Keep it Positive, Sweetie - Working While Waiting w/Sherri Shepherd

Episode Date: December 1, 2024

Crystal Renee Hayslett and Sherri Shepherd chat about Sherri’s winding road to the apex of daytime talk, how she’s managing motherhood, the beauty in being “Fit Over 50” and the importance of setting boundaries.

Coming up on Keep It Positive, sweetie. I played Sheila on the Jamie Foxx show. Yes. I remember it. And we're best of friends because we worked together on Jamie Foxx. And somebody came on and they had done like a couple lines. Now I was recurring on the show because I made Jamie laugh. He kept bringing me back.

And she was a comic. And she said this to me. She said, girl, you know, you good on here, but everybody talking, they said, you know, you must've slept with Jamie to be on this show. Like, you know, like they trying to protect me. And it hurt my feelings so bad. Cause I was like, I'm Chris Renee Hazlett, and this is the Keep It Positive Sweetie Show, a safe space to heal, laugh, grow and love.

Today's show has me all in my feelings and it's crazy guys, we're just getting started. I'm having a one-on-one with the one and only Sherri Shepherd. I'm so excited to grab some gems from the talk show queen and I know it's going to be a really special time for us and for you as well. Whether it be television or movies, comedy stages or daytime talk, Sherri Shepherd is the master of all mediums. Her journey through the entertainment industry has been anything but linear and she's the epitome of waiting your turn. Well, her turn and her time is now and it's now time for us to get together and get the real of her journey up the entertainment ladder and much more. I'm here on my couch and she is checking in from her dressing room on set. Sherry thank you so much for coming

on today how are you feeling? I am great my grandma always said I'd live to see you in another day. My grandma used to say if the Lord will and the creek don't rise, I'll see you tomorrow. See right there, that's too many words, but I agree with your grandmother. Yes, yes. Well, I just want to first of all say congratulations on your third season of the Shari Shepard Show. How does it feel? Oh my goodness, girl. I'm just like, Jesus Lord, thank you so much. A third season. Like this is when talk shows get cancelled after the first season. To know that I'm connecting with people. To know that they're enjoying my brand of silliness and humor. Crystal, when I tell you I'm so thankful, girl, I'd be wanting to go into a praise shout. I know that's right. Listen, I'm so proud of you.

Like you've gained so many accolades and nominations. Have you had time to just really sit in it? Because I know you're so busy. When do you find time to just be like, wow, this is my life right now? When I come out and sit in my chair, like I the door opens and I see all of these faces that are clapping, that are smiling. And it's not because the DJ has prompted people to do it. I can see what God's assignment is when I'm walking out.

And I'm always walking out going, Lord, wow. Or when I walk down the hallways and see my name and I go, this is what I dreamed about. Or when, you know, like people send me a picture, like I'm on my pictures on the billboard outside and I go, oh my gosh, that's like, that's mine. That's me. Yes. My voice get all high. What? That's Sherri. So that is when, when I'm here and I see it or when people come and tell me, you know, my husband, he passed away and we used to watch it together or my mom and I watch it together or, you know, they just tell me what the show means to them.

And I just go, thank you, Lord. And then I start crying. I love that, that's beautiful. I'm happy that you actually find time because sometimes life can be so busy and pass us by. We look up and like, wait, I accomplished all these things but I didn't really get to sit in it. So I'm happy that you daily can sit in it

and find time to just be grateful. That's so beautiful. I love that. I don't know if I get to like, you know, take breaks or anything, but I guess it's just, I wanted the dream for so long. So sitting in it and seeing the, I was at Howard University yesterday when all of the young people kept coming

up and hugging me, going, Ms. Sherry, I want my own talk show. I, I got to sit in it by saying I'm a living embodiment of what you were dreaming about. So touch me, hug me, talk to me. And that's when I go, Lord, oh my God, oh my God. You help me, you bless me with this. Oh, that is beautiful. Something that resonated with me is your new series, It's Never Too Late. I was 38 when my career took off.

And Sherri, when I tell you, I looked around the room and I was like, everybody is either like 10 years younger than me, 12 years younger than me. And there were so many moments where I felt like I was late to the party. And as I gained my footing, I realized, you know what, you're right on time because everything that I gained, the knowledge that I learned during the waiting period, it really like, it just, it equipped me for everything that I was stepping into. What did you do to maintain the waiting phase

to like really get to where you wanted to get to? You know, it's so funny when I first met you, Crystal, and you came on the show, you told that story. It so resonated with me because it's like, now you go, you're right where you're supposed to be at the time you were supposed to be there because you were ready. He could trust you with this assignment.

And I remember I was at a church one time and the pastor said, some of us have not had our dream come true, but sometimes you have to mature into the reality of that dream. Because if something happens or there's a crash or burn, if you haven't matured into it, you gonna crash and burn. You not gonna know how to get back up.

So I think a lot of times when people have this, you know, success too quickly and they don't have anything up under them going, I can keep pushing because I know God didn't done this for me when when this happened, I know this has been happening. I know I have this experience and you are right where you're supposed to be in. He has seasoned you up so that you when you come out and people adore you and appreciate you it's because they can relate to all that life experience you are bringing into your character.

