Wendy Williams' guardian alleges that the former talk show host's health continues to deteriorate significantly. In a court filing dated November 12, obtained by The Post, attorneys for Williams' guardian, Sabrina Morrissey, stated that the 60-year-old star has "become cognitively impaired, permanently disabled, and incapacitated" due to her battle with dementia. Morrissey is currently engaged in a legal dispute with Lifetime regarding the release of the documentary "Where Is Wendy Williams?", which premiered in February.
The filing accuses the defendants—Lifetime's parent company, A&E Television Networks, Lifetime Entertainment Services, EOne Productions, Creature Films, and the documentary's executive producer Mark Ford—of "exploiting [Williams'] cognitive and physical decline by producing and releasing a documentary at a time when [Williams] was highly vulnerable and clearly unable to consent to being filmed."
Williams was diagnosed with primary aggressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia in 2023, conditions also faced by Bruce Willis. Since May 2022, she has been under a court-ordered guardianship overseeing her health and finances, following a claim by Wells Fargo that she was "incapacitated."
Morrissey's legal team asserts that the defendants "intentionally manipulated and provoked" Williams to elicit strong emotional reactions and obtain embarrassing footage. The filing also requests the court to redact details about Williams' health, family relationships, and finances to protect her privacy. The defendants argue that the case stems from Morrissey's "misguided attempts to excuse her own failure to protect her ward." They also claim they had Williams' "consent, input, and participation" before her dementia diagnosis and the appointment of a guardian.
Both parties have requested a trial, anticipated to last two to four weeks. The Post has contacted Williams' representative for comment. Previously, Morrissey filed a lawsuit in September alleging that Williams was "highly vulnerable and clearly incapable of consenting to being filmed, much less humiliated and exploited." In response, the defendants filed counterclaims against Morrissey, which are now being handled by the federal court.
Prior to the release of the Lifetime documentary, Williams' family disclosed to People that the "Think Like A Man Too" star is in a care facility and can only be contacted when she calls. Williams hosted "The Wendy Williams Show" from 2008 to 2022. In addition to aphasia and dementia, she has faced various health issues including Graves' Disease and Lymphedema, and has struggled with alcohol and cocaine addiction.
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