Sherri Shepherd is not ashamed to take the A subway train to her NYC TV studio instead of being driven by a chauffeured car like the typical wealthy person living in Manhattan, as some might assume.
Celebs Count Coins, Too
But some celebrities have been known to be frugal as well. Keke Palmer, for example, recently revealed that filing for bankruptcy protection at age 18 changed her mindset about money, and instead of splurging she lies “under” her means. “If I got $10,000 in the bank, then my house would be $500 a month. That’s how under I mean, because I can probably afford something $2,500 maybe, but I’m going way under,” Palmer explained a recent event.
Shepherd shared on her Oct. 25 show that she can relate to Palmer.
“When we look at celebrities, we think of the glamorous life, and we think of all of the money that we think celebrities have,” Shepherd said. “But it’s just as easy for people to lose it all if it’s not managed properly … and Keke Palmer was one of those. She recently opened up about having to file for bankruptcy at only 18 years old. But Keke said it helped make her smarter about her choices about money and it made her live below her means. Even though she’s making money, she said she doesn’t wear designer clothes, she makes sure that she’s very frugal, she drives a little Toyota.”
Shepherd, admiring Palmer’s courage, opened up about her own financial struggles. She also pinches pennies, reusing red Solo cups and taking budget flights whenever she can’t afford a trip covered by someone else.
The comedienne revealed how she receives checks from third-party companies for movies, stand-up shows, and book deals only after they’ve been released and distributed elsewhere. She says that although a business manager is necessary for managing such complex dealings, the risk of being taken advantage of remains.
Shepherd, who landed her daytime show “Sherri” following the cancellation of “The Wendy Williams Show” on Fox, has candidly discussed her experiences as a female comedian rising in a competitive industry. She has also opened up about her past marriages and the challenges of paying spousal support to her ex-husbands.
“I went through so much coming up. I was taking the bus so many times when I had my car repossessed and was getting evicted for so long. When I finally got a little check, I splurged, bought a convertible car that I would drive in, and I finally had a nice ride. And then I am full circle — I am in New York, I am on the damn A train,” Shepherd said, getting a laugh from her audience as she showed them pictures of herself on the train.