NEWSSherri Shepherd Boasts About Podcast Win After Taking Over Wendy Williams' Show As Ailing Host's Career Circles The Drain
Sherri Shepherd appears to be at the height of her career as Wendy Williams' future remains up in the air.
Only days after news broke that The Wendy Williams Show will be coming to an end, with Shepherd's own show taking its spot starting in September, the beloved returning guest-host took home another win.
On Friday, February 25, Shepherd took to Instagram to boast about her NAACP Image Award win for Outstanding Podcast Lifestyle Self Help for her "Two Funny Mamas" podcast. "We Won!" she captioned a clip of her win being announced.
"This podcast was birthed during the Quarantine & is a labor of love - not to mention it took THREE years to convince #kymwhitley to do it! 😂😂," she continued of her podcast host, Kym Whitley. After thanking their fans and everyone involved in the podcast production, Shepherd concluded in her caption: "we appreciate each and every one of you."
Aside from working on her podcast and taking over hosting duties while Williams deals with her ongoing health issues — as a bevy of celeb guest hosts have stepped in to kickoff Season 12 of the talk show after the 57-year-old stepped back in September 2021 — Shepherd now has her sight set on making her new show, Sherri, a success.
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As OK! reported, Shepherd has hosted The Wendy Williams Show numerous times over the past few months and received rave reviews from the long-time host's fans. While Shepherd has gushed over the opportunity to sit in Williams' famed purple chair, admitting it was a silent dream of hers to host the show, Williams is less than thrilled about the change up — and plans on making her thoughts on the matter known soon.
Rumors that Williams was fuming over Shepherd's success began circulating in December, with insiders later spilling she didn't give the actress her "blessing" to take over her show.
In light of the shocking change-up, OK! learned Williams is considering taking legal action against her producers, as she debates "what to do about Sherri Shepherd," said a source, who pointed out: "Sherri was supposed to be a friend filling in for Wendy while she was sick, but instead, Sherri stabbed Wendy in the back. If anyone thinks Wendy is going to disappear without a fight they are a fool."
After Debmar-Mercury Co-Presidents Mort Marcus and Ira Bernstein announced Williams' show would be coming to an end, Williams' rep, Howard Bragman, issued a statement on her behalf without her consent.
In response, Williams publicly slammed Bragman before firing him altogether. "Mr. Bragman, Although I appreciate your concerns and respect you immensely I have not authorized you to make any statements on my behalf regarding my current status with Debmar Mercury," Williams noted on Instagram on Tuesday, February 22.
One day later, OK! learned she got rid of both her longtime manager, Bernie Young, and recent crisis manager Bragman. "Bernie and Howard are out. They don’t even have a way to get in contact with her," a source spilled. "No one has no way to get in contact with Wendy, she doesn't even have her own phone anymore."
Meanwhile, Williams has seemingly sought comfort from her ex-husband, Kevin Hunter Sr., whom she has been getting close to in light of her other legal troubles with Wells Fargo after they froze her accounts, insisting she's an "incapacitated person."
“Wendy has no one in her life but Kevin. She never had close friends and hasn’t spoken with her staff in months," an insider recently spilled. “Kevin is back in her life again out of necessity."
