The Utter And Complete Downfall Of Wendy Williams
Wendy Williams has always been a divisive figure. After starting her career on the radio as a "shock jockette," she became known for starting fights with celebrities like Whitney Houston, who cursed her out over some invasive questions in a 2003 interview.
Williams has a history of controversial moments, like revealing Method Man's wife Tamika Smith had cancer in 2006 before the couple was able to tell Smith's family or friends. The rapper called her out on The Breakdown at the time, insisting that the diagnosis was nobody's business and that they deserved their privacy. "I'd like to thank Wendy Williams for bringing that to the masses 'cause she didn't have to go on the radio and say that s**t," he commented sarcastically, adding that it was "mad tacky and disrespectful" for Williams to leak information about Smith's health against her wishes.
Method Man insisted that while the host could talk about him as a celebrity however she wanted, his family was off-limits. He also called Williams a "stupid ass b***h," claiming that she didn't have any real fans and that anybody who listened to her show was just as shallow as her. Their feud continued in 2021 when Williams claimed she had hooked up with Method Man back in the day, which he denied.
Keep reading to find out more about the radio and TV host who won a loyal audience with her signature catchphrase of "How you doin'?" and risked that popularity with a series of scandals.
She fired her producers after backlash over race comments
In 2016, Wendy Williams criticized historically Black institutions like the NAACP and was accused of using her producers as scapegoats when she fired them in the aftermath.
Williams was responding to a speech made by Jesse Williams at the BET Awards, in which the "Grey's Anatomy" actor spoke about the importance of grassroots activists and the Black Lives Matter movement. "There has been no war that we have not fought and died on the front lines of," he declared, speaking about anti-racist activism. "There is no job we haven't done, there is no tax they haven't levied against us, and we have paid all of them."
On her radio show, Williams praised the actor's speech but admitted she was confused by the need for exclusively Black spaces. "I would be really offended if there was a school that was known as a historically white college. We have historically Black colleges," the host stated. "What if there was the National Organization for White People, only? There's the NAACP." Her comments caused a backlash online and led to Williams losing a sponsorship with Chevrolet, as The Wrap reported. And although Williams apologized the following week, she still ended up firing producers in a move that some called a tactical scapegoating. One producer had been with the show since its premiere in 2008.
She criticized Kesha for not filming Dr. Luke
Wendy Williams was slammed for her reaction to the singer Kesha's trial against her former producer Dr. Luke, who she accused of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse as they collaborated on hits like "Tik Tok." Williams weighed in on the controversial legal battle and upset the singer's fans by arguing that it was just business, adding that sexual abuse in the music world was so common that a lot of singers could get out of their contracts by talking about it.
"Kesha's no spring chicken. I mean she's like, 30 years old?" Williams observed, per The Huffington Post, adding that the singer should have known better. "So she wasn't stupid 10 years ago and neither was her mother when the sexual abuse — alleged sexual abuse — started, why weren't they rolling camera on it?"
She later apologized for casting doubt on the story and insisting that Kesha should have filmed her own abuse if she wanted people to believe her, as The Wrap reported. "Unfortunately, a lot of people lie about rape so I was just being skeptical, that's what I do," Williams said. "I wasn't sure, but I'm also woman enough to say 'damn, Kesha, I apologize.'" She then praised Kesha for her strength, adding, "I don't think a lot of women could rise to the occasion the way you did, Kesha."
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
She defended R. Kelly and slammed #MeToo
Wendy Williams also drew controversy over her comments about convicted sex offender R. Kelly and the #MeToo movement, after new allegations against Kelly surfaced in 2018. The TV host blamed one of Kelly's 14-year-old victims for being at his house in the first place and letting the situation happen to her, per The Washington Post, and said she was "sick of this Me Too movement." Williams had previously talked about her personal relationship with Kelly, admitting she had sworn to keep their private conversations a secret. "When I make a promise about keeping something in confidence, I do. And that's that," Williams told the press.
Tarana Burke, the activist credited with starting the original Me Too movement, criticized Williams and her outdated views in a series of tweets. "It is disgraceful that as wide as your audience is and as many young girls, many Black girls watch your show that you would openly victim blame like you did yesterday," Burke wrote, explaining that survivors would hesitate to come forward about their experiences if women like Williams pivoted the conversation away from holding predators accountable. "You are the reason why we can't make headway in our community around sexual violence."
