Photo Credit: The Wendy Experience/Instagram
Wendy Williams was spotted in the lobby of her Manhattan Financial District barefoot last week sparking concern among passersby and fans alike. Seemingly oblivious of what was going on, she gave a big smile to the camera for her picture. This came after she was caught lying down asleep in Louis Vuitton next to champagne glass. And to add insult to injury, some of her former staff have opened up about what really lead to her show ending.
Producers of The Wendy Williams Show questioned her sobriety “at least 25 times” by text message to superiors. A source told The Hollywood Reporter, “Everybody on that staff and crew witnessed all kinds of things.” It was at that time where an “ultra-quick” judgment had to be made about whether she would be going on air or not at 10am despite her saying she was “fine.” In some cases it was the second taping of the day which wouldn’t air until later in the week giving executives a chance to review the footage to see if she was in fact intoxicated or not.
Then there was her time in a sober house in 2019 where sources made such shocking statements to The Sun like “Everyone is an enabler because they don’t want to lose their job. They see it, they know it, they smelled the liquor. Wendy drinks every day and the only time she was sober was when she was at the sober house. Her staffers are worried but no one is ever going to speak up because they don’t want to lose their jobs, She’s an alcoholic. A bad one. She doesn’t need a talk show, she needs help.”
During a scheduled Zoom meeting with her show’s 100 person staff in September of 2021 to reassure everyone that things were fine since they’ve all read things about her health in the press, the meeting lasted all of 3 minutes. Lonnie Burstein, Debmar-Mercury’s Executive VP of Programming who was sitting in the studio with some of the staff said “It was not pretty.” He added, “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.” She had ultimately gone completely AWOL by February and by then a revolving list of guest hosts had been filling in for her. But by then it was too late for her to save her seat and it was announced that would be the last season of her show.
It wasn’t until the day the show was announced being cancelled that she called one of Debmar-Mercury’s Co-Presidents Ira Bernstein surprised that she had heard her show was being cancelled. He says he told her ‘We haven’t heard from you, and we had to make a decision.’ We should have made one in November, but we pushed it to January or February, and by then, it was like, ‘Make a decision or lose the time period.’ She said, ‘Well, what’s going to air at 10 o’clock?’ I told her, ‘Sherri’s [Shepherd] going to air at 10 o’clock.’ ‘So, can I go on at 11?’ I said, ‘We’d love to work with you, and there are lots of ways and lots of buyers, but you need to come back, and we need to know that you’re OK. You can’t just call after nine months and say, ‘I’m ready.’”
About 4 or 5 versions of this conversation took place all as if they were happening for the first time for the next 4 to 5 months. Co-President Mort Marcus finally told her that they would need a doctor’s note clearing her for production, which they never received. He said, “Whether it’s the TV stations or a network or a new producer, anyone who’s going to do business with you, after you didn’t show up for a year, needs to know that you’re OK. [Without that assurance,] no one’s going to risk money or finance things.’” Marcus said that Wendy revealed to him that she was her happiest at 10 am, when she’s on television and he 100% believes that if a sheet of paper could clear her to have her back on, she would provide.
Regarding her health status, her manager William Selby sayd “In going through so many things, she’s going to have off [moments]. Doesn’t mean she’s about to die, doesn’t mean she’s going crazy, it just means maybe she’s not feeling well today.” And sources close to the star says the podcast that they’re planning is never going to happen because for one, no one believes she’ll commit to it every day as she claims. And for the Will Smiths of the world Selby thinks he can just call up to be booked for her show, sources close to the situation say that’s not happening either.
B Scott said during a podcast of his in 2018 that Wendy’s long history of hard drug and alcohol abuse are likely complicating her other health issues and so her body isn’t recovering the way it used to. It does seem he may have been on to something. And lastly, she reportedly went out with Ray J for a weekend during the summer of 2021 and has not been the same since. Mind you he was with Whitney Houston briefly before she passed as well. He’s been accused of buying both drugs. We certainly hope that isn’t true. When Whitney died, he said he had no idea she was doing cocaine.
Yeah, okay Ray J. Our prayers are with Wendy these days. She’s an icon and her recovery is not looking so well. What she needs now are family and friends. And none that will help her indulge in her habits.
