Celebrity talk show host Wendy Williams recently became a trending topic after the release of her Lifetime documentary, Where Is Wendy Williams? The emotional documentary was designed to be a sequel to two other projects: Wendy Williams: What A Mess, about her public image and divorce, and Wendy Williams: The Movie film about her career journey. However, this new project seems to be much different. In fact, it has garnered much more public interest about what exactly is going on with the media veteran, as many shocking details have been revealed. Moreover, fans believe the documentary should never have aired in the first place.
Averaging 1.04 million same-day viewers, the 4.5-hour documentary was split across two consecutive nights, airing on February 24th and 25th. Where is Wendy Williams? has been described as shocking, unsettling, and even exploitative. Fellow talk show host Charlamagne Tha God of The Breakfast Club has publicly commented that the show was “hard to watch.” Wendy Williams is evidently not doing so well, but the revelations in the documentary have been quite alarming.
“I Can Only Feel… 2 Percent Of My Feet”
In the documentary, Wendy Williams meets with Nadeem Waheed of Daniel’s Leathers to pick out a coat. She shows Waheed her bound feet, saying, “Do you know lymphedema? I should be in a wheelchair but I refuse. I’ve had that for seven years.” During a photoshoot, there’s also a moment where Williams requires assistance to stand up. She asks for a chair, stating, “I can’t continue to do this. I need to sit down again.”
Lymphedema is a chronic condition which occurs when lymph fluid builds up in various parts of the body due to a problem with the lymphatic system, which normally drains the fluid. Wendy Williams has secondary or acquired lymphedema. This is a type of lymphedema that develops over the course of a person’s life, often due to cancer or surgery. For some people, it is easy to overlook, as the swelling may go away at night. However, over time, it usually becomes more severe. This seems to be the case with Wendy. Although incurable, the pain from lymphedema can be alleviated with physical training. Nonetheless, despite her trainer’s suggested exercises in the documentary, she says she is too afraid to fall, choosing to walk with her bodyguard’s help instead.
“I Will Liquor When I Liquor”
Wendy Williams’s alcoholism is a ghost that hangs around every waking moment in the documentary. This is especially concerning because it seems to be responsible for a lot of changes that now affect the star’s current condition. Will Selby, Williams’s manager, spoke about his efforts to get her to stay sober. “Everyday I come here, I look for alcohol. Just in case,” he said.
However, this seems to be an occasionally fruitless effort. In one scene, he happens upon an empty bottle of vodka during one of his visits. The reason why is, I really feel she knows how to control herself.” Outside of work, Williams also confirmed that her drinking was negatively affecting her relationship with her son, Kevin, and sister, Wanda. Not long after this, however, she vehemently defends her actions. “I will smoke when I smoke, and I will liquor when I liquor,” she says. Williams also seems to have a problem with smoking; specifically with a vaping problem. She was shown delaying a trip for a specific brand of vape that she loved.
“What’s Oscars?”
Perhaps the most unsettling part of the documentary is watching Wendy Williams’ cognitive decline on camera. Her memory deterioration has evidently reached such a critical stage. When asked if she was interested in attending the Oscars, she had no idea what the ceremony was. In another scene, she expressed a belief that NBC Universal would simply offer her another talk show after The Wendy Williams Show was canceled in 2022.
“I think she’s losing memory. Have you guys noticed that,” asked Williams’s driver. He described it as her “going blank,” saying she did not recognize him sometimes. Williams’s condition was described by her son as alcohol-induced dementia. However, less than 72 hours before the documentary aired, a press release purportedly from Williams and her care team disclosed her diagnosis in 2023 as primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia.
The Commission
In May 2020, DJ Boof, who worked with Wendy Williams on her show, found her unresponsive at home. She was rushed to the hospital and needed several blood transfusions. Another friend confirmed that Williams had been drinking more since her divorce from Kevin Hunter Sr. The situation reached a breaking point in April 2023 when Selby found Williams hiding in the bathroom with a bottle in her bed. The next day, Selby says he worked with the legal guardian to get her admitted to a facility where she remains. Her family confirmed this to be the only good thing to come out of Williams’ guardianship. Williams’ niece, Alex Finnie, told interviewers that they were notified that Williams is also being treated for her cognitive issues at the facility. However, Williams’ family claims they were not told about the diagnosis revealed during filming.
“I Have No Money”
The documentary concluded during Wendy Williams’s ongoing treatment for cognitive challenges. The final portion also focused primarily on interviews with Williams’s relatives, addressing the topic of guardianship. Her niece Alex Finnie broke down when she discovered no food in Wendy’s fridge in New York. In 2022, instead of a family member, the courts designated a third party as Williams’s guardian. This decision came after a petition filed by Wells Fargo.
Her son, who had power of attorney, could not be a candidate. He had access to her American Express cards and probably triggered Wells Fargo’s petition by charging them over $100,000 for Uber Eats. He denied that the expenses were ever his to begin with but his mother’s. Her sister Wanda was also considered. She claimed she took classes to become Wendy’s guardian before “the wall came down.” Suddenly, she was disqualified from being Williams’ guardian.
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