Across social media, fans are sharing their reactions to the“Where Is Wendy Williams?” Lifetime documentary.
The first part of the doc aired on Feb. 24, which followed Wendy Williams after her daytime talkshow “The Wendy Williams Show” ended in June 2022.
Part one featured candid moments about the state of her health, including her addressing her struggles with alcohol and drug abuse as well as how lymphedema has effected her mobility.
It also featured those close to her, including tense moments with her manager, Will Selby, her publicist, Shawn Zanotti, and her only child, Kevin Hunter Jr.
Fans took the opportunity to share their unfiltered thoughts about the documentary on social media, with one fan calling the project “exploitative” given that Williams was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia and aphasia in 2023.
“I hope that Wendy Williams gets the help she needs and maybe this show will help with that but something about this isn’t sitting right with me,” one user wrote on the social media site X. “She can’t consent to being on camera like this. It feels exploitative.”
Another fan wrote in a tweet, “That Wendy Williams documentary is SAD.”
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“I’m not sure who greenlit #WhereIsWendyWilliams.. in my opinion it wasn’t a good idea,” one fan added.
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Another viewer agreed, writing on X, “I’ve seen enough clips of #WhereIsWendyWilliams to know that this should NEVERRRRRRR have aired. It’s disgusting that they’ve captured this lady’s most vulnerable moments like this.”
Williams has a court-appointed legal guardian to oversee her money and health conditions. Just days before the premiere of the documentary, her court-appointed guardian filed a sealed lawsuit against Lifetime’s parent company, A&E Television Networks, but the network confirmed the doc would air as scheduled.
Fans had varied reactions to the people surrounding Williams in the documentary, with several viewers taking to X to call out her seemingly cruel behavior towards her team.
“Dementia or not, it is unacceptable to treat people this way. Period,” one user wrote. “Being unkind to assistants is simply terrible.”
However, some fans defended Williams’ behavior due to the state of her health, with one viewer writing, “How are people saying ‘dementia or not, she needs to show respect.’ Like do you know what dementia is?”
Viewers also shared their concern for the former talk show host, questioning her team’s motives on social media.
One fan shared a video of an interaction between Williams and her publicist talking about a trip to California, writing, “She is surrounded by ENABLERS and she is indenial and deluded into thinking she is still in control.”
Another moment in part one of the documentary that caused an uproar on social media was related to Williams' finances, with one fan writing on X, “The name of the this should be ‘Where is Wendy William’s MONEY.’”
In 2022, NBC News reported that Williams’ bank, Wells Fargo, had frozen her accounts while awaiting a guardianship ruling.
Some viewers called out Williams’ son, who was questioned for charges to his mom’s account for tens of thousands of dollars. Hunter said in the doc that he never spent his mom’s money without her consent.
“This #WendyWilliams doc is all over the place. Her son is paying 80k in rent? $100k on Uber eats?” a viewer wrote on X. “This anonymous court appointed guardian that’s running her dry, Wells Fargo withholding her $, AND this sketchy a-- lying ‘manager’..I’m giving EVERYONE the side eye at this point.”
One fan defended Williams and her son, writing, “Wendy Williams worked her a-- off to provide for her child and to secure his future… Children usually inherit their parents’ property. There’s nothing ‘suspicious’ about him using her money.”
Even amid the controversy of the series, fans still praised Williams for her legacy in pop culture and media and sent her well wishes.
“I hope #WendyWilliams is celebrated for the career that she built,” one fan wrote. “Let’s honor the force that she is and was, and not fret about where she is now. So many stand on her shoulders.”
Wendy Williams always used her platform to help put me in a position to win,” actor Tami Roman wrote. “This documentary saddens me. Wendy you will forever be loved & respected by me & I haven’t stopped praying for you… the Queen of Media!”
This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from Today:
