The Truth Behind Wendy Williams Disoriented and Drugged Appearance in Her Documentary

Wendy Williams' son, Kevin Hunter Jr., has revealed that his mother's battle with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) stemmed from her struggle with alcohol addiction. This disclosure came to light in the new documentary titled Where is Wendy Williams? which aired on Lifetime over the weekend.

For more than ten years, Williams has been a leading presence in daytime television, captivating viewers with her fearless commentary on celebrity news from her unmistakable pink armchair. Known for her distinctive style and catchphrases like "How you doin'?", her Hot Topics segments turned into a cultural sensation.

However, concerns about Williams' health have surfaced in recent years, leading to her sudden departure from The Wendy Williams Show in 2022. Kevin, son of the renowned television personality, provided detailed about his mother's health, disclosing her diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia. Medical experts asserted the implications of excessive alcohol intake by Williams that led to such condition.

Viewers witness noticeable signs of Williams' deteriorating health, as she appeared confused on several occasions of her documentary as she faced trouble with language and understanding financial matters. Frontotemporal dementia, a progressive neurological disorder, gradually impairs communication skills. Kevin noted improvement when Williams is with family in Florida, where he supports her recovery by steering clear of alcohol and aiding weight gain.

The recent Lifetime docu-series also sparked controversy with criticism from Williams' former publicist, Shawn Zanotti. During an interview, Zanotti voiced her apprehensions, expressing the belief that Williams would be dismayed by the portrayal of her in the documentary. Per Page Six, Zanotti, who featured in the series, emphasized, "I felt that [Williams] was being exploited. She thought we were focusing on the comeback of her career. ... She would be mortified. There’s no way you can convince me that she would be OK with looking and seeing herself in that way."

She further added, "When I mentioned [doing a documentary] to Wendy, she immediately said: 'Yes, I would love to do it. I would love to be able to get my story out there.' That is not the project that [Williams] signed up for. That’s not the project [the producers] brought to me. That’s not what I told her this was going to be about. There were a lot of good moments. None of those good moments were shown." 

She revealed, "I don’t think [the diagnosis] would have stopped them at all. The producers were asking questions throughout the entire time — would ask questions where she would somewhat seem confused, and I feel as though it was done to be intentional at that moment in time to make their storyline. Again, this was presented as a documentary to her, but to me, it looked as though it was a reality show of a circus, a circus to her downfall. I did not agree with what was going on with this documentary. I made it very clear to the guardian."