NEW YORK, NY – MAY 19: Television host Wendy Williams attends the Vulture Festival Presented By AT&T – Milk Studios, Day 1 at Milk Studios on May 19, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for Vulture Festival)
*Wendy Willaims may be out of the daytime TV spotlight, but the former talk show host remains in the minds of those concerned about her health and happenings
During an appearance on “The View,” Williams’ niece, Alex Finnie spoke of her famous aunt and the reason why Williams wanted to personally make sure her story was told right in Lifetime’s upcoming documentary “Where is Wendy Williams?”
“It’s complicated and it’s so layered…it was hard at first as a family member to grasp, ‘Oh, Wendy why do want to do this?’ You know, you have clearly some health issues that need to be addressed a long road ahead of you,” Finnie said on the episode, which aired Feb. 22. “And she was adamant that she wanted to control the narrative of her story. One thing we know about my aunt, she has never shied away from saying it like she means it, as we know.”
Once the notion of taking charge of the documentary was cemented, there was no convincing Williams to let anyone else at the project.
“And despite conversations I’d had with her this is what she wanted to do,” Finnie continued. And we saw it all play out publicly in the blogs and everywhere and her ultimate decision was that, ‘Everybody’s telling my story, no matter how painful it is, I want to tell it.’ And so, it went from there.”
As the interview progressed, Finnie touched on Williams’ struggles with cognitive issues. The situation and the drama with it have been one full of twists and turns. So much so that Finnie admitted to there being “more happening” with Williams than meets the eye.
“There’s more happening,” she stated. “I would love it if my aunt could be here today to tell her story. But, unfortunately, she’s not. So, I’m doing the best I can. But, yes, as a family we know that there’s more there.”
Finnie’s comments come as Lifetime prepares to air “Where is Wendy Williams?” The documentary, which will premiere at 8 p.m. / 7 p.m. Central (tonight) Feb. 24 on Lifetime, chronicles Williams’ life for nearly two years after the end of her talk show. The former radio host’s struggles with mental and physical health will be explored as well as her placement under financial guardianship, with cameras capturing Williams’ “delicate state of mind, erratic behavior, and declining well-being while documenting her journey to revive her career, according to Ice Cream Conversations.
Finnie’s appearance on “The View” wasn’t the only thing generating headlines. The same day, Williams’ official diagnosis was revealed, via a statement released by her care team.
According to the statement, the former gossip queen was “officially diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD),” after “undergoing a battery of medical tests” in 2023.
Alex Finnie – Wendy Williams (screenshot-Instagram)
The statement went on to identify aphasia as “a condition affecting language and communication abilities,” while labeling frontotemporal dementia, “a progressive disorder impacting behavior and cognitive functions,” has already presented significant hurdles in Wendy’s life.
Williams credited ” the diligence of her current care team, who she chose, and the extraordinary work of the specialists at Weill Cornell Medicine.” with confirming the diagnoses.
Despite “significant hurdles” in her life because of the conditions,” the statement mentioned that Williams is still able to do many things for herself.”
“Most importantly she maintains her trademark sense of humor and is receiving the care she requires to make sure she is protected and that her needs are addressed,” it shared, adding that the ex-daytime TV fixture is “is appreciative of the many kind thoughts and good wishes being sent her way.”
Speculating on the reaction of those who watch the documentary, Finnie believes viewers are going to “walk away saying, ‘This is more than what we realized’…in terms of what we’ve read.”
“Whether it’s things we might have seen on her show throughout the years that seems a little off. You’re going to walk away with that and say, ‘What is really going on here with her medically?’” she shared.
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