<\/p>\n
Kiki Shepard, the actor and entertainer best known for co-hosting the syndicated variety show \u201cShowtime at the Apollo,\u201d has died. She was 74.<\/p>\n
LaShirl Smith, a representative for Shepard, confirmed her client\u2019s death, writing in an Instagram post<\/a> Tuesday that the loss \u201churts an awful lot.\u201d Shepard died Monday in Los Angeles after a heart attack, Smith confirmed to TMZ<\/a>. On Tuesday, Smith honored Shepard with a video collage of their shared moments over the years, lamenting she will no longer be able to speak with her friend \u201cthree\/four times a day everyday at least for an hour or two.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cRest easy cousin, heaven got a good one,\u201d Smith said in her post. <\/p>\n The Texas native, born in July 1951, co-hosted \u201cShowtime at the Apollo\u201d from 1987 to 2002. During her tenure, she shared the stage with a variety of co-hosts including Steve Harvey, Sinbad and Mo\u2019Nique, introducing a range of musical acts at the historic theater in Harlem. The Apollo honored Shepard on its marquee Tuesday, remembering<\/a> her as a \u201ctrue Apollo legend.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTogether, [the hosts] carried the electrifying spirit of our legendary stage into living rooms across the nation, introducing rising stars, celebrating icons, and making millions feel Harlem from wherever they were,\u201d the theater said on Instagram, \u201creminding the world that we have always been a place where Black excellence takes center stage.\u201d<\/p>\n More than a host, Shepard had an entertainment career that included TV appearances \u2014 among them \u201cBaywatch,\u201d \u201cA Different World,\u201d \u201cNYPD Blue\u201d and \u201cGrey\u2019s Anatomy\u201d \u2014 and a handful of stints as a choreographer. An alumna of what was then called North Texas State University and Howard University, Shepard also had a minor role in \u201cThe Wiz.\u201d<\/p>\n Her television credits include \u201cThunder in Paradise,\u201d \u201cBaywatch Nights,\u201d \u201cFamily Law,\u201d \u201cEverybody Hates Chris\u201d and the 2025 series \u201cHighly Favored.\u201d Shepard also pursued a career on stage, appearing in Broadway productions of \u201cBubbling Brown Sugar,\u201d \u201cReggae\u201d and \u201cPorgy and Bess.\u201d<\/p>\n Beyond entertainment, Shepard devoted herself to raising awareness for sickle cell anemia after a friend died of the affliction. In 2006, she founded the Kis Foundation<\/a>, an organization that seeks to support sickle cell disease patients and their families, following years of other advocacy efforts. <\/p>\n \u201cKiKi believed that compassion, community, and education could change lives. Her voice uplifted countless individuals who often felt unseen, and her work created lasting pathways for hope, resources, and understanding for those living with this disease,\u201d Shepard\u2019s family said in a statement to ABC7.<\/a> <\/p>\n To daytime talk show host Sherri Shepherd, the beloved \u201cShowtime at the Apollo\u201d personality \u201cwas the life of every party\u201d who had a welcoming and warm presence. <\/p>\n \u201cKiki I am devastated that you are gone, but I am rejoicing because you LIVED and you lived boldly and joyfully,\u201d the \u201cSherri\u201d host wrote in an Instagram tribute.<\/a> <\/p>\n \u201cYour love of God was evident and I know you are having a ball up there,\u201d she added. <\/p>\n Mo\u2019Nique<\/a> and Jack\u00e9e Harry <\/a>also honored Shepard\u2019s life and legacy on Instagram. \u201cRest easy, my dear sweet friend,\u201d comedian Harry said, \u201cI\u2019ll carry you with me always.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n