Wendy Williams’ family refutes legal guardian’s claim talk show queen is ‘permanently incapacitated’

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: It's no secret that Wendy Williams has had one rollercoaster of a year with fans left wondering about her well-being, but a family insider insists the talk show icon is sharper and more determined than ever.

Despite her ongoing courtroom battles and health challenges, it looks like Wendy is determined to reclaim her narrative.

Wendy Williams is 'more clear now than she’s ever been'

While the world speculates about her condition, those close to Wendy Williams say she’s definitely on the upswing. A family insider told the Daily Mail: “She is more clear now than she’s ever been throughout the guardianship, which is a problem for some.”

This comes shortly after Wendy’s court-appointed guardian Sabrina Morrissey claimed in legal filings that the 60-year-old "has become cognitively impaired and permanently incapacitated” due to her battle with frontotemporal dementia, which she was diagnosed with in May 2023.

The diagnosis followed a court-ordered guardianship established in 2022 to oversee her finances and health.

Wendy is currently grappling with the fallout from the Lifetime documentary 'Where Is Wendy Williams?' Initially billed as a behind-the-scenes look at her planned podcast comeback, the series ultimately featured some hard-to-watch moments like Wendy drinking vodka in bed and experiencing panic attacks.

Fans were appalled and Wendy herself wasn’t impressed. Speaking to the Daily Mail in October, she snarked: “I am doing really good. The documentary sucked. I understand that it is up for an award now. Everything is going really well.”

The documentary — which aired in February — became the center of a legal battle between Morrissey and Lifetime’s parent company, A&E Networks. Morrissey accused the network of “blatant exploitation", arguing that Wendy did not have the capacity to consent to the project due to her health condition.

Legal drama unfolds over Wendy Williams documentary

The accusations flew thick and fast on both sides. Sabrina Morrissey’s lawsuit — initially filed under seal — alleges that producers misled Wendy Williams into believing the documentary would be a positive portrayal of her life. Instead, she claims it turned into a “circus to her downfall".

“This blatant exploitation of a vulnerable woman with a serious medical condition who is beloved by millions within and outside of the African American community is disgusting, and it cannot be allowed,” Morrissey’s legal team said.

A&E, however, isn’t backing down. The network argued that Wendy signed a talent agreement before her alleged mental incapacitation and even pointed out that there’s no legal prohibition against creating a documentary about someone with dementia.

They also fired back at Morrissey’s claims, accusing her of "exceeding her authority" as Wendy’s guardian and attempting to infringe on A&E’s First Amendment rights.

In their countersuit, the network claimed Morrissey’s actions denied Wendy “one of her last chances to exercise her autonomy and honestly reach her fans in exactly the frank and unfiltered manner that was the hallmark of her career".

Wendy Williams' publicist vents disappointment over documentary

Wendy Williams' longtime publicist Shawn Zanotti didn’t hold back her disappointment with the documentary.

She told NBC News: “I felt that [Wendy] 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.”

Zanotti also shared her frustrations with People — admitting that while she initially encouraged Wendy to participate, she felt deceived by the final product. “I would never let Wendy put her name and brand on the line like that ever. She’s an icon. It’s not the story we signed up for, and I feel lied to. It’s so difficult for me to even watch," she told the outlet.

That said, Wendy's future remains uncertain. 'The Wendy Williams Show', a beloved staple of daytime TV for 13 years, aired its final episode in June 2022—without Wendy making an appearance.