Wendy Williams denies she’s ‘cognitively impaired’ and says she’s ‘trapped in a conservatorship’
3 min read
Wendy Williams at the Daniel's Leather Fashion Show in 2023.
Wendy Williams is pushing back against reports that she is suffering from cognitive impairment after being diagnosed with progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia. The former talk show host, in a candid conversation on “The Breakfast Club” on Thursday, denied claims that she requires the extensive care she is currently receiving.
During the interview, co-host Charlamagne tha God, who Williams said has known her for 20 years, introduced her as a guest and expressed concerns that Williams was being “taken advantage of.” In response, Williams vehemently rejected the suggestion that she is cognitively impaired. “I am not cognitively impaired,” Williams asserted. “But I do feel like I am in prison.”
Williams went on to explain that she feels out of place in her current living situation. At the age of 60, she described herself as still being “sexy and gorgeous,” emphasizing that her current environment, where many residents are in their 70s, 80s, or even 90s, feels alien to her. She added, “There’s something wrong with these people here on this floor.”
In 2023, Williams’ representatives revealed that she had been diagnosed with progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia. Both conditions are known to affect cognitive functions such as speech, communication, and overall brain health. While Williams is living with these challenges, she expressed frustration that the facility where she resides has strict rules that prevent her from leaving or even having visitors. “You can’t even leave and take a walk if you wanted to,” she lamented.
Williams was accompanied by her niece, Alex Fannie, who described Williams’ living conditions as “a luxury prison.” Fannie shared her own experience visiting her aunt, noting that the level of security at the facility was excessive. “I went to New York in October to visit her, and the level of security and the questions I faced about my identity were just horrible,” Fannie said. She also highlighted the difficulty Williams faces in communicating with family members or accessing the internet. According to Fannie, her aunt is essentially cut off from the outside world, a situation she described as deeply isolating.
The star spoke emotionally about feeling “trapped in a conservatorship,” recounting how she had spent birthdays alone, which she likened to “emotional abuse.” Williams was placed under a court-ordered financial guardianship in 2022 due to her diagnosis. In response to these claims, CNN reached out to her legal guardian, attorney Sabrina Morrissey, for comment.
Roberta Kaplan, another attorney representing Williams, defended the conservatorship arrangement, explaining that due to her diagnosis of frontal lobe dementia—a progressive and incurable disease—Williams was legally deemed incapacitated. “Wendy’s condition will only get worse with time,” Kaplan acknowledged. “But as anyone who has had a family member with dementia knows, Wendy has both good days and bad days.” Kaplan also expressed disappointment at the intense media attention surrounding Williams’ situation, calling it “voyeuristic.”
Wendy Williams enjoyed a successful career as the host of “The Wendy Williams Show” from 2008 until its cancellation in 2022. Throughout the latter years of the show, Williams dealt with numerous health challenges. She collapsed during a live broadcast in 2017, later attributing the incident to an electrolyte imbalance. The following year, Williams took a medical leave to address Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder. She also struggled with a shoulder fracture in 2019, which led to multiple guest hosts filling in for her during her recovery.
As Williams’ health issues continued, she was unable to host her show during the 2021-2022 season, ultimately leading to its cancellation.
Fannie has raised questions about the validity of the conservatorship system and suggested that a new medical evaluation might allow Williams to regain some independence. “I’m not asking for a whole lot,” Fannie said. “All I’m saying is just treat the woman with dignity. And give her the freedoms that she deserves.”
The ongoing legal and personal struggles of Williams have drawn significant attention, with many concerned about the nature of the conservatorship that governs her life. As the public watches her battle with health challenges, Williams continues to assert her desire for independence and dignity.
About The Author
