In a tale reminiscent of Shakespearean drama, tensions have apparently flared up between Sherri Shepherd and actress Nia Long. On Sunday evening, Shepherd attended the highly anticipated premiere of the scorching play "Othello," featuring heavyweights Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal, alongside a glittering array of stars including Jennifer Lopez, Katie Holmes, Angela Bassett, and even Joe and Jill Biden.
During her chat show the following morning, Shepherd recounted an incident where she was confronted by an "unnamed celebrity" prior to the curtain rising. The former "The View" co-host vividly described how the star "seized my arm, spun me around with considerable force... and declared, 'You've been throwing a lot of shade my way!'" Sources whisper that the mystery celebrity in question was none other than Long, known for her roles in "Boyz n the Hood" and "Friday."
Shepherd insisted she had never dissed the actress, but her adversary shot back, "Yes, you have!" Leaving Shepherd fuming, she recounted, "During the intermission, I retreated to the bathroom, where I waited a full 15 minutes, anticipating a confrontation in the ladies' lounge. One doesn't simply manhandle someone as if we're characters in a cartoon and stroll away unscathed."
The actress and talk show host speculated that it might have been a case of mistaken identity and extended an invitation to the "unnamed celebrity" to appear on her show to clear the air.
The star-studded opening night also saw the presence of Samuel L. Jackson, Zoe Kravitz, Christine Baranski, Peter Dinklage, Colman Domingo, Tamron Hall, Sunny Hostin, Keegan Michael Key, Spike Lee, and many more luminaries. A representative for Long was yet to respond to our request for comment at the time of writing.