It is right when I tell you, girl, I sit on my couch and I mean my talk show couch and I'm like, Laura, why you, you gave me this talk show 54 years old. You know, you know, I ain't got no stamina. Laura, who is this person sitting? I'm gonna tell you that. One time, Lorenz Tate, he came on the show and he was sitting across from me and I said, okay, who is this?

I know him. I know him. But his name slipped from my mind. Yes. Lorenz Tate, you watching this, I know who you are. Like everything he had ever done, old dog. You know, like everything. And I was like, but I can't remember you know, like every and I was like,

but I can't remember his name and we talk and I was like, and then God just gave it to me. I mean, Janet Jackson came, I jumped up and I said, I think I didn't, I think I gotta go to the bathroom. Like it's, I go, why you give it to me now? When I'm, you know, I can't run out there and be dropping it like it's hot and running up and down the stairs. And cause he's like, cause I need you to be settled. That's why. Cause if I gave it to you in your twenties, you'd be all out in the streets.

You'd be going to these clubs. You wouldn't be home and getting sleep when you supposed to. You wouldn't be, you'd be feeling yourself. Angels wouldn't be able to do nothing with you. Cause they like, she in a club. She had some kind of party, she ain't. So here's where we're supposed to be. I forgot what you asked me.

No, you answered it. Yeah, I asked you like, what did you do in that waiting phase in the meantime? Yeah. Crystal, in the waiting phase, everything that I did, I am able to use in this talk show space. I just, you know, when it didn't happen for me

in the talk show realm, I really got back to my standup and standup is what I do when I first sit in my chair. I do standup. I was, you know, I'm able to talk for 90 minutes on the stage so I can do, you know, 19, 20 minutes in that chair. So that worked together. When I was on The View, I learned how to read a prompter.

I do that every day. When I was a cohost on the show Dish Nation, I was by myself in the studio in LA while Debrat and everybody in Headcrack were in Atlanta. So I had to pretend, look in that camera and pretend like we were all together. So that's how I talked to my audience, even though I'm reading words on a prompter. I talked to them like we're all in the room together.

So all of that experience that I had, I took it and I used it for what I am doing right now. So it is, you know, you got to look at everything you're doing. How is it going to be able to use it for what you are doing right now? Which is what you are able to do. No, absolutely. No, I'm hearing you talking. I'm like, it's a mirror of my journey, literally.

And there were so many times where I questioned, I like to question God, but there are so many moments where I'm like, Lord, what am I doing? Why do you have me doing this? I just didn't understand the steps that he was ordering for me. And I always pray God order myself. But then sometimes like this really the step you want me to take.

Absolutely. It makes sense. It's so funny when he, um, it does make sense. When, when I was a cohost on the view, I'm like, Lord, I don't even know as much as these women, when I tell you how many times I fell on that show, fell and failed show going, I don't know. I thought I was going to get up on that show like, well, I need a bina and be given a deep word every day and explaining to people what, what politics is. I didn't know none of that. I, I, I made so many

mistakes, but I needed to, in order for me to be who I am today, I needed to make a bunch of mistakes and learn, and learn how to course correct. I needed to learn how to deal with social media people when they get on their thing and they be hating on you. Now don't bother me, you can get on there and say whatever you want. I know how to swipe. I ain't even gotta answer you back.

I learned how not to give people my energy. I learned how to know that when I open up my mouth, it's just people that's not gonna agree with me. And that's okay. So it's like everything, what's that scripture? Romans 8.28. All things work together for the good of them who love the Lord and to the called according to his purpose.

So it's like, I know everything that I have done up until this point is working together for me to do this show. Yes. Oh, I love that. That is so good because I definitely resonate with you on that. One thing that I noticed when I come to your show, I was telling my line producer this,

I was like, every time I go to Sherri's show, I feel so seen. I love the way that you come, no, seriously, the way you come out and hug on us. And I remember one time you didn't see me before the show and you came to, I didn't see you before, let me give you a hug. Like the fact that you even remember,

like I didn't see Crystal. And I was like, this woman has so much going on. And to remember a little of me, you know, it just meant so much. And every time I leave, the conversations that we have on your show, just leave me so full and I just feel so seen. I just wanna thank you for that because

it feels like just, okay, interview next, you know, but you do not make me feel like that. Thank you so much. And I was looking for you all day. I was like, well, I saw everybody. And I thought you said Kristen was coming. And I don't know where you were. I didn't see you when I walked in

and I didn't get to come upstairs, but I was looking for you. And then you were were there and I was like, okay, you here. But I, I always knew how I wanted my show to be. I've been dreaming about a talk show since I saw Oprah Winfrey doing hers and I've been, I've been a guest on a lot of talk shows and I knew experiences that I liked that made me feel full and seen and experiences that I didn't like Crystal and I loved it when the hosts would come and acknowledge me even if they had never met me before and put me at ease about being on their show that and I said I want to be able to do that I want to be able to hug people and really let them know this

is a safe space you You are, I promise you we're going to have fun. You have nothing to worry about with me. And, and, and that I know you, I've watched, you know, episodes of what you've done. I follow you. I'm, I'm completely blessed that you're here. So thank you for that girl. Yes. No, I'm telling you. I was like, I, I literally feel the same every time I walk out. So thank you because like we both experienced it can be the complete opposite sometimes. Yes, absolutely.

