Comedian turned "The View" host Sherri Shepherd has had some darkness in her past, including family involvement in drug addiction, and her experience having had casual sex and the resultant "more abortions than I would like to count." She also mentioned her divorce, which itself was due to her husband's cheating on her. (Reported by USmagazine.com.)
These aren't notes from a therapy session: they're instead excerpts from a new interview with Precious Times magazine, in which Shepherd describes her pre-Christian life's great contrast from the faith-based approach that she currently takes. She used to have such huge self-esteem problems, she says, that she felt that "if someone killed me, it wouldn't even make a difference."
But after converting to Christianity, she said, "God showed me that it would make a difference."
Since joining "The View," Shepherd has become known for her faith. But, as the article in USMagazine.com reports, it's still "tough talking religion" on the show:
"Oh, sometimes I say, 'Lord, Juanita Bynum or Joyce Meyer would be so good at this table. They could lay hands on Barbara Walters and get her saved,'" she said.
I would love to see Christianity--or other faiths--discussed on TV. To me, seeing other entertainment professionals displaying their faith in an authentic, heartfelt manner is inspiring. I'm not sure that "talking religion" itself is the challenge. Religion can be a unifying factor and a comforting system, or can serve to be divisive and elitist. But when you start inviting people on the show to save your co-hosts, that's edging into the "my way or the highway" approach; it's no longer you representing your beliefs, it's you asserting that others are fundamentally wrong in their beliefs and need to change.
Perhaps that's why Shepherd finds it so challenging.
For more of Sherri's thoughts on faith's role in her life, check out her interview with Beliefnet.
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HUH? What has got into you people? Insulting each other, trashing each other's beliefs and deities! Get a grip, please!
I agree with "Change Agent" She needs to be respected for speaking out on her life before she came to Christ. She should not be judge...if you are a true believer of the Bible. Like she said, she was teasing about Barbara Walters, she even called to tell her what had happened. The media just wants to make a "headline" story..so it goes. It is taken out of context along with the other things she said. I am proud of her for speaking up to share how she was before she found Christ and salvation. That is what it is about...yea...
I agree with Lulya on some of her thoughts about the girls on "The View". I myself have skeletons in my closet. Whoopi and Joy are okay. Sherri was okay until this revelation came out about her lifestyle. I now know that all on the show are not as they portray themselves. Let me not get started on Elizabeth and Barbara. One face nice other face not so nice. Elizabeth acting christian and yet so unconservative. Barbara I watched when I was younger (Today Show and Evening News) and thought that she represented something good about female television reporters, but when her book came out, she became flawed also when she started bragging on her affair with a married man. I tried to watch this show every day but now, no thank you. The issue of the N-word was unfortunate for my race. I wish it would stay buried. I know the Bible says to love one another, but how can we when news agents let come out of their mouth the words,"hate his guts or hate her"? Thank You
What's all the fuss about? Sherri made some mistakes in her past and says she was "saved" by becoming a Christian. If it works for her, what's the problem? Personally I enjoy The View. I like the fast paced "Hot Topics" and even though I don't always agree with the different views I like hearing them.
None of us is perfect and we all have things we're not proud of, I'm sure.
Very nice.
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