Wendy Williams and family using Jersey smarts, media savvy to regain control of her life

Asbury Park native Wendy Williams dished celebrity dirt on her TV and radio shows for decades.

On “Where is Wendy Williams?," which debuted Feb. 24 and 25 on Lifetime, she turned the camera and microphone on herself.

It wasn’t pretty. Williams, 59, who suffers from Graves’ disease and has Lymphedema on her feet, is battling alcoholism and has been diagnosed with dementia and aphasia. In the documentary, Williams didn't recognize her brother Tommy Williams, calling him Kevin; didn’t know that the Oscars were Academy Awards; and had trouble recognizing where “The Wendy Williams Show” was filmed during its 10-plus year run. (It was at Chelsea Studios on 26th Street in New York City.)

The former talk show host is listed as executive producer of the two-part documentary.

Williams, 59, appeared gaunt, belligerent and lost on “Where is Wendy Williams,” navigating the back alleys of contemporary celebrity like a throwback Norma Desmond in “Sunset Boulevard.”

But unlike Norma Desmond, Williams doesn’t have a William Holden to hold her when the sun goes down. In the documentary, Williams is portrayed as largely alone and separated from family members, who are living in Florida.

Who are Wendy Williams guardians?

All aspects of her life, including financial and living arrangements, are decided by a court-appointed guardian. In 2022, Williams’ bank, Wells Fargo, claimed Williams was “the victim of undue influence and financial exploitation” after staying with her family in Miami.

More: 'This system is broken.' Wendy Williams' family addresses rumors, guardianship

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Part of the equation was the alleged expenditure of more than $100,000 on Uber Eats by her son, Kevin Hunter Jr.

Hunter, 23, pushed back at the portrayal. Williams’ niece, Travis Finnie, said it was an overreach by the bank.

“For them to have a court case and rip him away from taking care of his mother, it’s very questionable,” Finnie said.

What was made clear in the documentary was that her family, formerly of Asbury Park and Ocean Township, feel they should be her guardians.

“When the whole process started, all members of this family were contacted about Wendy and what we needed for her,” said Williams’ sister, Wanda Finnie, a former New Jersey Assistant Deputy Public Defender. “My feeling as her sister was that Wendy needs to have somebody with her 24 hours a day for the next few months.”

Finnie said she was involved in discussions to become her sister’s guardian when she was abruptly cut off.

“I said, ‘Whatever I got to do, I’ll be focused on Wendy’s health.’ And then all of a sudden, the wall came down and there was nothing,” said Finnie in the doc.

Family has a noteworthy track record

The two-part Lifetime show is about more than the diva and her family putting it all out there — it's showing Jersey smarts and media savvy.

Watching the show, the family appears ready to help Wendy — and they have a track record of upstanding behavior. As stated, Finnie has worked for decades in law enforcement and youth services. Williams’ parents were educators and community advocates at the Jersey Shore for years.

Mom Shirley Williams, who passed way in 2020, was a member of civic groups ranging from the Monmouth County Council of Girl Scouts to the Central Jersey Club of the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women.

Dad Thomas Williams, 93, and alert on the documentary, was a former teacher and football coach at Asbury Park High School. Becoming the first black principal at the former River Street School in Red Bank in 1969 is among his accomplishments in educating Jersey Shore students for decades.

Wendy Williams visited Asbury Park in the documentary, hitting the Silverball Museum on the city’s boardwalk, and the family’s former home on Central Avenue in the city.

Sensationalism aside, "Where is Wendy Williams?" is a purposeful plea by Wendy and her family to let her or her family regain control of her life.

The documentary has no footage of Williams from the past year, but stated she is on the mend.

“I think that the guardianship system is broken,” said Finnie in the doc. “If this is how it works, then it’s broken.”

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Chris Jordan, a Jersey Shore native, covers entertainment and features for the USA Today Network New Jersey. Contact him at @chrisfhjordan; cjordan@app.com

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: How is Wendy Williams doing? Doc shows family ready to take control