Seeing that showed me how I need to move forward. I learned so much from so many people that I look up to. And that's definitely something I took away from you when I left your show. Thank you, girl. When you have yours. So there we go. Thank you. You are so multi-talented. You do comedy, you do movies, television. Now you have your own talk show. You and I have something in common. We both have worked with the incomparable Tyler Perry.

Listen, honey, I got to tell you, I got a sneak peek of straw. Are you did? Sherri. Sherri. My series going off going, uh-huh. Baby. You embodied the character so beautifully. It was so grounded.

The dance that you and Taraji did in your scenes, I was blown away. When the credits rolled, we were like, oh my gosh. And like, Davao was there, it was so many people in the room and we were both like, Sherri killed it. And I just wanna give you your flowers and ask you, what was it like working with Tyler?

Because I know what it's been like working with him and the amazing things that he has instilled in me as an actor, but what was that experience like for you? It was so funny because Tyler will text me and he'll say, Sherri, I had a screening and this was so good and you were so good. Or he'll text me like after the screening, he'll say, what did y'all think about Sherri Shepherd? And he'll send me the video.

And then you can hear him go, okay, don't say nothing more because I don't want to get a big head, which makes me laugh. And we were talking about it and I don't take compliments very well. So he was telling me how much he liked me and how I was doing. And I just totally skipped over it.

I said, I love what Taraji did in Tiana and you even had Sinbad. And so he said in all caps, he said in all caps, he said in all caps, accepted what I'm saying to you and hold on because I'm gonna get this right because I mean he said, he said you did that all caps accepted. I said received and I said well the movie was well done. You pulled on my heartstrings. And he said, why is you talking about the movie and not you? You killed it. He said, get off my phone till you accept their reality.

That was a couple of weeks ago. And I said, well, I ain't going to text you because it's hard for me to accept compliments. So we, I guess we're going to be talking for a minute. So I said, why is it hard for you to accept compliments? Why is that? You know, because it's just like, because I know it's just not about me. And I've worked so hard, I guess I've been disappointed so many times and had so many people say no.

And I've had so many people tell me, you're not good enough. You too, you too this, you too that, you too short, you not pretty enough, you too fat, you too this. I've that, you too short, you not pretty enough, you too fat, you too this. I've heard that my entire career. It's almost like being abused woman that when you finally do get a nice man, you don't know how to accept it. So I tend to gloss over the flowers

and you have to step back and say thank you. So when Tyler does it, it's too much. I'm thankful that I got to work with him. How was it working with him? Girl, it was the most chaotic process I ever been through in my dad gone life. I know. I ain't never worked like, I said,

I said, I've never worked like this before. I was clutching my pearls. Every now and then on scene. There was, you like this before I was clutching my pearls every long scene. They was you know And I was like he we did one very emotional scene and he goes all right And that's why you know sharing the talk show host and I was like he was like moving on and I go Wait, no what we only did one one time. Yes, I'm doing like 12 more times He was like no, I got what I need. I was like, but I didn't give you what I'm supposed to give. I'm supposed to break down into tears.

And he said, I don't need all of that. And then he kept, this is what he kept doing. I'm trying to keep this is a drama. This movie with Tiana Taylor, Taraji Henson and me, it's a drama. So I'm, I'm, I don't get to do a lot of dramas, Crystal. I do a lot of and he named my character number one, Henrietta. So I said, Hey, Mr. Perry, why everybody else got a young name? Why? Why my Henrietta? When I take out bugged that man every day and he said, What do you want? When I take out bug that man every day and he said, what do you want? That I don't give a damn Janisha Kintaba

Teresa Nicole, I I can't do no Henrietta. I'm single. I'm gonna tell some man. I'm playing Henrietta So he let me he let me change the name, but I was supposed to do I was supposed to Walk to the bank. I guess to do a scene where I open the door. He goes, cut. Why are you walking like Beyonce? This was a pivotal scene. I got my emotions. I'm just like, you know, cause I do a drama.

I'm like this. And he goes, what? And then everybody started laughing. He's like, I don't need the sex. That's why I named your ass Henrietta And I said I'm not what and then there was one scene girl I had to say I don't know I had to say Taraji I want to go home. He goes cut what's with the sexy talk? Oh my god That was That whole situation was exhausting.

When I tell you, I was like, what are you? I'm not talking sexy. That's desperation. And he goes, no, it's sexual. So working with Tyler, I loved it. And in the middle of it, and let me tell you, Taraji is a beast of an actress. Yes. And she was filming Fight Night at the same time I loved it and in the middle of it and let me tell you, Taraji is a beast of an actress.

