized void' in daytime TV
Sherri Shepherd's recent comment that she's ready to fill Ellen DeGeneres-sized "void" in daytime TV after taking over Wendy Williams' slot has sparked a flood of criticism on Twitter. The View alum and The Wendy Williams Show fill-in made it clear that she's ready for the spotlight as she gears up for the debut of her own talk show, Sherri, which is set to premiere in September this year.
"I've always dreamed about this. I always wanted something where I could make people laugh, that's always been my why, to make people feel good. Going into Wendy, I did it within her format and I guess the viewers liked it because I love pop culture, but I like to find the lightness and the humor of a hot topic story," the 55-year-old told People. Upon learning of Sherri's statement, Wendy's fans were quick to slam her.
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The comedian and television personality continued, "It literally will be everything I haven't been able to display. You only got to see snippets of what I do when I'm a guest on a talk show or when I was on The View. For me, it's got to be fun, escapism. If you're a mother, specifically a Black mother like me, there's something that's always making you scared."
"Now they're taking away women's rights, it's always something. And I feel like people want to turn on the TV and not have to think about all that. I just want to see something that's going to make me smile and make me laugh. Ellen [DeGeneres] is gone, and I love Kelly Clarkson because she's naturally authentic, but people underestimate a standup comic and that's where we come in," Shepherd added.
"We create magic where there is none, and there is really nobody I think who can fill that void, but I'm here and that's what I'm bringing. They already got the budget for my wigs. They're like, 'Wait a minute we thought Wendy had a budget, but this!' The hair, along with adequate space to house it all, is a necessary expense. Look, I've got five wigs in my suitcase right now, just for Essence Fest!" the host laughed.
'The Wendy Williams Show' first aired in 2008, but 57-year-old Williams was forced to take a break because of health issues. Shepherd took over as a guest host for a few months, but it was soon revealed that the popular talk show was ending. It was also announced that Shepherd would take over the chat show's timeslot with her own talk show.
"It's my Birthday!!! My dream has always been to host my own talkshow and what a gift from God to do it on my Birthday! I am sitting here in tears... with a heart so full, so grateful, so thankful to be ALIVE... What an amazing Birthday gift... to be where I am right now. Thank you for all the love today," Shepherd captioned the announcement post.
'The Kelly Clarkson Show' premiered in 2019 and has since broadcast three seasons with various celebrities as guests. Meanwhile, 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' ended after a nineteen-year-long run. Jennifer Aniston was the first guest and the last guest on the talk show that first premiered in 2003.
Wendy fans slam Sherri
Wendy Williams' fans who are already upset and disappointed with how the series ended took to social media to troll Sherri. "F**k her give us Wendy back," one person wrote on Twitter. Another quipped, "She really thinks she's gonna last as long as Wendy did. I give it one season. ONE !"
A third commented, "Girl no she will be cancelled after one season and we want wendy back," with a fourth saying, "Oh the shade. She couldn't say she was ready to fill the Wendy Williams-sized void in daytime tv [laughing with tears emoji]." Someone else simply added, "She flatters herself."
Fans were also outraged after noticing traces of the show’s legacy have been wiped clean from the Internet. Episodes of “The Wendy Williams Show” on YouTube are no more. The account has disappeared, along with the show’s official Instagram account and website.