A Tribute to Kiki Shepard

As a kid, remember watching Showtime at the Apollo and wondering who that lady was instructing the talent to rub the wood. It was of course Miss Kiki Shepard.

She captured my imagination in the late nineties and early 2000’s. She didn’t say much at all. She just had a gorgeous face and beautiful body to me.

I thought she had a mystique about her and a definite joy that could be seen on her face.

Ever the professional, she made it her mission to be part of the show without stealing the spotlight. But she stole my mind.

At the time she had been on the air for over a decade. She still looked sexy as ever. She had a bewitching sensibility. I know she was older than me by a significant amount. I didn’t care. She had a grace and a simple brilliance that exuded from the TV screen.

She was the entertainment queen that guided scores of acts across the stage to find out if the audience would boo them or explode in cheers.

She took her role seriously and never diminished herself. She brought about a level of intoxication with those ebony eyes and brown skin. It seems like she always hyped up the person taking the stage with that famous wooden wedge.

She could do no harm. Everything she did made it possible for those dreamers to stand in front of that New York audience. Whether they would be swept away by the Sandman or have applause when she placed her hands above their heads, she seemed to always be on point.

If there ever was a contest for co-hosts Vanna White and Kiki Shepard would be in that hall of fame. Miss Shepard’s ability to keep a smile for so long must have been a challenge but she was a warrior. She made it her mission to continue down the road of excellence.

Despite playing second fiddle, she completed every episode with a sense of accomplishment. Her powers as a largely voiceless wonder permitted her to keep going no matter what. This is what made her so special. For fifteen years she performed with elegance and happiness. They felt genuine. That’s the power of her personality. She brought to the show a sensibility that anything was possible with just a rub of the wood. I remember when talent forgot to rub it and the crowd would boo. She was accommodating, however. She just reminded them to complete the tradition.

I think she takes up space in my mind rent free. She will always be the smiling, thoughtful individual who knew how to play her position. In the time that it took for her to master her role, it may not have taken that much time. But, she got it down pat and made it possible for her to bring more and more star power to the Apollo.

If she knew what she meant to a kid from Delaware who watched Showtime constantly, she would remark at the dedication. I scheduled my Saturdays around the appearance of the show. I had to eat, put on my night clothes, and sit in front of the TV.

That was a truly magical time period for me and Miss Shepard helped with it. I loved the fact she could always dress herself so beautifully. The power behind her excellence will carry in in any tribute to her. But this is my personal chance to recognize her greatness. If she had been just a few years younger, maybe I could have taken her on a date. While this is impossible, a young man can still dream.