Wendy Williams demands freedom with blunt guardianship plea: ‘I want out!’
Wendy Williams delivered a message about her court-ordered guardianship during a rare New York City outing. (Video courtesy: Backgrid)
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Wendy Williams had three words for the cameras during a rare New York City appearance.
On Wednesday, the former talk show host, 62, was spotted walking through the city, marking her first known public outing since February.
In a video, Williams was asked what she wanted to tell fans about “what she is going through.”
She fired back with three blunt words: “I want out!”
WENDY WILLIAMS CALLS HER $25K-A-MONTH ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY A ‘DUMP’ AMID GUARDIANSHIP
Wendy Williams steps out for lunch with a friend in New York City this week.(T. Jackson/Backgrid)
Williams stepped out in a casual ensemble, pairing a black T-shirt with high-rise denim shorts and black boots. She carried a red handbag and walked alongside a male companion, chatting with him as they made their way through the city.
The terse response comes amid years of questions surrounding Williams’ health, personal life and court-appointed guardianship.
Williams was placed under the guardianship in 2022. Her daytime talk show was canceled that same year after 13 seasons, and she has mostly stayed out of the public eye ever since.
WENDY WILLIAMS SAYS SHE PASSED COMPETENCY TEST WITH ‘FLYING COLORS’ AFTER BEING RUSHED TO HOSPITAL
A previously released documentary on Wendy Williams explored the rise and fall of the iconic talk show host
In February 2024, Williams’ team announced that she had been diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) in 2023 after years of speculation about changes in her behavior and speech.
“Over the past few years, questions have been raised at times about Wendy’s ability to process information, and many have speculated about Wendy’s condition, particularly when she began to lose words, act erratically at times and have difficulty understanding financial transactions,” her team said at the time.
“In 2023, after undergoing a battery of medical tests, Wendy was officially diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Aphasia, a condition affecting language and communication abilities, and frontotemporal dementia, a progressive disorder impacting behavior and cognitive functions, have already presented significant hurdles in Wendy’s life.”
Williams has disputed that she has dementia.
PUT YOUR ENTERTAINMENT KNOWLEDGE TO THE TEST AND SEE HOW YOU SCORE
Wendy Williams has been under a legal guardianship since May 2022.(lya S. Savenok/
Her attorney, Joe Tacopina, took that denial further in December 2025, saying Williams had undergone an evaluation by New York City neurologist Dr. Samuel E. Gandy, who determined she “does not have frontotemporal dementia.”
Tacopina has also raised the possibility that alcohol addiction played a role in Williams’ health struggles.
GET ENTERTAINMENT SCOOP DELIVERED RIGHT TO YOUR EMAIL BY CLICKING HERE
“There’s something called alcohol-induced dementia. That may have been something Wendy was suffering from back in [2023], 24. She was an alcoholic, no question about it,” Tacopina said during a “Nightline” segment.
“Wendy was drunk almost 24 hours a day. She looked like she needed help. She did need help. She needed alcohol rehabilitation.”
Wendy Williams rose to fame with her nationally syndicated talk show, “The Wendy Williams Show,” which ended in 2022 after 13 seasons.(Lloyd Bishop/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank)
LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
Williams’ struggles with alcohol addiction were previously documented in the Lifetime documentary series “Where Is Wendy Williams?,” which examined the former star’s life away from television.
After her diagnosis was announced in 2024, Williams thanked supporters who rallied around her.
“I have immense gratitude for the love and kind words I have received after sharing my diagnosis of aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Let me say, wow! Your response has been overwhelming. The messages shared with me have touched me, reminding me of the power of unity and the need for compassion. I hope that others with FTD may benefit from my story,” she said in a statement to Fox News Digital at the time.
