Shari Lewis’ Daughter Talks Love She Receives from Her Mother’s Fans

Published: February 15, 2024

Shari Lewis’ Daughter Talks Love She Receives from Her Mother’s Fans

By Movieguide® Contributor

Children’s entertainer Shari Lewis’ daughter is bringing her mother’s iconic character, Lamb Chop, to TikTok.

“To me, it was completely normal growing in show business and in this weird world of puppets,” Mallory Lewis told PEOPLE of growing up alongside her mother’s shows, CAPTAIN KANGAROO, THE SHARI LEWIS SHOW and LAMB CHOP’S PLAY-ALONG. “I’m often asked what it was like growing up with a famous mom, and I don’t quite know because to me, she was just mom.”

Mallory explained that she never wanted to follow in her mother’s footsteps as a ventriloquist and entertainer but said that, after her mother’s death, “I kept getting letters and some early emails that asked, ‘Is Lamb Chop dead too?’”

“I couldn’t let Lamb Chop also be dead,” she said. “So I was going around the country, accepting posthumous awards for my mom, and I was pregnant and postpartum, and my now ex-husband asked me, ‘Do you want to do this?’ And so, I gave it a try and it turned out I did.”

Now, Mallory and Lamb Chop are on TikTok, where she says she’s gotten “lovely comments” from people who remember the puppet from their own childhoods.

“The nicest thing about hanging out with Lamb Chop is that I am greeted with love that my mother engendered,” she said. “I’ve gotten to do amazing things because of Lamb Chop.”

Speaking about her mother’s impact to Rough Draft Atlanta, Mallory shared that the most “consistent” comments she receives are “I had a difficult childhood, and I used to pretend your mom was my mom.”

“I feel like what is missing is most of the adults on kids’ TV are dummies, or are the ones that the kids are trying to put things over on,” she explained. “Mom provided a warm, safe adult. She wasn’t impatient. She modeled what good parenting was. She wasn’t trying to make dinner and do the laundry while talking to you at home. She was 100% in that camera, looking at you, offering you a kind, nice, funny adult to play with. I think that’s what’s missing more than puppetry. I mean, yes puppetry. But there’s a lack of positive adult role models.”

Mallory also spoke about the connection she shares with her mother’s fans around the country.

“My mom was mom to millions and millions and millions of people in this country. So I have this huge family out there who has always loved my mom and I’m very lucky,” she said. “How many people have hundreds and hundreds of beautifully [well-lit] edited footage of their mother?”

She continued, “I think Shari’s message is to keep going no matter what is going on and believe in yourself. I’m hoping that [audiences] feel inspired and they feel empowered to be whoever they want to be.”