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
She fought with Alyssa Milano about breastfeeding
Alyssa Milano has been one of Hollywood's biggest advocates for normalizing breastfeeding, sharing photos of her own babies breastfeeding on social media and writing on Facebook that it has been "one of the greatest joys in my life to breastfeed my babies." But when she appeared on "The Wendy Williams Show" in 2016, the actor had to defend her position on breastfeeding due to the host's strong views.
Williams clashed with Alyssa Milano over the topic, arguing that seeing breasts made her uncomfortable because they are "more sexual than a feeding thing." She went on to declare that she personally didn't want to see another mother do that in a public space and would rather go breastfeed her child in a car, instead of potentially making people uncomfortable. "I'm a mom also. But breastfeeding is only a particular amount of time," she insisted. "The rest of your life, your breasts are sexual things." Milano pushed back on this statement, pointing out: "Biologically, they're not made for sexual things, that's what we've done to them." Milano also joked that if her baby was there, she'd show Williams and her audience how to breastfeed right on the spot.
She got in trouble for joking about Amie Harwick's death
The tragic death of Amie Harwick at age 38 sent shockwaves around Hollywood after the therapist, who had become a public figure through her writing and TV appearances, was strangled and thrown from her own balcony in 2020. A former partner, Gareth Pursehouse, whose turbulent relationship with Harwick led to her filing a restraining order against him, was charged with murder and burglary.
But Wendy Williams wasn't going to let the sad details of the case deter her from making jokes. On her show, she used a catchphrase from "The Price is Right" host Drew Carey to joke about his ex-fiance Harwick falling to her death, yelling: "Come on down!" Williams also summarized the case in her typically blunt way, informing her audience: "She was killed. Not by Drew." Her audience responded with shocked gasps and later viewers took to Twitter to express their shock at how callous Williams had been.
"For real, Wendy Williams is a sicko," one Twitter user wrote. A friend of Harwick declared that it was a "CLASSLESS MOVE making a joke about a domestic violence victim," adding: "An amazing woman and champion for mental health awareness was senselessly killed and you used it as an opportunity for a one liner. HOW F***ING DARE YOU." Harwick's brother also demanded a public apology, telling Fox News that the comments were unacceptable.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.
She made transphobic comments
Despite being embraced by some as an icon for the gay community, Wendy Williams has made her share of homophobic and transphobic comments over the years. "Stop wearing our skirts and our heels," she said on her show in 2020, discussing whether gay men should be invited to "Galentine's Day" celebrations. "You can do a lot that we do, but I get offended by the idea that we go through something you will never go through," she stated, telling her audience that if they didn't experience a period every month, they weren't a woman and therefore weren't entitled to girly things or female clothes. "Looky here now, gay men, you'll never be the women that we are," Williams insisted. "No matter how gay."
During the backlash against these comments from the LGBTQ+ community, public figures like Tan France responded with pictures of themselves in heels. Williams later apologized for her tirade in an emotional video posted on her Twitter, which has since been deleted. "I'll start by saying I apologize," she said, per NBC News, claiming that she never wanted to hurt the gay fans that had supported her throughout her career and that she didn't realize how her comments had sounded. "One thing I can tell you right now, is that I never do the show in a place of malice," she said. "I'm just having a conversation." Williams added that everybody should "live and let live every day. Life is too short."
She ended up living in a 'sober house'
In 2019, Wendy Williams, who has been open about the cocaine addiction she developed during her days on the radio, revealed she was currently staying in an institution for sober living.
"So you know me for being a very open and truthful person," she told her audience, according to The Washington Post, before tearfully announcing that she had been living in a sober house for a while. The host also discussed her experience living with other people who were seeking a safe place to recover from addiction. "They don't know I'm Wendy, they don't care I'm Wendy, there's no autographs, there's no nothing," Williams reflected. "It's the brothers and sisters caught up in the struggle and it's been really interesting, this ride." She also described the schedule at the facility. "Doors locked by 10 p.m., lights out by 10 p.m. So I go to my room and I stare at my ceiling and I fall asleep," the host explained.
