By Clara Leder
In 2022, talk show host Wendy Williams was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, the most common form of dementia for people under 60, and primary progressive aphasia. “The Wendy Williams Show” also aired its final episode that year, amid Williams's diagnosis and appointment of a legal guardian for her.
Since then, a docuseries has been released about her condition as Williams’ family continues to fight to free her from the guardianship she is under.
After the end of her hit daytime show, filming began for a documentary about the star's life post-show titled, “Where is Wendy Williams?” The documentary was produced by Lifetime and released in two parts in February 2024. In the series, Williams is shown being confused and forgetful as she lives her daily life with the diagnosis she received in 2022.
According to reports from NPR, the A&E television network received an unsealed complaint from Williams's legal guardian Sabrina Morrisey since the documentary's airing. Morrisey argued Williams was not in the right state of mind, could not film and would not agree with how the documentary showcased her and her life post talk show.
Morrisey was appointed by a New York judge to be Williams’ guardian in 2022 after her bank, Wells Fargo, raised concerns about her spending. However, Williams' family claims the guardianship is keeping her isolated in a New York Facility and have since called for her release from the conservatorship.
Williams appeared in her first interview on the radio show “The Breakfast Club,” the most listened to hip-hop and R&B morning radio show in the U.S., a year after the documentary series was released. She was joined by her niece Alex Finnie, who helped detail her life and struggles with the conservatorship.
“The Breakfast Club” show is hosted by DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious and Charlamagne tha God, who previously worked with Williams on her radio show “The Wendy Williams Experience.” Charlamagne detailed that Williams was calling into the show because she was trapped in a conservatorship and could not leave where she was.
Williams and her niece then shared the struggles Williams has faced in the conservatorship so far, describing the place she was residing in as high security. Williams even noted that she was not allowed to have a phone as her guardian Morrisey has her old one. She explained this means she can only make calls, and no one can call her where she will receive them.
Her niece called the facility a luxury prison and said she felt her aunt wasn’t receiving proper sunlight or getting outside of the facility enough. She also told hosts her family wasn’t allowed to see her during the filming of her documentary, declaring Williams’ family is worried she will be moved without notice to the family and they will lose contact with her.
Williams also spoke about how she was not allowed to make purchases. She said she received pushback when trying to choose her own doctors and even found out that her cats had been given away without her knowledge.
The former talk show host got emotional on the call, saying she wanted to see her father for his birthday but was afraid her guardian would not allow her to go. Williams and her niece also declared that the conservatorship limited much of what Williams could and wanted to say on air.
Williams even declared she is not cognitively impaired and feels like she is in prison. The interview ended with Finnie calling for reform to the conservatorship program and for Williams to be released.
There is a GoFundMe for Williams which shares updates on her condition and currently is just short of its $50,000 goal. “The Breakfast Club” shared this link in the caption of its YouTube video, calling on fans to support in any way they can.
The last update on the page comes from Feb. 15, stating there has been no change to William’s guardianship and she remains in one that is as restrictive as before. The page also says she was allowed to go to Florida to celebrate her father’s 94th birthday.
As the fight for Williams’ freedom from her conservatorship continues to be backed by family, fans and friends, there is no telling as to what happens legally with the conservatorship moving forward.
Full Article & Source:
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