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Egypt Sherrod has carved out a significant presence as a skilled real estate broker and designer. She is also known as one-half of the dynamic duo from the former HGTV show “Married to Real Estate.” Reflecting on her journey, Sherrod shared with Madame Noire in December 2024, “This show has been an incredible experience for our family. When Mike and I look back, it all began with us capturing moments of our lives and business on his phone. Fast forward four years, and now we’re in Season 4, ready to broadcast in 82 countries. It’s a true testament to the value of hard work, family, and dedication.”
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However, Sherrod’s image as a devoted family figure with a solid work ethic has been challenged by a few controversies. Over time, she has been embroiled in some notable scandals, including a public disagreement with The New York Times and accusations of fabricating a story about witnessing a near-human trafficking situation. Indeed, you read that correctly.
Before the tumultuous fallout with HGTV, Sherrod had a dispute with The New York Times, which featured her and “Married to Real Estate” in an article titled “The Strange Allure of Watching Other People Tear Up Their Homes” in April 2025. Sherrod claimed the newspaper initially approached her and her husband, Mike Jackson, for promotional purposes. Yet, she felt the resulting article misrepresented the show. “For The New York Times to use my image for an article filled with inaccuracies? That’s not just irresponsible — it’s unacceptable,” Sherrod expressed in a Facebook post on April 14, 2025, criticizing the suggestion that the show was staged.
Compounding the issue, Sherrod noted the article omitted any mention of her co-star and husband, Jackson. “That’s not just a slight. That’s erasure,” she asserted, hinting at potential troubles in their marriage. Only time will tell.
Egypt Sherrod vs. The New York Times
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The New York Times, nevertheless, defended its journalist and the article. “Our story on D.I.Y. home influencers was well-researched, comprehensive, and fair, exploring how various individuals have turned renovation videos into a lucrative venture,” a spokesperson from The New York Times responded to Sherrod’s comments in a statement to the Daily Mail.
To make matters worse, Sherrod also noted that the writer made no mention of her co-star and husband, Jackson. “That’s not just a slight. That’s erasure,” she declared. Perhaps yet another red flag in the former HGTV stars’ marriage? TBD, we suppose.
The New York Times, however, stood by its reporter and the article. “Our piece on D.I.Y. home influencers was well-reported, thorough and fair, covering a wide range of figures and how they’ve turned renovation videos into a lucrative career,” a spokesperson for The New York Times said in response to Sherrod’s criticism in a statement to the Daily Mail.
Did Egypt Sherrod make up a story of epic proportions?
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Unfortunately, things weren’t much better for Egypt Sherrod when she was accused of making up an entire story about witnessing a human trafficking attempt at a gas station. On December 11, 2022, Sherrod took to her Instagram account, claiming she had just witnessed a man hide a tissue on a gas pump in Kennesaw, Georgia. “I watched him do this,” Sherrod claimed in a since-deleted Instagram video to her followers (via Black Enterprise). “Do you see the tissue?” she asked while filming what appeared to be a tissue covering the handle of a gas pump. “So if you ever find yourself at a gas station and a tissue is on the handle or you come back to your vehicle and see a tissue on the handle, DO NOT TOUCH IT AT ALL,” she cautioned while also noting that she had notified the police.
Later, however, in another since-deleted post, Sherrod blasted an unnamed blogger for poking holes in her human trafficking account and claiming it was nothing more than a hoax. “I need your help to repost this so that the TRUTH travels faster than a LIE!” Sherrod penned in a call to action (via Black Enterprise). “I am so tired of women, specifically Black women, being disbelieved.”
It should be noted, however, that Politifact.com, a popular fact-checking website, was unable to find any evidence supporting Sherrod’s claim. Meanwhile, LeadStories.com, another fact-checking site, concluded the same. “Lead Stories contacted two law enforcement agencies in Cobb County, Georgia, where the incident allegedly took place, and neither had any record of that, nor of it being reported,” staff writer Ed Payne wrote.