Yes. And she was filming Fight Night at the same time with Kevin Hart and then in this movie, but in the middle, so she can cry at will. Chris, I don't do dramas. I've got to talk shows. I don't have to cry all the time. It takes me three days to get into my crying and then I got to hold on to it. Yes.

Right in the middle. So I'm in the middle of crying and all of a sudden Taraji goes, so Tyler how many times you been on Sherry Show? I've been on Sherry Show twice. Then Tyler goes, well I've been on once but I'm going back and I go, what are y'all doing? Like how are y'all doing this? Stay in it. I clutch my pearls. I said I never worked like this in my life, but you know what? Everybody's going to enjoy it. Yes, they are. I love working with Tyler. He just, he encourages me. He just, and you know this, he's so uplifting. He will answer those calls. When I have a question, when I'm down, when I need advice. He ain't gave me no money yet. He ain't gave me no car yet.

I didn't see my list of people I know he done bought some cars for. Yes. But you be buying cars for comics. Listen. Hello, Tyler. I know you're watching. Need a car. We have to get Sherry a car.

Gotta get Sherry a car. Or can I just stay in a wing at his estate? Oh my goodness. Sherry, why did I tell him one day? I was like, I could just like live here. You would never know I was here. He was like, no. I said, or I could build on your land.

You would never know I'm here. He was like, no. Maybe I need to say something different. Cause I was like, can I take my clothes off? And he goes, he goes, he goes, why is everything about sex with you? And I said, Tyler, this house is calling for me to be naked. I'm supposed to run butt ass naked through this house.

And I said, huh, Tiana? She was like, yeah, we ass naked through this house. And I said, hunty on it. She was like, yeah, we got to do this. Ooh, scared me. And I was like, I'm telling you, like I'm supposed to go swim in all these pools. Right. Yeah. I need, I ran through that.

I was like, it's just, it calls for me to take my clothes off. I was the last one to leave. And I said, I thought we was spending the night. He said you know you gotta go home. Listen that's his favorite line. All right so y'all ready? Bye y'all. He's standing on that stairs for a minute to see you through and I was like drop me off here because I'm about to go back uh I'm about to sneak back into this house till I found out that Tyler got wild boar and giraffes and all kinds of stuff that will eat a black lady. Absolutely.

Yes. I got back into that car and I left. So there I love Tyler. That is incredible. Oh my gosh. Everybody loves Tyler. He's just amazing. And I'm glad you got to experience that.

One thing I do say after working with him, we, you look around, you're like, why is everybody moving so slow? Like, come on, let's move it. Cause we know we can get this done faster. And I had to catch myself to kind of just slow down because I'm so used to running circles around everybody because I worked with him from a PA all the way to an actor. So I've been used to that fast pace for so long

that I have to even catch myself sometimes and say, okay, Crystal, slow down. You can breathe, enjoy it for a little bit. But I know what you mean. His favorite saying is, what is taking so long? Oh, yes. What is going on? Yep.

That is his favorite line. I can hear it in my sleep. It's like, it haunts me sometimes. Oh my God. Sometimes he'd be like, because we'd have outside scenes, he'd be like, Sher line. I can hear it in my sleep. It's like, it haunts me sometimes. Oh my God. Sometimes he'd be like, cause we'd have outside scenes. He'd be like, Sherry, I can hear him on the megaphone.

Sherry, what is taking so long? I'm like, cause I'm getting into character. And now you done took me out of character. Now I got to, I need 10 minutes. Yes. No, seriously. What did you do to prepare for that role? It was literally I play a straw is about a to Raji I don't remember the name of her character, but she just she's just trying to make ends meet for her and her daughter And she's trying to you know survive and she gets caught up in more than she can handle

And tries to go to the bank and I'm the bank manager Nicole and I think that she has is robbing, it's a bank robbery. Tiana Taylor is the hostage negotiator. And so there's a bunch of hostages in the bank and we all think that Taraji is robbing this bank and how our relationship, Taraji and I, we get closer. And then we really get to see who she is, including Tiana and Taraji.

And I memorized, this is something I wasn't used to, Crystal. I was at 36 scenes, I spoke in 23 of them. I memorized it in three days. Wow. In three days. And there was one point with Tiana, we, it was so much going on girl and Tiana looks at me

as a hostage negotiator because I said uh Taraji, I don't remember a character's name, she not coming out and Taraji goes uh do you what's my line do you know my line? I go no I don't know your line. You're like I really don't know my line? No I don't know your line and so we going back she think I'll say this. And I go, well, I don't know what you say. Cause when you had to say your thing for me to say my thing. Now here you go. What is going on back there? Oh my gosh. Tiana, Sherri, what is going on?

We jumped. And I would do it all again. Yes. Yes, I love it. Well, congratulations. And I cannot wait for all again. Yes. Yes, I love it. Well, congratulations. And I cannot wait for it to come out. I'm telling you, the audience is gonna have, like our jaw was on the floor.

So I'm excited for it. And congratulations again on that. I appreciate it. You've worked with some of your close friends. I work with some of my close friends. What is it like working with close friends and then also setting boundaries? Because as you've climbed, you've taken people along with you.

