What Wendy Williams Really Blames For The Fallout With Her Son
The following article includes mentions of alcohol abuse.
Wendy Williams is a lot of things, but what she prides herself in the most is being a mom to Kevin Hunter Jr., her only child with her former spouse, Kevin Hunter Sr. According to the former TV host herself, Kevin Jr. is her pride and joy, describing him as her "hard-won child."
In a PBS special titled "American Masters: The Women's List," Williams opened up about her rocky road to motherhood. "I fought tooth and nail to be a mother. I suffered several miscarriages including two at five months. That's when you have the clothes already picked out, the nursery is already painted. They ask you do you want a funeral or do you want the cremation," she shared (via Essence). "I would've loved to have had more children but I don't want to test my blessing. Being a mother is for me. It's not for everybody. It's for me." Williams had been so committed to motherhood that she even chose to remain with Kevin Sr. following his infidelity, prioritizing her son's well-being over her own. "I stuck with my ex-husband because we had a son. If we didn't have children, I would've been out," she told ET. The pair ended up divorcing in 2019.
But despite being a doting mother to Kevin Jr. and catering to his every whim, Williams is also the first to admit that she had not been a perfect parent. The media personality later revealed that their relationship had been tarnished, primarily because of her excessive alcohol use.
Kevin Jr. didn't approve of Wendy's drinking
In 2022, Wendy Williams' long-running TV show exited the airwaves, reportedly due to her health challenges. However, those who worked on the show revealed that she had been grappling with personal demons for years. One staffer told The Hollywood Reporter that they would "find bottles [of alcohol] up in the ceiling tiles and other weird places in the office," while another shared with People that she "would be drunk on air," which raised alarm among the crew. "Slowly, we started being like, 'What's going on with her?'" the source shared.
Williams reportedly entered a treatment facility after the show's cancelation, and per Kevin Hunter Jr., she had been diagnosed with "alcohol-induced dementia." In the "Where Is Wendy Williams?" documentary, he explained, "[Doctors] basically said that because she was drinking so much, it was starting to affect her headspace and her brain." Her excessive drinking not only adversely affected her health but also deeply strained the bond between her and her son. Williams herself openly acknowledged the rift, expressing a desire to reconcile with Kevin Jr. But when asked what's stopping her from making amends, she said, "Nothing. Except for he hates liquor."
The discord between Williams and Kevin Jr. had been escalating for some time, with reports as early as 2021 claiming that Kevin Jr. had even tried confronting his mother, but to no avail. "He gave her an ultimatum," an insider told OK! Magazine. "He told her he won't be in her life unless she fixes herself."
Kevin Jr. just wants his mom to get better
In an effort to help Wendy Williams, Kevin Hunter Jr. had imposed firm boundaries regarding her access to alcohol, instructing her team and her manager, Will Selby, to prevent her from getting her hands on some liquor. "Kevin does not want his mother utilizing any substances," Selby said in the "Where Is Wendy Williams?" documentary. "He has a no-alcohol policy. He's always stressed that to me. He doesn't want her drinking a drop of liquor."
And while there is a rift between them, Kevin Jr.'s ultimate goal remains his mother's well-being and health. He even stepped up to take care of her when Williams went to Miami to recuperate. "Kevin spent almost every day with his mom. She was vegan the whole time, she had a personal trainer, she was completely sober," Williams' nephew, Travis Finnie, said. "We made sure she lived a healthy life."
Williams was eventually enrolled in a treatment facility in New York in 2023, leaving her isolated from her family. Her team announced in a statement that she had been officially diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), the same condition Bruce Willis has. It's unclear when she'll be able to return to her family, but all Kevin Jr. wants is for Williams to make a full recovery. "The plan is that I am hoping and praying that the people who are up there [in New York] with her right now don't lead her down the path to where something can't happen to help her," he told The U.S. Sun.
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).