Sheri Shepherd opened up about her time on “The View,” reflecting on the challenges she faced while working with Barbara Walters.
During a recent episode of “Jamie Kahn Lima’s Show,” the 58-year-old actress mentioned that her initial years were quite emotionally taxing. She recalled, “I cried for three years. Barbara Walters made me cry for the third year in a row,” recalling her tenure starting in 2007.
Despite the difficulties, Shepherd recognized the invaluable lessons she learned from Walters. “What I learned was that she taught me how to find my voice,” she said. “I found my voice on that show.” In a light-hearted way, she joked about her now deeper voice.
She continued, sharing some advice from Walters: “Read the book. Understand why you’re saying what you’re saying. It’s okay if you make mistakes.” This perspective was crucial for Shepherd as she navigated her career.
Reflecting on her seven years at “The View,” which ended in 2014, Shepherd expressed gratitude for the experience. “For me, it was one of the best experiences of my life,” she shared, despite others often criticizing the show.
The comedian confessed that she struggled to express herself fully until joining the Emmy-winning program. “When I got to my vision, it was all I hate to do. I was a very scary person,” she said, describing her previous shyness.
Initially, she worried about clashing with fellow panelists, but thanks to advice from her producer, she learned to stand by her opinions and stop self-censoring.
In another interview, Shepherd mentioned how Rosie O’Donnell encouraged her to negotiate for better pay, as she felt undervalued. “They didn’t want to give me any money,” she recalled, emphasizing that she could have earned more elsewhere since she had a child with special needs.
While Joy Behar and Elisabeth Hasselback made significant salaries of $500,000, Shepherd ultimately managed to secure $2 million by the end of her time on the show.
Created by Walters in 1997, “The View” featured a lineup that included Behar, Meredith Vieira, Star Jones, and Debbie Matenopoulos. Walters passed away in December 2022 at the age of 93.
After her passing, Shepherd shared on a talk show that one of Walters’ key pieces of advice was to always speak up: “You have to speak up, or you’ll be left behind.” She reflected on how Walters taught her to be bold and engage actively in conversations.
