Latest news with #WhereIs
Express Tribune
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Wendy Williams blocked from dinner outing with niece and new lawyer amid ongoing guardianship dispute
Wendy Williams was reportedly prevented from joining her niece and newly retained attorney for dinner, despite earlier assurances from her court-appointed guardian that she has the freedom to visit with family, according to TMZ. The planned outing involved Williams, her niece Alex Finnie, and her new lawyer, high-profile attorney Joe Tacopina. The three were set to meet at a New York City restaurant when, according to insiders, Williams' guardian, Sabrina Morrissey, blocked the visit. Williams remains at an assisted living facility and was not allowed to leave the fifth floor, which she has privately referred to as 'a luxury prison.' The decision contradicts a recent letter sent to TMZ by Morrissey's legal team, asserting that Williams is not isolated and is free to see family members at any time. The exact reason behind denying this outing remains unclear. Some close to Williams believe the decision may be tied to her efforts to end the guardianship. Sources say that if a judge does not terminate the arrangement soon, Williams will seek a jury trial with Tacopina as her lead counsel. The veteran attorney, known for his high-profile courtroom wins, recently represented A$AP Rocky in a successful defense. While Wendy was unable to attend, Finnie and Tacopina went ahead with the dinner, reportedly using the time to discuss legal strategy over the meal. Her ongoing guardianship issues were recently spotlighted in the documentary Where Is Wendy Williams?, which delves into her health challenges, financial control, and restricted independence.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Wendy Williams denies she's incapacitated in 'The View' interview. What she says about her guardianship, hospitalization, alcohol use.
Wendy Williams was back on TV talking again — but about her guardianship, not pop culture. The former TV host, who was put into a guardianship in 2022, called into The View on March 14 to discuss her hospitalization for cognitive testing this week. Williams insisted she's not incapacitated and pleaded for her guardian and the judge in her court-ordered guardianship to 'get off my neck.' Williams, who's living on the memory care floor of a senior living facility in New York City amid her frontotemporal dementia diagnosis, also told the co-hosts she's currently 'alcohol-free' but admitted to breaking her sobriety last year. Here's what Williams said on the talk show and in other interviews this week about the guardianship. Williams, joined by health care advocate Ginalisa Monterroso of Connect Care Advisory Group, insisted her mental abilities are strong, proven by acing cognitive testing conducted at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan. 'It was my choice to get an independent evaluation on my incapacitation, which — I don't have," Williams said on The View. 'How dare they say I have incapacitation. I do not!' She railed against her court-appointed guardian, Sabrina Morrissey, and the judge in her case after Sunny Hostin read a statement from Morrissey's attorney that said Williams is 'legally incapacitated,' hasn't been kept from her family and is 'receiving excellent medical care.' 'I'm a college-educated woman. I'm a globally international person from radio to television. I've been doing important things all of my life,' Williams said. 'I need them to … get off my neck.' Williams said she wants 'to get out' of the guardianship. 'It's been over three years, and it's time for my money and my life to get back to status quo,' she said. Until then, she wants Morrissey replaced, 'I need a new guardian.' In the 2024 Lifetime docuseries Where Is Wendy Williams?, the star's alcohol use was concerning to viewers and filmmakers, and her son, Kevin Hunter Jr., said on camera that Williams's doctors diagnosed her with 'alcohol-induced dementia' because she had been 'drinking so much.' She also has a past history of cocaine addiction. Asked about her current relationship with alcohol and drugs, Williams said the 'relationship is fine,' and she can 'easily' be 'alcohol-free for the rest of my life.' She did admit to drinking alcohol on her birthday last year. 'But I must admit to you that when I got from Connecticut to New York, it was my birthday, July 18, and yes, I celebrated, you know what I'm saying?' she said. 'But no more, no more alcohol, thank you.' On the floor where her memory care unit is, Williams said, 'The people are 90 and 80 and 70. I'm 60." She stays 'in the bedroom the majority of the time' and can't have visitors. She called being in the hospital this week a 'breath of fresh air.' 'I wish I was allowed to actually put on nice clothing and come see you in person, but I cannot,' she told the co-hosts. 'All of my clothing, all of my sneakers, all of my handbags, everything [is] in storage.' The NYPD conducted a welfare check on Williams on March 10 and took her by ambulance to the hospital. Williams called into Good Day New York on March 11 from the hospital to report that she underwent a cognitive evaluation and 'passed with flying colors.' Williams, who was again on the line with Monterroso, said it was her idea to be 'independently tested,' noting, 'Getting out of [this] guardianship … is my No. 1 most important thing.' The same day, Williams called the radio show The Breakfast Club, and Monterroso detailed how the welfare check went down. Monterroso said she called authorities to report that Williams was 'isolated' and needed help. Multiple officers responded and came to Williams's room, where Monterroso was on the phone. 'I pleaded with the police, as if Wendy was my child, please, you need to get her off this floor. She is confined,' said Monterroso. Williams added, 'I told [police], 'I am not incapacitated' … as I've been accused, and the floor that I live on is the memory unit — the people who live there don't remember anything, unlike me. Like, why am I here? What is going on? It's a cry for help.' Williams said she got a 10 out of 10 on her cognitive test at the hospital. Monterroso said she actually passed two cognitive tests. Williams also said that while she was hospitalized, she was told that Morrissey was there outside her room, but the guardian didn't come in to talk to her. Monterroso claimed Morrissey tried to prevent some of the independent testing, but Williams's personal attorney was present and authorized it, so that's why it was done. Morrissey has not responded to Yahoo Entertainment's requests for comment.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Wendy Williams' Health Update: Judge Lisa Sokoloff Threatens Restrictions
