Reba McEntire’s “Happy’s Place” Co-Star Diagnosed With Breast Cancer
on Jun 16, 2026
One of the stars of the Reba McEntire-led sitcom, Happy’s Place, recently opened up about her battle with cancer.
Iconic actress and comedian Cheri Oteri joined the cast of Happy’s Place last year (2025). She plays a recurring character, Monica, a health inspector who gives Bobbie (played by McEntire) a hard time.
But Monica already knows the tavern’s cook, Emmett (played by McEntire’s real-life fiancé, Rex Linn), and she’s completely different with him.
“I just had so much fun being such a militant, serious, no fun, no frills health inspector,” Cheri told NBC Insider about her character. “And then, when I see Big E, I light up like a Christmas tree.”
Happy’s Place is currently between seasons, with Season 3 expected to premiere this fall.
In the meantime, Oteri appeared on Chelsea Handler’s Dear Chelsea podcast to talk about Scary Movie 6. She’s reprising her role as Gail Hailstorm, the same character she played in the first film in the parody horror series.
During their conversation, Oteri revealed she was recently diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ, otherwise known as DCIS. The Mayo Clinic describes DCIS as “a very early form of breast cancer.” Treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy, and/or hormone therapy. Thankfully, DCIS has a low risk of becoming life-threatening.
63-year-old Oteri told Handler she caught her cancer “really early.” She said, “So, that’s my message to everybody too is, you know, get your mammogram.”
Oteri said she just had surgery two days before their conversation, describing the operation as a “lumpectomy.” She said she felt “great” and “everything looks normal” after the procedure.
Will Cheri Oteri Return To Happy’s Place For Season 3?
Oteri loved playing Monica on Happy’s Place during Season 2. After making her debut, she returned to portray the character in three additional episodes.
“I came back, and they just started developing this storyline with my character. And I was thrilled. I was just thrilled to see what her background is, what her deal is,” she told NBC Insider.
RELATED: ELLA LANGLEY, REBA MCENTIRE, & MIRANDA LAMBERT REVEAL THEIR MOST CHERISHED LYRICS
She said, “It was such a pleasure” to work with the cast of Happy’s Place, especially Reba McEntire. “How incredibly, ridiculously talented she is,” she remarked about the red-headed country music superstar.
As long as her health allows, will Oteri return for Season 3 of Happy’s Place later this year? The answer remains unknown. Neither she nor NBC has confirmed or denied her involvement.
But the likelihood of her returning seems high, considering how much she loved her role. Stay tuned to see if she does!
Until then, revisit one of her best scenes from Happy’s Place in the video below. We’ll be praying for her overall health and a smooth recovery after her surgery…
