Let’s talk about the Wendy Williams docuseries.
The daytime talk show legend’s abrupt disappearance from the public spotlight has lingered as a mystery for her legion of fans since 2021. In an attempt to provide answers, Lifetime aired Where is Wendy Williams? over the weekend.
As well-intentioned as the four-part docuseries may be, its execution is derailed by several health-related variables.
Perhaps the most relevant was Williams’ announcement last week that she has been diagnosed with aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), the most common form of dementia for people under the age of 60. FTD symptoms include memory loss, personality changes and a diminished ability to live independently.
In a statement, Williams said she hoped others with FTD would benefit from hearing her story. She commended the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration for its work.
Also clouding the picture is the host’s lengthy history of alcoholism and substance abuse, which is detailed in the docuseries but also remains controversial due to society’s stigmatization of addiction.
With all that in mind, it’s worth diving into what the docuseries brings to the table as well as the way it draws a connection between substance abuse and dementia.
Wendy, then and now
WIlliams’ health problems date back years. She fainted during a live taping on Halloween in 2017, which led to a diagnosis of Graves’ disease.
Williams has long struggled with substance abuse, acknowledging in 2019 that she was living in a sober house. Her self-destructive tendencies reemerged during the pandemic. Ultimately, she was found unresponsive in her New York apartment, necessitating an emergency hospitalization and two blood transfusions.
Add in treatment for thyroid issues and lymphedema, Williams’ physical ailments were debilitating even prior to the emergence of severe cognitive impairments.
Nevertheless, the docuseries catches viewers up on Williams’ life from the last episode of her eponymous show in July 2021 to its eventual cancellation in February 2022 amid rumors of acute health problems and speculation that she was receiving psychiatric care.
A major sticking point in the series is the decision by the New York State Supreme Court to place Williams under a financial guardianship in May 2022.
Notably, Williams is listed as an executive producer for the project – though her unnamed guardian and healthcare advocate declined to be interviewed for the series. Her guardian also filed a lawsuit against A+E Networks, Lifetime’s parent company, to block the documentary from airing, though a judge dismissed the suit.
Williams and Willis
One of the most striking aspects of Where is Wendy Williams? is how much its subject appears to not be there.
Throughout the series, her manager Will Selby explains away her erratic behavior — including unprompted vulgarity, lack of impulse control and crying fits — while propping her up for a podcast launch designed to spur a career comeback.
It’s challenging to watch on its own, let alone in the light of the way Bruce Willis’ support system has rallied around him. Last year, the actor announced that he was diagnosed with FTD and aphasia in 2022. He retired from acting and his family has limited his public appearances.
Williams, on the other hand, has been shuttled from one interview and location to the next despite her clearly declining mental faculties.
Following the debut of Where is Wendy Williams?, there was plenty of concern on social media, though some criticisms of her behavior gained traction. One viral tweet critiqued her for being verbally abusive to assistants during filming; it was appended with a Community Note explaining that people living with FTD can experience significant personality changes.
Unpacking substance abuse
At its core, Where is Wendy Williams? chronicles a person dealing with the onset of an incurable, progressive neurodegenerative disorder. But Williams’ substance abuse disorder complicates the telling of her story.
While the causes of FTD and aphasia are uncertain, Where is Wendy Williams? speculates that alcohol may have played a part in Williams’ descent. Her son Kevin Hunter Jr. reveals that a doctor told him her heavy drinking resulted in alcohol-induced dementia.
Dr. Suzette Glasner, a substance abuse expert and a principal investigator at UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs, said that people with substance use disorders may have impaired decision-making abilities due to changes in their brain function.
“There’s probably relatively less understanding that for certain people who are at heightened risk for the development of addiction, the way their brain responds to — and propels them to repeat — those behaviors is a bit different,” she explained.
Glasner added that people rarely characterize substance abuse and addiction as a disease, as opposed to a volitional act. She believes viewers must consider the multiple factors that contributed to Williams’ dementia.
“There are aspects of this case that could lead people to be judgmental and think that people bring these types of problems on themselves,” she said. “Instead, I’d urge them to be a little more thoughtful, because ultimately, it’s a lot more complicated than that.”
