Sherri Shepherd Says Former ‘The View’ Cohost Barbara Walters Was ‘Tough on the People That She Loved’

Since award-winning journalist Ramin Setoodeh exposed the stunning stories behind The View in his tell-all book, Ladies Who Punch: The Explosive Inside Story of ‘The View’, former cohosts of the morning talk show have opened up. Sherri Shepherd, who was a regular around the table from 2007 to 2014, most recently revealed that although she’s thankful for her opportunity, working for the ABC morning show wasn’t always rainbows and butterflies.

“I cried for three years straight because I had a very tough taskmaster, who I love her to death,” the 51-year-old recently admitted to Entertainment Tonight. “It’s Barbara Walters.” Sherri added that tough-natured Barbara — who revolutionized morning TV after she launched The View in August 1997 — was key in the Game Show Network host’s success. “Barbara Walters was tough on the people that she loved and she helped me find my voice.”

Although her time on The View could’ve been more enjoyable, Sherri said that the opportunity paved a path for the rest of her career. “I will forever be indebted to Barbara Walters, Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar and Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Jenny McCarthy for the time that I had on The View,” she gushed. “What I have now is because of The View.”

Sherri is just one of a few hosts over the years who have spoken up after excerpts of the book — which came out April 2 — began floating around. In mid-March, Jenny McCarthy revealed that working with Barbara, 89, on The View was pretty “miserable,” Vulture reported. Although her stint only lasted a year from 2013 to 2014, the TV personality did not get along with the show’s creator.

“You know the movie Mommie Dearest? I remember as a child watching that movie and going, ‘Holy cow!'” Jenny said of the 1981 film about Joan Crawford’s allegedly abusive relationship with her adopted daughter, Christina Crawford. “I’ve never seen a woman yell like that before until I worked with Barbara Walters.” Wow!

While Jenny hardly bothered to bite her tongue about the turbulent waters between her and the iconic broadcaster, Sherri made sure to keep some of the drama private. “Everybody has their own filter,” she said. “When they were at The View, some people had some not-so-great experiences, and some people had really wonderful experiences.”

Even though Sherri’s time on the talk show wasn’t the best, the Less than Perfect star said it was a beneficial learning experience. “I’ll look at stuff that was negative, and how I turn it into a positive,” she preached. “Sometimes you have to go through difficult times and you have to fall in order to get back up, and be bright, and be great.”

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