What is that journey? I love working with my close friends and I've become close friends from working with people that I just love and like Deval. Oh my gosh. My gosh, he and Khadin, when I tell you for life, for life, I keep saying to you, we got to get together because there's something about you that my spirit just connects with. Like we'll have a good time. Yes, we will. Jam us if you invite me over to your house to spend the night. I will. I love how you show the couch. I will have you on my... I will. Yes, I will. Come on over. I got wine.

That's it. We can watch movies. What's your favorite movie? Oh man. I really want to see Cooley High again. Like that's okay. So we can have a Cooley High night. Like an old school night. And um and what's that one that Ryan Reynolds was in and And he, like, I like romantic. Romantic. I love romantic. I don't want nothing scary with nobody breaking into the house and killing you and all of that. No. None of that. So just those kinds of movies.

But so it's just like meeting people in my life, you know, newer people, I love connecting. But I love working with friends because you just got a chemistry. You got a chemistry that you can work with and it shows when you have chemistry. The hardest thing is to work with somebody and I have worked with people that I can't stand.

Can't stand. You know, when you have to manufacture that chemistry. So, you know, so it's great. The setting the boundaries, I have learned at this age, I can't take the weight of everybody on my shoulders. I just can't. It's too hard, life is too short. I gotta make sure my son is taken care of.

He's on the spectrum and I gotta make sure, you know, he's taken care of. And, you know, so a lot of people I've had to, everybody can't go on the journey with you. Yeah. And it's not usually you who changes, it's the way they look at you now. I can't buy all y'all Beyonce tickets.

I had to buy my tickets. Now everybody mad at me because we ain't going to the Beyonce concert together. It's like, we've learned to say no. I can't be the support system for everybody because it's dragging me down and I'm having palpitations in my heart. So I have learned to,

sometimes you have to distance yourself or your mental sanity, which I have learned to do. And so there's my boundaries and I've learned to say no. I say no a lot. And it's no with a period. It's no, I wish I could, but I can't do it. Yes, yes. Which really means I won't do it.

Come on. That's my favorite word, no. My friends, you say no so easily, yes, no. Yes, no, exactly. Because people read the, they get on the internet and they start reading these dumb ass sites. How much is this celebrity worth? And if you go on that site, it looked like I'm making enough money to take care of the world.

Right. I don't know what they're talking about. No. So a lot of, as soon as I hear the phone, can you accept to collect call from this cousin? No, ma'am. No, sir. Yeah, that's good. Yeah. the phone, can you accept to collect call from this cousin? No, ma'am. No, sir. Yeah. Yeah, no money for books. No putting on the books. Can't do it. Old boyfriends coming back old friends coming back that I knew when I was in second grade.

So, no, it's Second grade not second grade where we could just like shoot the breeze and talk about what we do and where we at. Second grade where we shoot the breeze. And as I go, OK, what's good? Talk to you. Hold on, wait a minute. Sherri, girl, you know, here we go. Here we go.

Ain't that it? No. Yes. I love that. You spoke on letting certain people go and like they can't everybody can't come along with you. What is it that you've had to shed as you continue to ascend? What are some things that I've had to shed?

Or people or things that you had to realize I can't this can't come with me. I realized because some people not able to accept where you have gotten now and they wanted to stay the same and things don't stay the same. Things are constantly changing. Things are constantly moving and you know those people who want to you know stay the same. It's hard to bring them along because you don't want to stay the same. You want to ascend. Like It's hard to bring them along because you don't wanna stay the same. You wanna ascend. Like, prime example, Nisi, Nash and I have been friends

for close to 30 years. Wow. That's my ride or die. There are times we've talked for three, four hours early in the morning. She would call me before I got to talk show. I can't talk that early. And I'm in another time zone in the morning

and we would just talk. I've been with her through the hard times. She's been moving me through the hard times and we celebrated things together. She's very busy right now. She's winning awards, she's at awards shows. She's doing a lot of stuff. I'm very busy, but she's now in the company of people

that we can only dream about meeting. She's in those rooms now and those people, she's got that personality. They love her. And so now she's doing things with people who I've never even met them. But I'm not jealous. I'm so happy to see her in those spaces. Now she can invite me to the Super Bowl with Travis, whatever Kelsey she working with on her show. It's the same way

Taylor Swift invited Ice Spice. She gonna be over there with Taylor Swift and all of the Kelsey family. I want that invitation. I know she taking her husband but it's like when I look at her I'm so happy that you're in front of these people and I don't expect you to be I'm never in there going with telling me I'm actress too. Why don't you talk to someone so and tell them I'm looking I don't do that I don't put that pressure on her go be Because I know where I'm at in her life when you need the real deal and you got to talk and you got to get that Girl, are we gonna go over to you know, when she says me we gonna go over to his house I'm at in her life when you need the real deal and you got to talk and you got to get that girl Are we gonna go over to you know when she says me we gonna go over to his house and we gonna freakin break a window

She gonna call Sherry when she got to talk about the deep stuff and the stuff is just like behind the smile Behind the red carpet stuff. That's Sherry You know, so I and that's the one thing I thought of, it's like, our friendship has endured, because I'm, you know, Nisi got three pilots to do a talk show, and I was on a guest on her pilots, because I thought, one thing, I know how to be a guest on a pilot.

