Wendy Williams' court-appointed guardian tried to block the release of a Lifetime documentary series about the talk show host, telling the court last month that she was “horrified” by Williams being portrayed as a “drunkard” and “a laughing stock.”
The guard, Sabrina Morrissey, obtained a temporary restraining order to keep the two-part series, “Where's Wendy Williams?”, under wraps.
But A+E Networks, the parent company of Lifetime, and Entertainment One, quickly overturned that order on February 23, with an appellate judge ruling it to be an “impermissible prior restraint on speech” under the First Amendment. The show aired over the following weekend.
The battle between The Guardian and the network has been previously reported. But more details became available Thursday, when a New York judge ordered most court records in the case unsealed.
Williams ended her 14-year career as a national talk show host two years ago after suffering medical problems. Around that time, Wells Fargo froze her accounts out of fear she was suffering from dementia and might be financially exploited.
This action led to the appointment of a guardian. Williams was eventually diagnosed with frontotemporal lobe dementia and progressive aphasia in May 2023.
By that point, Williams had signed a contract to produce the documentary. Her son Kevin Hunter Jr. and manager William Selby participated as producers. Williams is listed as executive producer.
However, according to The Guardian, Williams lacked the capacity to agree to the contract and continues to do so. However, Morrissey allowed production to continue, with the understanding that nothing would be released without her approval and the court's approval, according to her complaint.
Morrissey has placed restrictions on filming, telling Selby she will not allow Williams' medical appointments to be photographed. At one point, the guardian refused to allow Williams to participate in further interviews.
“In the months that followed, Selby repeatedly asked if (Williams) could participate in additional filming, explaining that A+E wanted to film additional episodes,” the complaint states. “(Williams’) health condition prevented further filming or interviews,” The Guardian explained.
The complaint alleges that Morrissey was in complete shock Trailer, which was released on February 2. Neither she nor the court signed the launch of the project.
She also claims that Selby assured her that this would be a positive portrayal, “like a phoenix rising from the ashes.”
“However, the trailer makes clear that the documentary is not positive at all,” the complaint said. “Instead, the film cruelly portrays (Williams) as deeply confused and erratic, all while clearly disabled by her medical conditions.”
Morrissey was “appalled” to see Williams' medical condition exploited and mischaracterized as a result of alcohol abuse, and to see it portrayed in a “degrading and insulting manner.”
Morrissey feared that the series would “destroy her legacy, robbing her of what little earning potential she had by portraying her as a drunkard and a laughingstock.”
Williams' relatives have criticized the conservatorship, and the series reflects this view. In the complaint, Morrissey argued that the trailer incorrectly implied that Williams' “deterioration was caused or exacerbated by the conservatorship.”
Williams' sister and her son appear in the series to express their objection to the guardian, whose name was not mentioned, and their point of view that her family should take care of her.
After showing the series, diverse Chief TV critic Aramide Tinubu described the show as “an exploitative display of her cognitive decline and emotional well-being.” The series achieved strong ratings, with 1.2 million viewers during the initial broadcast as well as the following three days.