Kiki Shepard Dies: ‘Showtime at the Apollo’ Cohost Was 74

Kiki Shepard, the co-host of the long-running variety show, Showtime at the Apollo, is dead at 74. On Monday, March 16, Shepard’s rep, Lashirl Smith, confirmed her death to TMZ. She died unexpectedly in Los Angeles that day after suffering a heart attack. Shepard is best known for cohosting Showtime at the Apollo from 1987 to 2002 alongside emcees like Steve Harvey, Mo’Nique, Sinbad, Rudy Rush, Rick Aviles, and Mark Curry. Known as the “Apollo Queen of Fashion” on Showtime, she helped introduce musical acts at Harlem’s Apollo Theater. Between her hosting duties, Shepard kept busy with TV roles in shows such as Baywatch, Baywatch Nights, NYPD Blue, A Different World, Thunder in Paradise,…