You think that was, that was hard for me, because I wanted that. Yes. But my friend was getting the blessing. And I kept saying, well, if she get a talk show, that opened up the room for me. Amen. That's so good. And she's that way with me. Like she can cheer me on even when she's not working. There was

a period of time Nisi wasn't working and I was booking all the jobs. So we've just had this enduring friendship where we know it doesn't matter who is in our life. It doesn't matter that, you know, somebody recognizes one. Sometimes people recognize Nisi. They don't even know who I am. But then sometimes we somewhere and they'll recognize me. They don't know who Nisi is. And then one time we was in New York, we got lost.

They thought Nisi was Nini Leakes and they thought I was Star Jones. They didn't recognize me, one of us. So it's it's and we laughed all night. Oh, I love that. So you have to be around people. I feel who are secure, who know, you know, who know who they are in your life.

You have to. And Tyler said this to me, because I said, Tyler, I asked him about boundaries. And he said, Terry, you got to be friends with people that if you don't talk to them for six months, you can pick that phone back up and y'all can carry on where you left off. They ain't going, you won't never call me. Why you don't invite me to nothing?

That's what I was dealing with. Why I can't go here with you? How come you telling them you're not? I couldn't. I was dealing with. Why can't I go here with you? How come you telling them you not? I couldn't, I was going. And so I started having to go, okay, you're not a person I can take with me. I have to put you in the outer. Yes.

That's it. I've dealt with the same thing as I've gained fame and just navigating friendships. So it's good to know that you were able to like find good people like Nisi that you could do life with. And it's so important, I have friends like that too, where I can call her six months. It's never like, you know, acting brand new,

nothing like that. It's just like, hey, how you doing? Let's catch up. Like literally didn't skip a beat. That's so true. You not acting, not acting brand new been? Let's catch up. Like literally didn't skip a beat. That's so true. You're not acting, not acting brand new, but knowing you're busy. Yes.

Like you're busy and I understand you're busy, but it's not gonna affect our friendship cause I'm a be here so I can tell you what's going on in my life. And you can tell me in what, and then I understand you can't talk for hours like you used to. Yeah, yes.

You gotta go having people in your life. Cause I have other people in my life that I talk to and they're busy. They gotta be on the set or they gotta go and do something. And I go, okay, but I know, you know, I love you. And I know you love me. And it's just a very quick, but we check in with each other. So I, the people in my life, they don't resent. And I'm grateful for that. That's beautiful. I love that. You touched on mental health.

What are some things, do you have a therapist? What are some things that you do to really just keep your mental health strong with everything that you have going on? Cause I know for me, I dealt with my first anxiety attack last year, just the weight of it all and worried about how am I supposed to keep all this up and what if it doesn't last, what if the show gets canceled? All these different thoughts crept in and literally had my first panic attack. And that's when I really got a therapist and really started talking through things and realized that if I'm grounded in my faith, what am I worried about? Yes. Flipping ins four and six, but I wanted to know what are some practices that you do just

to really keep your mental health strong? I hate that you went through that. If you ever go through that, call me girl, because I'm a good listener and I'm a good, you know, having gone through that, having attacks of I'm not worthy. Why do I have it? And other people who are feeling more talent to me, why they don't have it and I'll be in tears can't breathe You know, um, just like what if they find out I'm a fraud that I can't do this Do I deserve it because I don't have the degree that they have, you know that this came to me somebody said what?

I didn't when I used to I played Sheila on the Jamie Foxx show And we're best of friends because played Sheila on the Jamie Foxx show. One of the best friends. And we're best of friends because we worked together on Jamie Foxx. And somebody came on and they had done like a couple of lines. Now I was a recurring on the show because I made Jamie laugh. He kept bringing me back. And she was a comic. And she said this to me. She said, girl, you know, you're good on here, but everybody talk.

And they said, you know, you must have slept with Jamie to be on this show. Like, you know, like they trying to protect me and it hurt my feelings so bad. Cause I was like, I worked for this. I mean, you know, you, you good, but you ain't that good. And it, it just really hurt my feelings. And I would go into these panic attacks. Like I don't deserve this because there's people funnier than me.

Why am I on the view? It's people who have more knowledge than me. Why it just in this season of my life, like maybe before the talk show, I realized, you know what? If God gave you the assignment, it's something that you have that he wants to use to touch people. And whatever he gave, like when I walk through that, when that door opens

and it says, welcome Sherri Shepherd. After I pray where I'm weak, you were strong, fresh mercy, fresh grace, fresh energy and fresh jokes. I already know, walk into what God has already written. Yes. And God wrote it for this to be Sherri Show. And I know, you gotta know who you are too, Crystal. Yeah. Everything that he's given to you, all of the gifts he's using and who I am.

