Sheryl Underwood: A Life Of Comedy, Resilience, And Success

Sheryl Underwood's Net Worth and Salary: Breaking It Down

Let’s talk about Sheryl Underwood. This powerhouse comedian, television host, actress, and producer has amassed a net worth of $12 million. Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, Sheryl has been making people laugh since she became the first-ever female finalist in the Miller Lite Comedy Search back in 1989. Since then, she's carved out a successful career in the entertainment industry. As a co-host on the CBS series "The Talk" since 2011, she's earned a loyal fan base. Her resume is stacked with impressive credits, including films like "I Got the Hook-Up" (1998), "Beauty Shop" (2005), and "The Bounce Back" (2016), as well as TV roles on "The Young and the Restless" (2012−2013), "The Odd Couple" (2016), and "The Bold and the Beautiful" (2016−2019).

But that’s not all. Sheryl has also made waves as a producer and entrepreneur. She hosted and produced the comedy/variety series "Holla" from 2002 to 2003 and founded her own multi-faceted strategic marketing and brand development firm, Pack Rat Productions, Inc. To top it off, she launched Sheryl Underwood Radio, which airs on over 580 radio affiliates, and "The World According to Sheryl," a podcast that features all the content produced for her radio show. And if that wasn’t enough, she also hosts the "Sheryl Underwood Radio Podcast." Talk about a woman who wears many hats!

Sheryl Underwood's Salary on "The Talk": A Big Payday

As one of the co-hosts of the popular daytime talk show "The Talk," Sheryl Underwood earns a salary of $5 million per year. It's no surprise that her work on the show has been a major contributor to her financial success. With her sharp wit, hilarious jokes, and genuine personality, Sheryl brings a unique energy to the table that keeps audiences tuning in day after day.

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Early Life: A Journey Filled with Challenges

Sheryl Underwood was born Sheryl Patrice Underwood on October 28, 1963, in Little Rock, Arkansas. Her life began with a twin, but tragically, her twin didn't survive. Growing up, Sheryl faced her share of hardships. Her mother told her that her father had murdered her twin, and she even recounted a story where her mother once stabbed her father. Despite these challenges, Sheryl's resilience shone through. She has an older brother named Michael and an older sister, Frankie, who was diagnosed with polio as a child. Frankie is disabled and moved in with Sheryl after their mother passed away in 1997. Sheryl has spoken about the responsibilities she took on at a young age, saying, "I was becoming an adult at 8 years old." Despite these early struggles, Sheryl managed to excel academically, attending the University of Illinois at Chicago, where she joined the Zeta Phi Beta sorority and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in liberal arts. She didn't stop there—she went on to earn master's degrees in mass communication and media management from Governors State University. After college, Sheryl served two years in the United States Air Force reserves, proving that she's as tough as she is talented.

Sheryl Underwood's Career: From Comedy to Primetime

Sheryl's career took off after she made it to the finals in the 1989 Miller Lite Comedy Search. From there, she quickly became a household name, appearing on iconic shows like "Def Comedy Jam" (1992), "Showtime at the Apollo" (1994), and "Make Me Laugh" (1997). Her big-screen debut came in 1998 with the Warren Beatty comedy "Bulworth," where she played Bad Mouth Bessie in "I Got the Hook-Up." She reprised this role in the 2019 sequel, "I Got the Hook-Up 2." In 2002, Sheryl guest-starred on The WB sitcom "Nikki" and appeared on "Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn." The following year, she starred in her own episode of "Comedy Central Presents" and was featured in the TV documentary "Heroes of Comedy: Women on Top." In 2005, she played Catfish Rita in "Beauty Shop," alongside an all-star cast that included Queen Latifah, Djimon Hounsou, Alicia Silverstone, Alfre Woodard, Sherri Shepherd, Andie MacDowell, and Kevin Bacon. She also appeared in the TV movie "Getting Played" and the television documentaries "Made You Look: Top 25 Moments of BET History" and "A Comic's Climb at the USCAF." That same year, Sheryl began hosting "BET's Comicview," and from 2007 to 2010, she appeared on "1st Amendment Stand Up" four times—twice as a host and twice as a performer.

In 2011, Sheryl began co-hosting "The Talk" with Sara Gilbert, Julie Chen, and Sharon Osbourne. Since joining the show, she's appeared in over 2,000 episodes and earned seven Daytime Emmy nominations. Sheryl has also made guest appearances on shows like "The Millers" (2013), "Madam Secretary" (2014), "The Comeback" (2014), "Supergirl" (2016), "Happy Together" (2018), "Jane the Virgin" (2018), and "Kidding" (2020). She even had a recurring role as Diane on the CBS sitcom "The Odd Couple" in 2016 and as Emmy on the soap opera "The Bold and the Beautiful" from 2016 to 2019. Sheryl competed on "Celebrity Name Game" multiple times between 2014 and 2017 and has appeared in over 30 episodes of "Funny You Should Ask" since 2017. Her versatility and comedic timing have made her a staple in the entertainment world.

Personal Life: Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs

In 1987, Sheryl married a chef named Michael. Tragically, he died by suicide just three years into their marriage. During her first episode of "The Talk" in 2011, Sheryl opened up about her loss, sharing with the world the pain of losing her partner. In a 2016 interview with "People" magazine, she recalled the devastating morning when she made him a German chocolate cake and sent him off, not knowing it would be the last time she’d see him. "It's the most painful thing in the world because he is not coming back," she said, her words heavy with emotion.

Sheryl's life hasn't been without other challenges. After graduating from college, she was the victim of a brutal assault. In a candid moment on "The Talk" in 2017, she spoke about being raped by an unknown assailant. She described a pivotal moment during the attack when she decided that this wasn't how her story would end. "I remember having a 'this is it' moment when I was raped," she said. "I just kept thinking, 'This ain't it. I am not going to die today. I refuse to die today. It's not going down like this.' So the only thing I thought was, 'What do I do to survive?'" Her courage in sharing her story has inspired countless others.

While Sheryl has generally aligned with the Republican Party, she's also shown support for Democratic candidates, campaigning for President Barack Obama in 2012 and for Hillary Clinton in 2016. She's deeply involved in her sorority, Zeta Phi Beta, having served as the International President in 2008. Additionally, she's held various leadership roles within the organization, including Graduate Member at Large, National Chair of Honorary Members, and National Executive Board Chair. Sheryl is also a proud member of the NAACP and the National Council of Negro Women and the founder of the African-American Female Comedian Association. Her contributions to these organizations have earned her honorary doctorates from several prestigious institutions, including the University of Illinois-Chicago, South Carolina State University, Benedict College, and Voorhees College.

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Awards and Nominations: Recognizing Excellence

Sheryl Underwood's hard work and dedication have not gone unnoticed. Between 2014 and 2020, she and her fellow "The Talk" co-hosts received seven Daytime Emmy nominations, one for Outstanding Talk Show Host and six for Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host. They took home the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host in 2017, and the year before, they won a People's Choice Award for Favorite Daytime TV Hosting Team. In 1994, Sheryl was honored with BET's Funniest Female Comedian on "Comic View" award, and she won the Platinum Mic Viewers Choice Award at the 2005 BET Comedy Awards. She's also been recognized with Johnson C. Smith University's Arch of Triumph Award and a UNCF Masked Award. These accolades are a testament to her incredible talent and lasting impact on the entertainment industry.