Sherri Shepherd Selected for ‘The View’

Thursday, September 06, 2007

Sherri Shepherd, comedian and actress will take the fifth host position on ‘The View’ according to sources on September 10. It was announced that Whoopi Goldberg would be the program’s new moderator, replacing Rosie O’Donnell on August 1.  Shepherd was expected to be announced as co-host on that date as well. The fact that she wasn’t is due to reported contentious negotiations that were going on between Shepherd and ABC.

Sherri Shepherd worked as a legal secretary while she tried to get comedy gigs at night. Her first TV role was on the show Cleghorne starring Ellen Cleghorne, a former Saturday Night Live member. Within three years, Shepherd pursued acting and stand-up comedy full-time while still working as a legal secretary. She had guest roles on Friends, Living Single and played regular roles on Suddenly Susan and The Jamie Foxx Show. Her most famous role however, was playing the role of Ramona Platt on Less than Perfect, a sitcom that ran on ABC for four seasons as well as her role on Everybody Loves Raymond.

Shepherd had a role in the films Guess Who, Beauty Shop and Cellular and still performs stand-up at the comedy Store and the Laugh Factory in Los Angeles. She has been seen as a guest on the Ellen DeGeneres Show and holds the record for being on the show more than any other guest.

Sherri Shepherd has been a frequent guest on The View as well and was caught up in an infamous fight between Rosie O’Donnell and Elisabeth Hasselbeck on May 23. Shepherd made valiant attempts to stop the fight and called for producers to go to a commercial. She was told the still had more time before the segment finished. Hmmm, could ratings have been in their minds?

Shepherd pulled herself and host Joy Behar away from the table before the fight came to an end.

Sherri Shepherd was born in Chicago, Ill. on April 22, 1967 and is married to comedian Jeff Tarpley and has a three-year old son Jeffrey Charles.