Explosive Revelations: Sherri Shepherd's Terrifying Nightmare on 'The View' After Barbara Walters and Richard Pryor Bombshell

Sherri Shepherd, Barbara Walters, Richard Pryor. Getty Images (3)

Sherri Shepherd revealed her anxiety about losing her job on The View after informing cohost Joy Behar about an alleged romantic encounter between show creator Barbara Walters and comedian Richard Pryor. The 56-year-old former cohost, who appeared on the show from 2007 to 2014, recollected confiding in Behar, 81, about the rumored affair and cautioned her against disclosing the information. This revelation came during Shepherd's appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen on Wednesday, October 18.

When Barbara arrived the next day, Joy exclaimed, "Oh! You're accompanying Richard Pryor. And I thought to myself, I just started this job. I'm going to lose it."

Luckily, Shepherd didn't reveal any information when Walters inquired about the source. Nevertheless, Sherri decided to stop confiding in Behar, her current co-host on the show, and still refrains from sharing anything with her.

Sherri explained that Shepherd, 55, was informed about the rumor by Paul Mooney, who not only co-wrote Pryor's 1986 biographical film, Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling, but also acted alongside the late actor in multiple movies. While they were engaged in a conversation, Shepherd recalled how Mooney walked in or glanced through the door and mentioned the alleged intimacy between Richard Pryor and Barbara Walters.

Walters, who launched The View in 1997 and co-hosted the show until 2014, passed away in December 2022 at the age of 93. On the other hand, Pryor, known for his roles in numerous films from 1967 to 1997, was a recipient of five Grammy Awards for his comedy albums throughout his career. The comedian died at the age of 65 in 2005.

During Shepherd's talk show earlier this month, she brought up the incident with Behar as her guest. Behar stated that Walters had an attraction towards former Secretary of State Colin Powell and former Massachusetts Senator Edward Brooke, describing it as a bond like siblings. Following Walters' passing last year, Shepherd shared with E! News that the renowned journalist possessed a lively and playful sense of humor.

“Literally, we could talk about sex all day long,” Shepherd commented. “She had advice for days.”

Following her mentor’s passing, Shepherd paid tribute to Walters via Instagram.

"Barbara provided me with an incredible opportunity for personal growth. She didn't just encourage me, she emphatically pushed me to speak up or risk being left behind," she expressed. "She instilled in me the philosophy of never accepting 'no' as an answer. Despite the rule against children entering her dressing room, Barbara consistently showered affection on my son Jeffrey, welcoming him with open arms and brightening her day."

"I am eternally grateful to Barbara for granting a reserved girl, who had a distaste for debate, a life-changing chance for seven years," Shepherd continued in her post. "Your unwavering belief in me has transformed my life in immeasurable ways. I cannot thank you enough for allowing me to discover my voice and relentlessly urging me to soar."