The Two Explosive Marriages Of Sherri Shepherd: A Deep Dive Into Her High-Profile Divorces And Legal Battles

Sherri Shepherd, the beloved daytime talk show host and comedian, has always been open about her life, including the tumultuous chapters of her romantic past. As of December 2025, the star remains one of the most prominent single figures in television, a decade after her second marriage ended. Her marital history, though brief, involved two high-profile, complex divorces that played out publicly and included a landmark legal battle that continues to be discussed in family law circles.

The question of "who was Sherri Shepherd married to" has two answers: Jeff Tarpley and Lamar Sally. Both relationships, while starting with promise, ultimately dissolved into acrimonious legal proceedings, leaving Shepherd to navigate the complexities of motherhood, career, and public scrutiny.

Biography Profile: Sherri Shepherd's Ex-Husbands

Sherri Shepherd has been married twice. Her two ex-husbands come from the entertainment world, though their post-divorce public profiles differ dramatically.

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• First Husband: Jeff Tarpley
  • Full Name: Jeffrey Tarpley
  • Profession: Actor, known for roles in films like *Dead Man on Campus* and *Headache*.
  • Marriage Date: 2001
  • Divorce Date: 2009 (with a split in 2007)
  • Children: One son, Jeffrey Charles Tarpley Jr., born in 2005. Jeffrey Jr. was born prematurely and has special needs, which has been a central point in their co-parenting relationship.
  • Relationship Context: The marriage ended amidst allegations of infidelity and a subsequent custody fight over their son.
• Second Husband: Lamar Sally
  • Full Name: Lamar Sally
  • Profession: Screenwriter, credited with work on the family comedy series *Rodney*.
  • Marriage Date: August 13, 2011 (The wedding was a lavish affair at the Fairmont Hotel in Chicago).
  • Divorce Date: 2015 (separated in May 2014)
  • Children: One son, Lamar Sally Jr., born via surrogate in 2014.
  • Relationship Context: This divorce became a national news story due to the unprecedented legal battle over the child born via a gestational surrogate.

The First Chapter: The Jeff Tarpley Marriage and Custody Battle

Sherri Shepherd's first marriage to actor Jeff Tarpley began in 2001. The couple welcomed their son, Jeffrey Charles Tarpley Jr., in 2005. The marriage, however, was short-lived, with the couple separating around 2007 and their divorce finalized in 2009.

The split was not amicable. The core of their post-divorce drama centered on the custody of their son, Jeffrey Jr. Due to Jeffrey Jr.'s special needs, which include developmental delays, the co-parenting arrangement was often contentious.

In 2014, while Shepherd was dealing with the fallout of her second marriage, Tarpley filed for temporary custody of their son, citing concerns over Sherri's ability to care for him due to her busy schedule. This public custody filing kept their personal lives in the headlines years after their official divorce, highlighting the continuous challenges of co-parenting a child with special needs under intense media scrutiny.

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The Second Marriage and the Landmark Surrogacy Case

The second marriage to screenwriter Lamar Sally began with a romantic, televised proposal and a beautiful wedding in 2011. Unfortunately, this union was even shorter, lasting less than three years before the couple separated in May 2014.

This divorce was not just "petty" drama; it made legal history. The central issue was a child, Lamar Sally Jr., who was born via a gestational surrogate in August 2014, months after Shepherd and Sally had separated.

The Surrogacy Contract Controversy

Sherri Shepherd, who was approaching 50 and dealing with a history of health issues, and Lamar Sally had decided to use a surrogate to expand their family. However, by the time the child was born, their marriage had completely dissolved.

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Shepherd sought to invalidate the surrogacy contract, arguing that since the child was conceived using Sally's sperm and a donor egg, and she was no longer married to him, she should not be considered the child's legal mother and, therefore, should not be responsible for child support payments.

Lamar Sally, on the other hand, argued that the contract was binding and that Shepherd was fully involved in the process, including selecting the egg donor and signing the legal documents in Pennsylvania.

The Legal Ruling and Its Impact

The Pennsylvania courts ultimately sided with Lamar Sally. In a landmark ruling, the court found that the surrogacy contract was binding, regardless of the marital status at the time of birth. The ruling declared Sherri Shepherd the legal mother of Lamar Sally Jr. and ordered her to pay child support.

This ruling set a critical legal precedent, establishing that a woman who signs a gestational surrogacy agreement is the legal mother of the child, even if she has no genetic tie and has separated from her husband before the child’s birth. The case was a painful and public ordeal for Shepherd, forcing her to grapple with the legal and ethical complexities of modern family building.

Sherri Shepherd's Current Relationship Status and Dating Life

Following the emotional and financial toll of two divorces and the high-stakes surrogacy battle, Sherri Shepherd has remained publicly single for approximately a decade. She has often used her platform as a daytime talk show host to discuss the challenges of dating and finding love in her fifties.

While she has not remarried, Shepherd has been open about her dating life, including exploring the concept of being a "cougar" and meeting younger men. In 2022, there were reports linking her to actor and comedian Tarrell McCraney, though she maintains a focus on her career and her two sons.

Her focus is now squarely on her successful daytime talk show, *Sherri*, where she continues to share her life lessons, including the hard-won wisdom from her two marriages. She often emphasizes the importance of self-love, financial independence, and protecting her peace, serving as an inspiration for many women navigating the complexities of divorce and second chances. Her two marriages to Jeff Tarpley and Lamar Sally, while ending in heartbreak and legal drama, have become integral parts of her public narrative of resilience and triumph.