Shepherd plans to spotlight comics on daytime talk show
Sherri Shepherd is planning to bring the laughs to daytime television.
The Emmy-winning former co-host of “The View” is going back to her stand-up comedy roots when her new chatfest debuts Sept. 12 live from Chelsea Studios in New York City.
Rising comedians will be featured during a signature segment of the nationally syndicated talk show dubbed “Sherri’s Laugh Lounge.”
Shepherd, who has played at many top comedy clubs in America, joined executive producer Jawn Murray for a virtual chat recently to share some details about what viewers can expect from the new “Sherri” show.
The 55-year-old funnywoman said the weekly feature will hearken back to when late-night comedy kings Johnny Carson and Jay Leno introduced the world to comedians by letting them perform standup routines on “The Tonight Show.”
“I love the way Johnny Carson would break comics . ... If you could be on the Jay Leno show and do stand-up, that could make your career, you could get a sitcom from that, your career could just be launched,” Shepherd said.
“And I know stand-up comedy is so personal to me,” she added. “I’ve been doing it all my life that I want to do that for other comics. I want comics to come on the show to ‘Sherri’s Laugh Lounge’ and be able to show what they got.
“And if I can introduce the world to a comic that they’ve never seen before and make them laugh and that world says I want to see more of that comic, then man, how exciting is that?”
During her stints guest hosting on “The Wendy Williams Show” earlier this year, comedians such as transgender stand-up Flame Monroe, Latinx comic Aida Rodriguez, former NFL cheerleaderturned-comedian Anjelah Johnson-Reyes and “Bob Hearts Abishola” scene stealer Gina Yashere got a chance to shine on the daytime show.
The “Dish Nation” co-host said she doesn’t plan to rely on the style of other successful talk shows she has previously hosted, such as the politically charged, news-oriented “The View” or the gossip-laden chatfest she replaced.
“I don’t feel I need to lean into politics because you have a plethora of shows that you can lean into to get your politics (like) my old stomping grounds ‘The View.’ ... I’m your escape from the doom and gloom . ... Sometimes you just want to escape, and you want to laugh and you want permission to breathe and feel good. That’s me.”