Sherri Shepherd Defends Tyra Banks Following Documentary Backlash

Sherri Shepherd is coming to Tyra Banks’ defense following the release of the explosive documentary about the behind-the-scenes drama of the popular modeling competition reality show.

Amid online reaction that has ranged from heavily criticizing the supermodel to downright slamming her for past actions on the series, which premiered back in 2003, the talk show host was visibly emotional as she defended her.

During a segment on her daytime talk show on Thursday, February 19, Shepherd addressed the fallout from the much talked about Netflix documentary, “Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model,” and offered a compassionate take on Banks amid the supermodel facing backlash.

“The show did awful things to the contestants, and I think everybody expected Tyra to take more accountability,” she stated. “I understand why people are mad.”

Shepherd then noted how different reality television was at the time “ANTM” was at the height of its popularity.

“But I also say, you have to understand the time this all happened was in 2003,” she said. “Reality TV was the wild, wild west back then. Every show was trying to outdo each other to stay on the air.”

“We’re woke now, we know so much more now than we did back then,” Shepherd continued her defense of Banks. “I hate that she’s getting so much flak. She does need to take accountability, I know that, but I also know the battles some people will never understand that are fought.”

The former “The View” co-host noted the difficulties that Banks faced as “a young Black woman trying to make it in the reality TV game,” which did not have many women Black women in positions of power at the time.

“We’re trying to compare a time today that we know a lot to a time when there was nothing like this show on the air,” Shepherd said. “We’re not taking into account the battles that this Black woman had to fight just to stay on the air for other people to come on the air.”

Then, as she fought back tears, Shepherd added that she understands that things could have been done differently in hindsight, but Banks was ultimately coming from a genuine place even though her methods may not have always been executed properly.

“To keep a show on the air there are things that we have to do that people will tell us, if you want to stay on the air, this is what you’ve got to do, and we’ve got to weigh the options, and sometimes we make bad decisions and we look up and go, in hindsight, maybe I should not have done it, but I just wanted to open up the door and give a platform to people who look like me,” Shepherd said.

During an appearance on “CBS Mornings” on Thursday, February 19, PEOPLE reported that Marcille was naturally asked about the Netflix documentary about the show, which has been a heavy topic of conversation since its release earlier this week, and she shared her perspective.

“I have been asked about Tyra for 21 years,” the former “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star said. “No matter what project I’m doing, what I’m involved in, somehow ‘Top Model’ finds its way in my interview. I’ve done 154 projects since ‘Top Model.’ It’s been 21 years.”

Marcille, who is easily the most successful person to come from “ANTM,” then shared that she will always thank Banks, something she has consistently done for decades, for changing her life for the better.

“Thanks to ‘Top Model,’ though,” she said. “What I will say is I will never fail to thank Tyra. What Tyra set out to do in this business, I will always say — and especially for ‘Top Model,’ initially — she set out to change the world; to change what the modeling industry looked like, sound like, felt like and expected. And she did that for me.”

Marcille also pointed out that it was “very surprising” that she was not asked to participate in the documentary.

Tiffany Richardson, best known for her viral moment on the show that prompted Banks to yell the iconic line, “I was rooting for you, we were all rooting for you,” took to social media after the documentary was released and slammed the supermodel in an expletive-filled rant.