Why Is The Wendy Williams Show Paying People To Sit In The Audience?
Amidst several health-related struggles, Wendy Williams is still missing in action. The polarizing TV personality, who has hosted "The Wendy Williams Show" since 2008 (via IMDb), has had a rough couple of years in regards to her health. In 2018, Williams' well-documented battle with Graves' disease and thyroid problems came to a head, forcing her to take a three-week break from hosting her popular daytime talk show.
According to Mayo Clinic, "Graves' disease is an immune system disorder that results in the overproduction of thyroid hormones." Symptoms include irritability, anxiety, disrupted sleep, and tremors. In January 2019, her Graves' disease came back to collect when she was forced to take a two-month hiatus from her show once more. In the interim, she revealed she was also living in a "sober house" due to "a struggle with cocaine in the past" (per People).
Now, Williams is in the midst of another hiatus — one that will last until November, per Page Six. With her third public break from the helm, showrunners have now opted to pay people to sit in the audience while guest hosts run the show.
Tickets for 'The Wendy Williams Show' are a hard sell at the moment
It's kind of hard to host "The Wendy Williams Show" if you're not Wendy Williams. But don't take our word for it, just look at what's going on with the audience. Per Onset Productions, audience members are now being incentivized to the tune of $75 cash for a three-hour show, which is set to be guest-hosted for its late October slate by Whitney Cummings, per the announcement. The only requirement is that guests must be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Per Page Six, Williams' absence from her talk show will continue until November as she continues to battle Graves' disease and a thyroid condition. In the wake of her absence, showrunners have opted for a number of guest hosts — similar to "Jeopardy!" Guest hosts will include the aforementioned Cummings, Sherri Shephard, and Leah Remini.
Williams had also previously tested positive for a "breakthrough case" of COVID-19, as was announced on Instagram, and was reportedly taken in for a mental health evaluation as well, Page Six noted. "It has been determined that more time is needed before she is able to return to her live hosting duties," her production company, Debmar-Mercury, said in a statement also to Page Six. We hope she gets better soon, for the sake of her show — sure — but mainly, for her own good.