Beloved talk show host has been having health issues since 2023. Following a diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia and aphasia, Wendy was placed under legal guardianship. A judge ordered her moved to a locked facility for dementia patients. Recently, the star of The Wendy Williams Show filmed a documentary with TMZ about her situation. I happened to watch it just the other day. She seemed rational and coherent, although understandably frustrated with her situation. But the judge in her guardianship case seems to have taken Wendy's documentary personally. Judge Lisa Sokoloff says she's tired of Wendy's 'behavior' and wants her moved to another, likely more secure, facility. Admittedly, Lifetime's Where Is Wendy Williams? documentary didn't show her in the best light. TMZ's Saving Wendy documentary shows Wendy confined to her apartment in an assisted living community, the Coterie. She did all of her interviews for the documentary by phone from behind the window of her fifth-floor apartment, which she calls a 'luxury prison.' In her current facility, Wendy is not allowed to have a cell phone and cannot receive calls. There is no internet, and she's rarely allowed visitors. Most of the residents on her floor are much older and sicker than she is, so she has little human interaction. She gets no fresh air and eats all her meals in her room alone. It is cruel to keep anyone confined under such harsh conditions. My mother had dementia the last years of her life. She lived in a locked dementia unit, but she was kept active and engaged. I was able to visit and take her to lunch often, which she really enjoyed. After viewing the documentary, Judge Sokoloff sent an email to Wendy's legal team. She wants the talk show host moved to a new facility. 'I have always contended that [Wendy] will be given the independence she can handle,' she wrote. 'I question how well she has handled the independence she has been given.' Wendy's lawyer quickly responded that it wouldn't be right to move her to an even more restrictive facility. The isolation surely has an impact on her mental and physical health. Multiple insiders believe the judge is angry about Wendy speaking to the media. The judge has repeatedly warned Wendy not to talk to the media. Why not? Has Wendy suddenly been stripped of her First Amendment rights? The judge's reasoning was revealed in another recent email to Wendy's attorney: 'Tell your client that if she wants a jury she should refrain from trying to poison the jury pool.' On March 10, Wendy was taken to the Lenox Hill Hospital, when police were called after Wendy's niece took her to dinner. Wendy reportedly passed a mental competency test 'with flying colors.' Still undergoing testing, Judge Sokoloff wants Wendy returned to the Coterie. 'The hospital wants to discharge her,' she wrote. '[Wendy's guardian] has facilities who, despite her behavior, are willing to assess her. She needs to go back to the Coterie until a new facility can be found.' Sources close to Wendy say she's terrified of losing even more of her limited independence. They're calling the judge's reaction to her talking about her situation 'pure retaliation.' TMZ Presents: Saving Wendy is now streaming on the free service Tubi. TELL US – DO YOU THINK WENDY SHOULD BE RELEASED TO A LESS RESTRICTIVE FACILITY? The post Wendy Williams' Health Update: Judge Lisa Sokoloff Threatens Restrictions appeared first on Reality Tea.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Wendy Williams Claims She Hasn't Seen A Doctor In Almost 2 Years
Wendy Williams has made claims about the lack of medical care she has received under a conservatorship. In a newly released TubiTV documentary TMZ Presents: Saving Wendy Williams, the coveted talk show host spoke candidly about not seeing a doctor in nearly two years. Speaking with TMZ's Harvey Levin, Williams reflected on her 2023 dementia diagnosis and said it's been a 'long while' since she had last been evaluated. 'I was in Connecticut for a year and I didn't go see anybody,' she claimed. 'I've been in here for six or seven months and I haven't seen anybody.' Her guardian, Sabrina Morrissey, has stated in court filings that Williams is 'cognitively impaired and permanently incapacitated.' Williams, however, insists she feels 'fantastic' and denies being incapacitated. Levin also spoke with Neurologist Leah Croll, who suggested that alcoholism can contribute to her diagnosis, as alcohol-induced brain damage can resemble frontotemporal dementia. When asked if sobriety could possibly cause a reverse diagnosis, Croll noted that abstaining from alcohol could warrant a reevaluation. Morrissey requested a 'new medical evaluation' on Feb. 5, after Williams denied her condition on The Breakfast Club, stating, 'I don't have frontotemporal dementia… it's disgusting.' She added, 'I'm not incapacitated. I am not a baby.' Morrissey also addressed Williams' remarks about a lawsuit against A&E, which she had filed over the Where Is Wendy Williams? docuseries. Williams' public statements suggested that she opposed the legal action, prompting Morrissey to seek an updated medical assessment to confirm her decision-making ability. 'The issue of whether Williams has the capacity to assess what is in her own best interests deserves renewed careful consideration by qualified experts,' the filing stated. More from Wendy Williams Believes Her Son Took Advantage Of Her Financially, Triggered Her Guardianship Wendy Williams Denies She's "Incapacitated," Calls A&E Lawsuit "Blood Money" Wendy Williams Fires Court-Appointed Lawyer While Fighting To End Guardianship