You could take me off this show and you could try to put somebody in my place who is really good, but they're not gonna give you what I give you They will not we are all unique and have our own Gifting that is so different from somebody else. I cannot I watched to Raji and straw Mm-hmm love to be at that level that she is. I gotta do the work That girl could hold her head. She'd I looked around, she was crying. And

laughing and crying. And I gotta go to the bathroom, Tyler. I'm gonna keep the crying. I'm on the floor, gotta do a whole hour of storytelling in my mind to get the tears. But I said, God is calling Taraji to do what Taraji does, but he's calling me to do what nobody can do. Yeah. I'm the one that, I'll have Tyler on the floor cracking up. We talk, I'm that one that he comes to feel good and be able to let go and laugh. That's what I do.

Yes. I'm trying to be that person. I'm not trying to be Oprah. I'm not trying to be, you know'm not he you know, I want to emulate But I am myself and I think you have to be cool with who God made you to be I don't want anybody other I don't want anybody's path, but mine As if I want to walk in your shoes crystal I got to go through what you'd have been through and then maybe a little bit too overwhelming for me

Yeah, and I'm gonna definitely tell you, if you want my blessings, what? Come on. I try to tell people that I'm like, be careful what you ask for. Be careful what you ask for. But I have, yeah, definitely therapy. You must, if you are able to get therapy,

I think it's so important to be able to talk to a person who is impartial, who can help you course correct and help you realize what is it that is blocking that flow. Yes. How do I let go? How do I, you know, I'm definitely, I missed my therapy appointment yesterday. I'm in a fetal position. Listen, I know I have to stay on top of that because it's so important.

Thank you for sharing that. What you are doing, you know, what you're doing at the level you're doing it, Crystal, you have to be at peace. You have to because, you know, to whom much is given, much is required. Yes. So, and everybody has something that they're supposed to do to change the world. I believe that. But sometimes there are some people who are out there in public and have to deal with

a lot of different things. And for you to be able to deal with it, it can get overwhelming. Like you're a star. So that can be so overwhelming. Then you get people who just, they don't like you because they're scared to try to do what you do. It's a lot of fear. And that's where they're coming from.

Fear and resentment because they don't have enough courage to step out of their comfort zone and do what you do. Ask. They want to be you, but they don't wanna do the work of what it takes to be you. And so I always also, I ask God, show me that person the way you see them because you love everybody. But show me that person the way you see them. And God shows me a lot.

People on social media, they're hurting. They're, you know, they are lonely. Yeah, they are living vicariously through and they are resentful because they are scared. And are. And it gives me a different kind of compassion. We're like, I'm not even going to answer you back. I'm not going to get mad. I'm going to just swipe and delete and pray that God will touch you and give you the courage to step out of your comfort zone. Yes. I find myself praying for people more and then it makes me laugh.

Yeah. They come at me. You think you cute? That's what it would be. You think you cute? You ain't cute. You ain't. And I go, oh, God bless you. Bless them. Yep. That's it. That makes me like, wait, what? They started feeling they then they started looking and we're like, wait,

am I ever? Yes, you need to stop doing that. Seriously. You know what? I'm going to just pray for you. If you don't like the show, why you so loud? Why you do this? Why you the, you totally, if that's all you got for my show, God bless you. Yeah.

Maybe something else is better for you. There's a, and I said, but go support the other black women who have a show. Cause maybe they need. Exactly. Maybe you can get something, what you need for somewhere else. But as for me and my household,

Jeffrey's fine, Jeffrey's laughing. I'm good. Sherri, you act so thirsty all the time with these men. Why you act so thirsty? I'm good. If you can't get a joke. Right. God bless you.

Me and mine, I'm good over here. He waiting. He waiting. I ain't thirsty. I know that's right. Me and mine, I love that. Speaking of your son, how do you balance motherhood and everything else you have going on?

Because I can imagine that's a lot. You spoke on him being autistic. How is that managing that? I always have to go, God, I give you everything. I give you my career, my relationships, or a relationship that I would like to be in. I give you, you know, Jeffrey, give me back what you want me to have. So I've already given it to him. And so he gives me that if I'm not able, I say no to a lot of stuff. Movie roles come up and it's just like, no, I know I can't

do that. I've done a talk show all, you know, for eight months. These four, I cannot go and do a movie, you know, so I have to say no, but I know God will give it back to me in some other way. So that's my prayer in the mornings. And also somebody once told me there's going to be a lot of spinning wheels in your life. Make sure Jeffrey's not one of them. So he's definitely priority. And if it affects him, then I go, my first assignment is I'm a mother. So I can't be out if you know, I come out to out there with you, our crystal, you're like, we're gonna go here, we're gonna go there. I'm like, no, because I got to call Jeffrey. I got his I got a parent teacher conference zoom, I got to do, I can't go out with y'all.

