This year hasn’t been easy for Sherri Shepherd—earlier this year, she suffered an ugly split from her husband, Lamar Sally, of three years. Although devastated, the single mother proves she’s resilient and is adjusting to her new single life. The Chicago-native hit the Broadway stage this season in Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella as the evil stepmother, and stars in Top Five, and Ride Along. In a recent interview with UPTOWN magazine, the comedienne and actress revealed a few lessons she’s learned along the way. “Don’t make decisions out of fear,” she says. “It’s okay to be alone. And make sure that the pre-nup is airtight, baby!”
Here are a few of her other truths:
Being in the tabloids… “comes with the territory. We as entertainers hire publicists to get us press, but when we’re in the tabs we are ‘irritated.’ For me, silence is the best answer. I’m not trying to prove to the world who I am”
My dream job… “is an uber successful sitcom. I’d love to be a chocolate Melissa McCarthy and the go-to girl for funny. And if all else fails, being a legal secretary wasn’t that bad”
Being single again… “I wonder, ‘Oh Lord, where do I start? How did I get back to this place?’ Now I’m back at all the singles ministries in church. When I got married, I got to sit in church and enjoy all the sermons. Now, [I’m] ushering and teaching Sunday School. Now I’m expected to do clean-up because all the married folks figure I have nothing better to do”
I would tell my 21-year-old self… “to say ‘no’ often. A no can be turned into a yes but it’s harder to turn a yes into a no. And if you’re a female comic, don’t sleep with the other comics because it’ll take you at least 10 years to get your reputation back!’
The biggest misconception about me… “is that I’m judgmental. People got mad at me because I gave such strong opinions on The View but that’s what I got paid to do. If I sat at The View table and didn’t give an opinion I would have been fired. In my personal life, I keep my opinions to myself. I don’t give advice about relationships unless you ask me, and then you’d still be wise to get a second opinion, because really, what do I know”
Head to UPTOWN magazine for more on Sherri.