It was the first time Williams let anybody other than her husband and son know she had needed treatment: "Not my parents, nobody. Nobody knew," Williams noted. A source told ET Online she revealed the truth after hearing that the Daily Mail was going to report that she was being treated for alcohol and pill addiction following recent health challenges. "She wanted it to be her story to tell," they added.
If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
She filed for divorce after her husband had a child with another woman
Over the course of her career, Wendy Williams has shared her thoughts on a lot of scandalous celebrity divorces and turbulent separations. But in 2019, her own personal life made headlines when Williams split from her husband Kevin Hunter after he had a baby with another woman. As The New Yorker reported, this wasn't his first brush with infidelity: Williams had previously hired a private detective to follow Hunter and discovered he had a house with his mistress just nine miles away from their own family home. The baby was the last straw, however, and after 22 years of marriage, she officially filed for divorce.
"After nine months, yes, I am fully divorced. A door has closed. An old life. The new chapter has been so lovely," she told late-night host Jimmy Fallon in an interview, adding that she was not angry about the amount of time she had invested into their marriage and that she was determined to move on with her life as a single lady looking for love in New York City. "I no longer live in Jersey. It is Wendy in the city," she continued.
Her health issues led to the end of her show
Fans worried about the health of Wendy Williams ever since she fainted live on air in front of her studio audience in 2017. It was later revealed she had been dealing with Graves' Disease, thyroid issues, and lymphoedema for years, and executives started worrying about her ability to keep going in 2021, as The Hollywood Reporter revealed. In a Zoom call with her staff, Williams reportedly prompted worry because of a lack of coherence. "People were sort of freaked out. She was saying things like, 'Oh, I can't wait, I'll be back with you really soon,' but it was obvious to anyone watching that she was not going to be back really soon," one producer stated.
In February, it was announced Williams' show would end soon. After a series of replacement hosts filled in for Williams during the show's 13th season, one was chosen to replace Williams' time slot with a new show: Sherri Shepherd, who had previous experience as a talk show personality on "The View." Executives told The Hollywood Reporter that Williams had to be told several times that her show was coming to an end and that she seemed very confused by the decision.
Her bank froze her account
In January 2022, Wells Fargo requested that Wendy Williams be put under guardianship because of her ill health, freezing her account completely.
The host fought the accusations that she couldn't be trusted with her own money, filing an affidavit with the New York Supreme Court that accused Wells Fargo of unlawfully cutting her off from millions of dollars and putting her financial situation in danger. Her attorney said Williams "wants the world to know that she strenuously denies all allegations about her mental health and well-being," according to a statement published by Variety. "During this hiatus from the show, Wendy has employed holistic health professionals to help her reach optimal health during her treatment of Graves' disease and thyroid concerns," her legal team added.
They also sent out pictures of Williams watching the Super Bowl and assured fans that she was perfectly safe, adding: "She is of sound mind and disappointed about falsely circulated statements from an industry she has devoted her life to." In August, her former attorney explained the situation to Page Six, revealing that a financial advisor had raised the alarm over the host's son using her card and cut her off completely. "Wendy, a woman who has worked hard for her wealth, was left penniless," the statement concluded.
She checked into a wellness facility in 2022
Fans of Wendy Williams were concerned when they heard the host had checked into a wellness facility in 2022. But according to her team, Williams was reportedly planning on returning to the recording booth and reliving her radio days with a new podcast once her health had recovered. "She is taking some time to focus on her health and wellness as she prepares for a major comeback for the next level in her career with The Wendy Experience Podcast," a representative told The Hollywood Reporter. "Ms. Williams is being treated by a team of some of the best doctors in the world. We ask for your prayers and well wishes during this time."
When it was announced a month later that she left the facility, her publicist told ET Online that the host was getting ready for a variety of projects and couldn't wait to get started. "Thank you to my fans for your love, support and many prayers," Williams reportedly stated. "I am back and better than ever." When a paparazzo caught her shopping in Petco in February 2023, Williams explained her plans to get back on the small screen as well. "I want to be on TV, stuff like Seth Meyers, Joy Behar, Whoopi Goldberg, The View, stuff like that," she declared, revealing that she was traveling at the moment to open wax museums in Paris and California. "I am formerly retired."