AceShowbiz - Broadway's lights shone brightly during the opening night of "Othello," starring Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal, but off-stage, an alleged dramatic encounter between Sherri Shepherd and Nia Long grabbed the spotlight.

On March 24, the day after attending the theater event, Shepherd recounted the incident on her talk show, where she detailed an unexpected interaction with an "unnamed celebrity," later identified by sources as the "Best Man" star Nia Long.

"I get along with everybody. I really do," Shepherd began, emphasizing her usual amiable nature during the show.

"I'm standing there, and I was talking to Khadeen and Devale Ellis, and Devale Ellis is on 'Sisters.' So this unnamed celebrity actress, who shall remain nameless, I'm standing there talking, somebody grabbed my arm, and they forcefully turned me around."

Shepherd, 57, was taken aback by the forceful gesture but greeted the person warmly. However, the greeting was not reciprocated. "She says to me, she goes, 'You've been shading me a lot.' That's what she said to me," Shepherd recalled. "I said to her, 'No, I haven't.' Because I was really confused. And she goes, 'Yes, you have.' And then she just walked off."

The "Less Than Perfect" alum expressed her frustration and confusion further, explaining she rarely shades people. "I know who I shade because I don't shade many people. It might be one person I shade. And I never have shaded this unnamed celebrity," Shepherd insisted.

Embarrassed by the public confrontation, Shepherd decided to wait in the bathroom during intermission for a chance to address the matter directly. However, Long did not appear.

Determined to clear up what she believed to be a misunderstanding, Shepherd shared a message for Long on her show, urging reconciliation. "I think you get me confused with somebody… one of the bloggers or the influencers," she suggested.

"Matter of fact, when something scandalous came up about you, I was on your side when it happened. So I would say to unnamed celebrity, because we've known each other [for a] long time, come sit on my couch so we can talk about it."

As Shepherd explained her side of the story, her producer, Jawn Murray, subtly hinted at Long's identity, adding, "I think she might be from Chicago too!"

To the applause of her audience, Shepherd concluded by reiterating her conciliatory nature mixed with a dose of her Chicagoan resilience. "People get stuff confused. I'm so sweet. I'm a praying person. If you need something, I'll give you some scriptures. I'll make you feel good. But I am from Chicago. Okay? I don't play like that."

Neither Long nor her representatives have commented on the incident, leaving fans with more questions than answers. In the end, Shepherd's message was clear -she's ready to squash the beef and clear the air on national TV.