Michael Rapaport stepped in to guest-host “Wendy Williams” Monday after the planned guest host, Sherri Shepherd, had “emergency surgery” on Sunday.
“Due to appendicitis, Sherri Shepherd underwent an emergency surgery yesterday,” Shepherd’s publicist said in a statement on Monday. “The procedure was successful and Ms. Shepherd is doing fine and resting. She is absolutely devastated that she will not be able to guest host ‘The Wendy Williams Show’ today, but she is following doctors orders and expected to make a full recovery. Thank you all for understanding and respecting her privacy.”
Both Rapaport and Shepherd have guest-hosted the daytime talk show recently as Wendy Williams attends to her own medical issues. Shepherd’s episodes have generally been higher-rated than Rapaport’s. So far in the young season, the week Shepherd hosted in October was the show’s season high, while Rappaport’s first turn drew the show’s lowest ratings so far this year.
“If you watched the @WendyWilliams show today, you saw the news about my emergency surgery. Thanks to @MichaelRapaport for stepping in for me at the last minute! And while I’m mad I didn’t meet @NaomiWWE in person yet, Jeffrey did!” Shepherd wrote on her Twitter account Monday morning (Jeffrey is Shepherd’s son).
Williams has been absent from her show all season while she deals with health issues due to her battle with Graves disease and thyroid condition. (Williams also tested positive for a breakthrough case of COVID-19 in September.) She will be out at least through January.
Other guest hosts this season have included Leah Remini, Whitney Cummings, Bill Bellamy, Jerry Springer and Steve Wilkos. Guest hosts for January include Fat Joe, Remy Ma, Rapaport, comedic duo Kym Whitley and Finesse Mitchell and Shepherd.
Currently in its 13th season, “The Wendy Williams Show” is renewed through 2021-22, airing mostly on Fox stations.