Sherri Shepherd is going to play the Evil Stepmom in Cinderella

[Just_John]

Posted: 8/5/14 at 11:07am

She just announced it on The View!

Updated On: 8/5/14 at 11:07 AM

[Younger Brother]

Posted: 8/5/14 at 11:09am

Does she know there are gay people on Broadway?

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 8/5/14 at 11:11am

I'm excited for her and the show!

[Gothampc]

Posted: 8/5/14 at 11:13am

Stunt casting? In Cinderella? I'm shocked! When will Oprah be playing the Fairy Godmother?

[Jane2]

Posted: 8/5/14 at 11:22am

It'll be a cold day in hell when I pay to see that bimbo.

[GoSmileLaughCryClap]

Posted: 8/5/14 at 11:24am

I wonder if the producers checked out her Q (likability) rating? It's 5, among the lowest of all celebrities - on the planet. For comparison, Ellen DeGeneres scores a 30.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/5/14 at 11:26am

Well, I was excited to see this with the new cast. But there's no way in hell I'll pay a dime or give that bigot one second of my time.

[Jane2]

Posted: 8/5/14 at 11:28am

I love how the bimbo and the guest hostess are giving each other dirty looks when they speak!

[dreaming]

Posted: 8/5/14 at 11:29am

Don't worry, I'm guessing once she realizes there are gay audience members and people in the cast she'll leave.

(If not, I'm guessing she'll call out a lot.)

I'm with you, I was really excited to see the new Cinderella.

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 8/5/14 at 11:30am

Well, it's better than her playing the Marie/The Fairy Godmother.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Sherri-Shepherd-to-Star-as-Madame-in-Broadways-CINDERELLA-This-Fall-20140805#.U-D4YvldVfg

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/5/14 at 11:43am

I knew there was no feasible way that Nene could do this and film Housewives.

[dreaming]

Posted: 8/5/14 at 11:45am

beautywickedlover-that's not the point-it's what she spews and stands for that is so offensive. I hope she calls out because I want to see the rest of the new cast-especially Ke Ke, who I think could be terrific.

Updated On: 8/5/14 at 11:45 AM

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/5/14 at 11:46am

Sherri is dynamite hosting the new Newlywed Game.

[dreaming]

Posted: 8/5/14 at 11:48am

Well go look at the material she's given. It doesn't change her views and make them less offensive.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 8/5/14 at 11:51am

Is there anyone more over-exposed? I'm sure she'll be fine (enough); she's an accomplished (enough) comic actress ("30 Rock"). But ticket sales? Excitement? Wow factor? For all of the reasons noted above? I don't get it.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 8/5/14 at 11:51am

I'm asking genuinely because I don't watch THE VIEW, is she a bigot? What comments has she made regarding gay people? I knew she had made a lot of dumb comments (like the infamous "I don't know, Whoopi, I never thought about it" reply to being asked whether she thought the earth was round), but had no idea she had made bigoted comments. That's a shame, I thought she was hilarious on 30 ROCK.

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 8/5/14 at 11:54am

Maybe she will learn something during the run....

[oncemorewithfeeling2]

Posted: 8/5/14 at 11:57am

I don't watch The View, so I googled her. It looks like she's said some things that are homophobic and truly make her look clueless.
Shepard says she's not a homophobe

[haterobics]

Posted: 8/5/14 at 11:58am

She apologized after making these remarks, but her views that no people existed before Jesus and her needing to check the Bible before answering if the world was flat seem even more moronic:

"I think people don't know my heart. I think people feel I'm very judgmental. I think people feel I'm very homophobic. If they knew me, and knew my heart...If you come to me respectfully and ask me about my beliefs, I'll talk to you about anything. You grow up being a Christian and you have grown up believing homosexuality is a sin, you're going to hell if you're a homosexual. This is something that they teach in churches, literally. So it's something that I grew up believing. And being on the show has really forced me to go, 'What are your beliefs, Sherri? What is God saying? It says one thing in the Bible and you have these people in your life and how does this apply to you, Sherri?' I always tell people, 'I may not agree with your lifestyle. I may not agree with your lifestyle, but I love you,'" she said. "You may not agree with my lifestyle, but you love me. Some people say (homosexuality)'s a choice. I don't say it's a choice. If you tell me, 'Sherri, I was born gay.' OK. I'm not gonna argue with you, because I can't tell you how you feel and what's going on inside. I'm trying to make it up to heaven by the skin of my teeth…So if you tell me you're born [gay], I'm not gonna argue with you. And I absolutely respect you for that. I just ask that people respect how I feel, respect how you feel and we can have a great dialogue. And then afterwards, let's go get a drink."

[oncemorewithfeeling2]

Posted: 8/5/14 at 12:00pm

The earth is flat thing just made me think she never received a first grade education and may in fact, be an idiot.

[Younger Brother]

Posted: 8/5/14 at 12:01pm

I do think she's quite funny. I loved her as the loud mouth tour guide on "Friends" which I think was my first exposure to her. But I can't imagine many people (and certainly not many people in or fans of the Broadway community) going to see someone who speaks so harshly about gay people. Remember the time she refused to not blame gay men for HIV/Aids in the black community?

I respect the fact she had a different upbringing, but if you're willing to voice such opinions on national television you better be just as willing to face backlash. Saying all that, I think she'll be good in the role. She'll sass it up and please the people who go see the show just for her.

I can't help thinking about who else they considered for a more racially diverse replacement cast. Loretta DeVine (though maybe too warm for Madame), Sheryl Lee Ralph, Margaret Cho, Wanda Sykes even could have been great replacements! I'm also kind of hoping Jennifer Coolidge will join the tour of Broadway company at some stage. She'd be a hoot! Updated On: 8/5/14 at 12:01 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/5/14 at 12:07pm

Yeah, she's one of the many "good christian folk" out there who apologize when they and their PR people realize people don't like their "good christian" views, but it doesn't change the fact that they're just apologizing for PR purposes.

[theatregeek6]

Posted: 8/5/14 at 12:08pm

I am sure the cast will be pros. But you have to wonder how they feel sharing the stage with a homophobe. And an idiot

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 8/5/14 at 12:09pm

Do people really still call being gay a "lifestyle"?

[Auggie27]

Posted: 8/5/14 at 12:11pm

"What is God saying? It says one thing in the Bible and you have these people in your life and how does this apply to you, Sherri?' I always tell people, 'I may not agree with your lifestyle. I may not agree with your lifestyle, but I love you,'" she said. "You may not agree with my lifestyle, but you love me. Some people say (homosexuality)'s a choice. I don't say it's a choice. If you tell me, 'Sherri, I was born gay.' OK. I'm not gonna argue with you, because I can't tell you how you feel and what's going on inside. I'm trying to make it up to heaven by the skin of my teeth…So if you tell me you're born [gay], I'm not gonna argue with you. And I absolutely respect you for that. I just ask that people respect how I feel, respect how you feel and we can have a great dialogue. And then afterwards, let's go get a drink."

I read that when it happened. I just read it again. I have no idea what the hell she is saying, other than "please don't hate me." But all that "respect me, too" and "lifestyle" talk is the same old re-packaged blather. "Accept my intolerance" is a new GOP talking point, and it's not any more palatable coming from an African-American woman in the entertainment industry than it is spewed from a 60 year-old white man in Kansas trying to get elected.

Updated On: 8/5/14 at 12:11 PM