Kiki Shepard, Apollo co-host and TV stalwart, dies at 74
Kiki Shepard, longtime Showtime at the Apollo co-host and Harlem theater fixture, died at 74 in Los Angeles after a massive, unexpected heart attack, her representative confirms. Born Chiquita Renee Shepard in Tyler, Texas, she began as a dancer in the 1970s and became a defining Apollo presence from 1987–2002, working with Steve Harvey and helping launch several artists’ careers. Shepard also appeared in TV shows such as NYPD Blue, Grey’s Anatomy, Everybody Hates Chris and Baywatch, as well as films and Broadway productions, earning praise for her fashion influence and enduring Apollo legacy.