Current:Home > Markets'Where Is Wendy Williams?': The biggest bombshells from Lifetime's documentary-LoTradeCoin
'Where Is Wendy Williams?': The biggest bombshells from Lifetime's documentary
View Date:2024-12-23 21:33:06
Days after Wendy Williams' frontotemporal dementia diagnosis was revealed, the talk show host's declining health was the focus of a raw new Lifetime documentary.
The network on Saturday aired the first part of its documentary "Where Is Wendy Williams?," which shows Williams struggling with her health, including the autoimmune disorder Graves' disease. It also deals with Williams being placed under a financial guardianship in 2022. She says she has "no money" as a result.
The former talk show host also thanked well-wishers for their supportive response amid her diagnosis.
"I want to say I have immense gratitude for the love and kind words I have received after sharing my diagnosis of Aphasia and Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD). Let me say, wow! Your response has been overwhelming," Williams said in a statement released to The Associated Press through a representative for her care team. "The messages shared with me have touched me, reminding me of the power of unity and the need for compassion."
These were the biggest revelations from the first episodes of the documentary.
Wendy Williams maintains she's 'very healthy' after wellness center stay
Early in "Where Is Wendy Williams?," Williams pushes back on the decision to admit her to a wellness center in California, which occurred soon after she was first interviewed for the documentary in 2022. She says her manager, Will Selby, and guardian took her there, but when asked why, she insists, "I don't know."
After Selby interjects to say that Williams "needed some rest," she says she "can rest right here." Williams then declines to answer more questions. "I'm very healthy," she says.
Wendy Williams' nephew says she almost died in 2020
In the documentary, Williams' friend and former co-worker, DJ Boof, describes becoming concerned about her health while working with her as she filmed her talk show from home in 2020. Noting her delayed reactions and tiredness, he says he thought, "This is not COVID doing this."
Williams was hospitalized that May. Her nephew, Travis Finnie, says that DJ Boof "was there, and he called us crying, saying that she's going to die, and she needs help." Finnie adds that Williams received three blood transfusions, and "that's the only reason she's alive today." He blames this medical emergency on Williams' drinking.
DJ Boof also recalls going to the hospital to check on Williams at that time and being unsure if she knew who he was. "I just felt like she wasn't the same person anymore," he said.
Wendy Williams Lifetime documentarywill air despite her guardian's lawsuit, judge rules
Wendy Williams didn't know she wouldn't return to her show
Williams' talk show was canceled in February 2022 after she had been on hiatus due to her health issues. Her niece, Alex Finnie, describes sharing this news with Williams, who still believed she would return to the show.
"My aunt did not know she was not going back to the show," Finnie says, adding that after she told her the show had been canceled, "She didn't believe it."
Wendy Williams' son says he hasn't seen her in 8 months
Kevin Hunter Jr., Williams' son, says during one interview for the documentary that he last saw his mother eight months ago, when she came down to Florida to spend time with her family in 2021.
During that time, Williams appeared to be doing "a lot better," her nephew, Travis Finnie, said.
According to Finnie, she returned to New York to deal with the court case in which she was placed under financial guardianship. Ever since then, Williams' son has been "completely financially cut off," Finnie says. But Hunter denies that he was trying to exploit Williams financially.
Wendy Williams' loved ones express concern about her drinking
Throughout the documentary, those around Williams express concern about her drinking.
In one scene, her manager, Will Selby, confronts her about finding an empty bottle of alcohol in her room. Selby says he looks for alcohol in her apartment every time he comes over and has found bottles in her bathroom and closets.
Later, Williams orders an alcoholic beverage at a restaurant, but Selby privately tells the waiter to bring her a virgin drink. Williams also says alcohol has led to tension with her son. But she defends her drinking, saying, "I bet we all drink. Why can't I?"
Talk show host Wendy Williamsdiagnosed with frontotemporal dementia and aphasia
Filming shuts down after Wendy Williams displays erratic behavior
An extended scene in the second episode sees Williams being driven to a vape shop but sparking confusion after insisting it's not the same shop she usually goes to. She berates her publicist, sending her into the shop multiple times, and tells her driver to look around for a different location. Eventually, the documentary producers step in to say they need to stop filming. After the incident, Williams' driver expresses concern that she's "losing memory," saying she sometimes doesn't know who he is.
Williams behaves aggressively towards people around her at multiple other points, including by telling her publicist to get liposuction. "There are some times when Wendy is just a little bit more aggressive," Selby says.
"Where Is Wendy Williams?" will continue Sunday on Lifetime at 8 p.m. ET.
veryGood! (23)
Related
- Natural gas flares sparked 2 wildfires in North Dakota, state agency says
- As Special Envoy for Climate, John Kerry Will Be No Stranger to International Climate Negotiations
- Adam DeVine Says He Saw a Person Being Murdered Near His Hollywood Hills Home
- Clouds of Concern Linger as Wildfires Drag into Flu Season and Covid-19 Numbers Swell
- NBA today: Injuries pile up, Mavericks are on a skid, Nuggets return to form
- Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Son Prince Archie Receives Royally Sweet 4th Birthday Present
- Vanderpump Rules' Raquel Leviss Turns on Tom Sandoval and Reveals Secret He Never Wanted Out
- Blake Shelton Finally Congratulates The Voice's Niall Horan in the Most Classic Blake Shelton Way
- Best fits for Corbin Burnes: 6 teams that could match up with Cy Young winner
- When Autumn Leaves Begin to Fall: As the Climate Warms, Leaves on Some Trees are Dying Earlier
Ranking
- 'Squid Game' creator lost '8 or 9' teeth making Season 1, explains Season 2 twist
- Plan to Burn Hurricane Debris Sparks Health Fears in U.S. Virgin Islands
- When Autumn Leaves Begin to Fall: As the Climate Warms, Leaves on Some Trees are Dying Earlier
- Wednesday's Percy Hynes White Denies Baseless, Harmful Misconduct Accusations
- Melissa Gilbert recalls 'painful' final moment with 'Little House' co-star Michael Landon
- Texas teen who reportedly vanished 8 years ago while walking his dogs is found alive
- Biden’s Climate Credibility May Hinge on Whether He Makes Good on U.S. Financial Commitments to Developing Nations
- High-Stakes Fight Over Rooftop Solar Spreads to Michigan
Recommendation
-
'Devastation is absolutely heartbreaking' from Southern California wildfire
-
Big Meat and Dairy Companies Have Spent Millions Lobbying Against Climate Action, a New Study Finds
-
IPCC: Radical Energy Transformation Needed to Avoid 1.5 Degrees Global Warming
-
Fearing for Its Future, a Big Utility Pushes ‘Renewable Gas,’ Urges Cities to Reject Electrification
-
Amtrak service disrupted after fire near tracks in New York City
-
Nobel-Winning Economist to Testify in Children’s Climate Lawsuit
-
That $3 Trillion-a-Year Clean Energy Transformation? It’s Already Underway.
-
Gigi Hadid Spotted at Same London Restaurant as Leonardo DiCaprio and His Parents