Wendy Williams’ latest public outings have been many and few, however her newest look this week marked a significant milestone.
The former speak present host, whose well being points have come to mild in recent times, served up proud mother vitality whereas attending son Kevin Hunter Jr.’s commencement ceremony on Thursday. Hunter, who Williams shares with ex-husband Kevin Hunter, graduated from Florida International University reportedly with a level in economics.
Photos revealed by People and the New York Post present Williams’ glittering gown and motorized scooter, which she personalized with luxurious trend equipment together with a cup holder seemingly wrapped in Louis Vuitton’s iconic brown monogram. The Post shared photo of Williams, 60, sitting with household and apparently wiping away tears as her son walked throughout the stage to obtain his diploma. Williams’ father, Thomas Williams, and her sister, Wanda Finnie, additionally reportedly joined the previous TV character for Hunter’s large day.
Williams has stored a comparatively low public profile since leaving her daytime speak present in 2022 amid well being and private points. Earlier this yr, Williams’ representatives revealed that she had been identified with aphasia and concomitant dementia. Williams additionally lives with Graves’ illness, a thyroid-related autoimmune situation.
In a February assertion, representatives expressed concern about Williams’ issue processing info, his erratic conduct and his difficulties understanding monetary transactions. News of Williams’ dementia prognosis got here forward of Lifetime’s four-part documentary “Where Is Wendy Williams?”
Lifetime’s dad or mum firm, A+E Networks, and manufacturing firm Entertainment One (also referred to as eOne) have confronted authorized backlash over the documentary challenge. Williams’ authorized guardian, Sabrina Morrissey, requested a brief restraining order in February to forestall the documentary from airing, though a New York decide gave Lifetime the inexperienced mild to maneuver ahead.
Morrissey filed an amended lawsuit in September, claiming that Williams “was extremely susceptible and clearly incapable of consenting to being filmed, a lot much less humiliated and exploited.” Morrissey additionally mentioned in authorized paperwork filed final month that the TV star is “cognitively impaired, completely disabled and legally incapacitated.”
In November, the producers of “Where Is Wendy Williams?” filed a counterclaim, responding to Morrissey and his “meritless” allegations associated to the Lifetime documentary.
Months earlier than the authorized fallout, documentary producers Mark Ford and Erica Hanson spoke to the Times concerning the ethics of their Lifetime challenge. “We would by no means have entered into the challenge if we had recognized that Wendy had dementia,” Ford mentioned in February, including that Williams’ guardian, staff and household signed the doc.
“We additionally knew we had the ability to by no means air it,” Ford added. “If this film could not go in a redemptive or constructive path, then I assure you Lifetime would by no means have aired it, and we would not have been focused on airing it.”
Times author Malia Mendez contributed to this report.