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Wendy Williams Dementia Denial Pushes Legal Guardian To Order A New Medical Evaluation
The cries for Wendy Williams' freedom from her conservatorship have forced her legal guardian to reevaluate her mental state. The former TV host has repeatedly denied being "cognitively impaired" despite her court-appointed conservator's claims of frontotemporal dementia. Now, her guardian, Sabrina Morrissey, hopes to defend her stance with a new medical evaluation. Wendy Williams was placed under conservatorship in 2022 but raised concerns about her well-being in 2024 following isolation and mistreatment claims from loved ones. Earlier this year, she denied being unable to make rational decisions while comparing her guardianship experience to a hostage situation. Williams' legal guardian, Morrissey, recently informed the judge overseeing the entertainer's case about her plan to permit another medical examination. She expressed willingness to be transparent about Williams' well-being and mental state, noting: "[It] would be prudent for [Wendy] to undergo a new medical evaluation that will involve comprehensive neurological and psychological testing by a specialist in the field." Although Morrissey agreed to a medical reevaluation, she implied the result would be no different than the original diagnosis that landed Williams under her care. On that note, she implored the court to pause her lawsuit against A&E over the Lifetime docuseries, "Where Is Wendy Williams?" which aired last year. The conservator's letter obtained by TMZ continued: "The Guardian has no interest in pursuing litigation in the extremely unlikely event that the new medical examination finds that [Wendy] somehow now has the mental capacity to direct the A&E matter." In her letter to the court, Williams' guardian stressed that doctors at Weill Cornell Medical Center made the entertainer's initial dementia diagnosis. She implied there was no foul play at work, noting Justice Sokoloff legally ruled that Williams was "incapacitated." However, Morrissey's arguments sent off alarm bells as multiple fans called her out on X. These Williams supporters did not believe the legal guardian had the media personality's best interests at heart, with someone declaring, "This whole ordeal is a scam! These CRIMINALS should be in prison! #FreeWendy!" Another echoed similar sentiments, stressing the need for a neutral third party. "It should be by an unbiased doctor. Not a doctor of the guardian's choice," the X user wrote. A third argued that Williams needed the lawyers that saved Britney Spears from her conservatorship, adding: "It's absolutely sick that Wendy was blocked from seeing her own father on his birthday. He's in his 90s and logically won't be around for much longer." One of the reasons Williams' guardian decided to allow a medical reevaluation might stem from the growing "#FreeWendy" pleas or the former radio broadcaster's insistent dementia denial. The Blast shared that Robert Rihmeek Williams, professionally known as Meek Mill, joined the voices against her conservatorship. The renowned rapper, who lived in the same building with Williams in 2023, recently shared a picture that seemingly depicted her isolation claims. In the image, Williams appeared isolated in the building's lobby while sitting alone on a bench. Mill described her demeanor as being in a "daze." The "All Eyes on You" hitmaker was moved to share his experience about Williams' conservatorship following a viral teaser clip for the upcoming documentary, "Saving Wendy." In the video, Williams lamented the possibility of missing her father's 94th birthday because of her legal guardian. While fans and Williams' supporters supported her freedom through social media, a New York lawmaker moved to ease her guardianship restrictions legally. The Senator, identified as Anthony Palumbo, reportedly attempted to reintroduce a law that allowed family visits. The legislation, "Karilyn's Law," would allow families to visit loved ones under conservatorship by filing a motion. The legal guardian would be given 10 days to demonstrate to the court why the person wishing to visit should be denied. If the guardian could not present evidence of the visitor's inappropriate behavior, the individual would be authorized to proceed with the visit. The Senator stressed that this law would provide family members with a legitimate way to visit their loved ones under conservatorship without restrictions, as alleged in Williams' case. During a phone interview in January, Williams shared bombshell details about her conservatorship experience. She expressed frustration about being isolated and unable to move or make decisions without her guardian's acknowledgment, saying: "I am not cognitively impaired, you know what I'm saying? But I feel like I'm in prison. I'm in this place where the people are in their 90s and, their 80s, and 70s… There's something wrong with these people here on this floor." Additionally, Williams described her experience as "emotional abuse." She alleged that she was isolated and barely had people to interact with during the day unless "nursemaids" brought her unfamiliar pills to take. She also bashed Morrissey for holding her in a luxury prison. Will Wendy Williams' medical reevaluation be her key to freedom?
