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.
posted July 23, 2008 at 2:10 pm
I wouldn’t recommend ‘laying hands’ on Barbara Walters, regardless of reason. She’s tougher than she looks.
(I know what its supposed to mean, but isn’t that a creepy phrase?)
posted July 24, 2008 at 10:44 am
Get a grip! Christianity…enough already! abortions, drinking, drugs…abuse…and all of a sudden saved..by what??? christianity???? you people are freaks! one of the most abusive religions…and all just forgot the crusades…the killings, the inquisition…molested boys and girls…gotta have morals, traditions, and ethics! until you open your eyes and see a true original religion – the one you all translated and borrowed from, you’ll be as stupid, deaf, and ignorant as you are now forever.
posted July 24, 2008 at 11:00 am
Is this the young lady who, I believe, stated on air that “Christians were [historically] before everybody.”? The context was apparently that she thought Christianity was the oldest culture or at least oldest religion on earth. Yikes. She actually argued about it. Is she a professional journalist? If so, does she have a college degree? If so, did she flunk ALL of her history/civ courses? Does she belong to a church? If so, what do they teach there? Good Grief. This is my beef with certain Christian denominations who may be not educating their congregations correctly on exactly where Christianity came from and where it fits in the continuum of human history.
Do not get me wrong. Gotta admire her achievements in turning her life around and for giving credit to the religious faith she believes saved her to do so. Speaking up for the truth as one sees it is courageous. However, as a teacher I always flinch when I see folks who should know better displaying ignorance. Anyone who claims a paid position as a public commentator should know her facts before she speaks.
posted July 24, 2008 at 12:41 pm
The whole show is just a big disappointment. When they first came out I thought ok that would be controversial…a sip of fresh air especially with Whoopi there…come on!!!! it all turned out to be pro-Catholic, pro-black and pro-oh-so-goody-good girls… Just take a look at this Elisabeth Hasselbeck – she is a natural Catholic saint whore …who preaches one thing and just give her a chance and she would dump a baby into the dumpster…What she says to people…how she judges everybody…the look on her ignorant stupid face…it’s just freaking unbelievable that such a person would be on national TV and given an opportunity to open her mouth publicly. She should be kept in the church day in and day out…Just an empty headed blond ignorant artificial piece of furniture – nothing more. Barbara should have known better. Speaking of which – she is just old…and all people just need to know when to let go…and that’s the time for Barbara…her jaw will drop out one of these days – she is so patched and glued up together. Whoopi just disappointed with her pro-black testimonials. Leave it already – we all get it – blacks were slaves and blah-blah-blah…by the way Jews too were slaves…see how they ended up? Want to know the secret – they worked, learned, progressed, and never complained. They did not get special treatments to get into colleges or sit on welfare forever, they struggled for their future and taught their kids values, love, morals, history, and lessons. They also loved and love their kids like no one else on the earth. So enough is enough…and nigger is a word and it’s YOU people who made it an insult. It’s easy to ban the word but it’s tough for your people to outgrow it. If you want to BE equal you have to behave equal. You have to be responsible for your actions. You have to stop asking favors and special treatments such as lower standards on entry admissions into colleges. You have to stop whining and complaining on your tough childhood and wood toys….enough is enough. You are here for centuries….if you would’ve wanted it so bad you would have gotten it… Sherri is just a stupid nobody. Whenever she opens her mouth something stupid is coming out…nothing on the outside – nothing inside. Joy is good, maybe a bit angry at times and inappropriate, but ultimately interesting and controversial. One of her cons is that she is on the older side and not delivers as a younger similar host would have.
posted July 24, 2008 at 2:42 pm
It seems that many of the previous posters have issues that Beliefnet clearly has not been able to help. I thought this was a website that fostered “inspiration, spirituality and faith” – not blatant hate mongering, racism, close-mindedness, judgementalness, and contempt for anyone whose life (or lifestyle) is not in agreement with your own. CALM DOWN PEOPLE!!!
Sherri Shepard made a “joke” about the practice of “laying hands” on an individual that is a common practice in many of the “Charismatic Christian” faiths (Pentecostal, COGIC, Southern Baptist, Holiness, etc.)that is supposed to imbibe you with the “Holy Spirit”, cast down demons/strongholds, etc. The joke did not come off on paper as she stated it in person to the interviewer. Please remember, Sherri was, and still is, a comedian first. Since the joke did not come off well, she apologized to Barbara Walters – who not only completely accepted the apology, but dismissed the criticizem concerning the joke and made a joke of her own in response. By the way, I never received the impression that Sherri somehow asserts “that others are fundamentally wrong in their beliefs and need to change.” The show she commentates on is called, “The View”. I believe she is just giving hers, as do all of the co-hosts.
Kudos to Sherri for discussing, for many, many women, her deeply personal, life changing and devisive decision to have an abortion. I am sure her openess and truthfullness on the subject has not only set her free of the guilt, condemnation, and shame she has placed on herself, but has set many, many other women who have had to make this gut wrenching decision (oftentimes all alone) on the path to freedom also.
Concerning her “turnaround” by way of Christianity, I thought that is what Christianity was all about. From what I’ve heard and read, God/Christ habitually and decidedly used many individuals who were considered morally, characteristically, intellectually and physically deficient in some way to carry out his works/miracles/edicts/messages. Sherri is a flawed individual (as are we all) who is using her “testimony” to share the message of Christ’s boundless love and infinite power to change things for the better.
posted July 24, 2008 at 3:47 pm
OUCH! Such scathing remarks. Aren’t we Christians admonished in the Bible to be different than the fallen world around us? Loving, kind, concidering others as beautiful creations of God.
Please let our Lord and Saviour do the judging and we be the ministering vessels of the Holy Spirit, doing His GOOD work in the place we find ourselves in.
God Bless,
Much luv,
Yours in Christ,
Randy
posted July 24, 2008 at 5:08 pm
HUH? What has got into you people? Insulting each other, trashing each other’s beliefs and deities! Get a grip, please!
posted July 24, 2008 at 6:33 pm
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…
posted July 25, 2008 at 3:45 am
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
posted July 25, 2008 at 8:28 pm
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.
posted August 8, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Very nice.