Former The View co-host Sherri Shepherd has lifted the veil on the show’s early days, revealing salary secrets and tense dynamics — especially involving Whoopi Goldberg. Shepherd says she was initially offered just $400,000 in 2007, while co-hosts Joy Behar and Elisabeth Hasselbeck were pulling in $500,000 and Rosie O’Donnell was earning $2 million. Pushed by O’Donnell’s transparency, Shepherd negotiated up to $1 million.
But it wasn’t only about money. Shepherd also recounts friction with Whoopi Goldberg and Barbara Walters, saying she often felt undermined and emotionally tested. “I thought [Whoopi] didn’t like me,” she recalls, only now realizing Goldberg’s tough approach might have been a way of protecting her. The stress of being labeled “difficult” by tabloids, dealing with public scrutiny, and trying to raise a child with special needs all added layers of pressure.
For Whoopi, Shepherd’s stories might seem revealing — was her sternness mentorship, or did it veer into intolerance for dissent? Did her approach push Sherri toward success, or did it nearly break her first? Especially in a landscape still wrestling with issues of fairness and power dynamics, this raises broader questions about how co-hosts navigate respect, equity, and influence behind-the-scenes.
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