‘The Talk’ Co-Host Sheryl Underwood Opens up About ‘Sisterly’ Bond With Carrie Ann Inaba

Earlier this month, the CBS talk show welcomed Dancing With The Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba as the replacement for Julie Chen Moonves. Since joining, Inaba has fit in seamlessly, co-host Sheryl Underwood told PopCulture.com.

Before joining the show, Inaba guest hosted several times. Dancing With The Stars is also filmed near The Talk‘s studio, so Underwood had the chance to watch her work.

“When she came as a guest host and she relaxed around us, it was a relatable feeling. It was like continuity,” Underwood told PopCulture.com. “It’s good continuity because she opened up to us. If you read her PEOPLE magazine article where she talked about she wanted to adopt. It takes a lot, especially in this town to really talk about your feelings and loneliness and wanting to create a family and we both have John Stamos in common that we both like John Stamos.”

Inaba also fit in well with the family culture built behind-the-scenes at the show. Underwood said they are “very sisterly towards” each other.

“I think the fact that Carrie Ann came in as a team player and wanted to be part of the sketches. She doesn’t take herself so serious that you can’t have fun,” Underwood said.

The Talk also gives Underwood, Inaba and the rest of the co-hosts a chance to meet an incredible collection of guests. But it’s hard for Underwood to pick one guest who really stood out because she admits they all have.

“I think for us, it’s all of them because you’ve got Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin coming back,” Underwood said. “They are just really fantastic women and one thing about our show, when the guest come out, they’re like it’s over? Because we have so much fun talking to them. That’s why it’s called The Talk. But, we love our guest. To have Kobe Bryant coming as a guest host, I think that’s just unbelievable.”

The guests are also surprisingly relaxed on the show. “They’re just fun. They’re fun on camera, they’re fun off camera. Patti Labelle was sing through the break, so she was amazing,” Underwood explained.

One of the advantages of doing a talk show like The Talk is its schedule allows its hosts to do other projects. Underwood enjoys focusing on her radio show and doing occasional one-episode roles on TV shows. Sara Gilbert gets to do The Conners for ABC and Sharon Osbourne gets to tour with Ozzy Osbourne during the off-season.

“I do want to get more into acting. We’re producing something that I think people will really, really enjoy,” Underwood said. “We’re gonna get more into movies because this schedule fits the ability to do The Talk and to do television and film and radio. I’m on 312 radio stations and I’m a contributor on the Steve Harvey Morning Show. So, I think life is really good.”

Photo credit: CBS