So he's priority. And then everything else goes after that. So you gotta know what your priorities are and you have to know, if you're fulfilling the first assignment God gave you, he gonna bring everything back around. So for people thinking, you know, oh, I gotta, I'm gonna lose out on this,

cause he said he calls you to take care of that, which he gave to you. So if you're a mother and he gave you a child and you feel like I'm missing out, my time is going by, they gonna see me. Oh yeah, if you doing that first assignment, he gonna bring it back around. Yeah, that's good.

I love that. Something that you and I both connected over was our fitness journeys. And you have 50 and I'm fit over 40. There we go. Fit over the decades. I love her. Yes. And you know, I feel like after that 40 hit, it got hard. We talked about this on your show.

It was hard and harder to get the weight off. What really pushed you to like start this fitness journey and you're on it. Like you're so committed and there's days I fall off and I see you and I'm like, let me get up. We all fall off girl. This ain't no, you know, you get to this age crystal and you know this, it's like when we were in our twenties, we could eat a bunch of cheeseburgers. Some would still be like little, you know, but now you see that cheeseburger you ate. You get down perimenopause and menopause. I'm with bloating all the time, you know,

but I have to say what started me to working out was Jeffrey, because he's on the spectrum. I'm like, I, what I can do to control my weight, I'm going to do. And I want to be here. I wanna be here when my son gets married, if he chooses to get married. I wanna be here for those pivotal times in his life. I wanna be here for him to be able to filter out what's coming to him. We in an election season where it's crazy.

And trying to help my son navigate through this. I need to be here and I need to be healthy. So that's what really it changes as you as you get to a certain age you know. I'm trying to fit into a bikini or booty shorts. Now I'm trying to be healthy. That other stuff comes. That's what really got me into weight training and eating right. I love that. Because I live an amazing life. The second chapter of my life, because I'm in the second chapter of my life, I want to be healthy.

Yes. It's so important. It is. They say that health is wealth, but it really is. Oh my gosh. We put wealth in so many different categories and we overlook the health part. That is like one of the main things.

Absolutely. And that's the thing, somebody said, you either gonna be spend a bunch of money trying to get better cause you sick or you gonna spend the money trying to be ahead of it so that you don't get sick. Which is the way your energy gonna flow. And that's what I think about too, a lot.

I'm like, Sherri, what's it gonna look like if you got sick? And so that's what keeps me on that track of, okay, I'm gonna get up and work out. It's gonna benefit me in that long run. Absolutely, yes. I love that. And keep going,

cause you're not only inspiring some of the other people you're inspiring me to. So thank you for doing that and putting it out there because we need to see that, especially in our community. There's so many health issues that they need to see people like us who are on TV in their homes every day saying, oh, this is important.

Oh, let me do that. If it's working for Sherri, it's working for Crystal. This is something we can practice as well. So yeah, keep that up, sis. I'm proud of you. Yeah, I'm proud of you too, girl. Thank you. Thank you so much.

Before we close, you know that I also aspire one day to have my own talk show. What is one thing that you, as an accomplished talk show host, would give advice to me, just someone who wants to do that one day. You're doing it, you are doing it. So you are preparing yourself so that when that opportunity comes, you are there.

You are ready and you're ready to walk into it. It's the faith without works is dead. So you are operating in it now. For me, I couldn't get a talk show and somebody said, start a podcast. Stop asking for permission to get a talk show from them. And I started a podcast, two NAACP Image Awards later, and then the talk show came.

So I stepped out on faith and did my own thing. That is how you do it, the advice I will give you. Keep doing what you're doing and show people how you do it. The advice I will give you keep doing what you're doing and show people what you do and that person is going to so that you feel completely prepared when that opportunity comes because it will. Yes. Thank you so much. All right, girl. It was an honor. I'm telling you, I had Tyler on this couch and I wasn't as nervous as when I knew I was interviewing you today. I said, I'm gonna go see Sherri Shepherd.

I was like, we're gonna have a good time when you invite me to your house. I can't wait. I can't wait to have you over. When you're in Atlanta, please let me know. So we can have a good girls night and watch Koolie High. I will girl. I sure will. Have a good day.

I love you. Bye bye. Bye. I sure will. Alright, I love you. Have a good day. I love you. Bye bye. Bye. My conversation with Sherri was everything I needed and everything I hoped for much more. We unpacked so much, but what really resonated with me was what you do in the meantime while you're waiting for your dream to come to pass. A lot of times I know for me I felt like I was behind the mark or I was late to the party.

But what I realized as I gained footing in living out my passion and my dreams was that I was right on time and everything I was learning along the way equipped me to handle where I am today. So just remember, no matter where you are in your journey, make sure you pay attention and learn all the lessons that you need to learn for when you get to where you're going. Thank you all so much for spending time with me today and a huge thank you to Sherri Shepherd for all she poured into this show and me. I hope my conversation with Sherri inspires you and encourages you to keep pushing towards your dreams. Guys you can follow me on all social media

platforms at Love, Chris, Renee and you can also follow our show at Keep It Positive, Sweetie. If you want to write into our positive outcomes listener letter you can send us an email at keepitpositivesweetie at gmail.com. In the meantime in between time you know what to do. Keep it positive sweetie. See you guys next time. Bye. Bye.