Over the weekend, the highly anticipated “Where is Wendy Williams?” documentary aired on Lifetime, offering viewers an intimate look into the life of the former daytime talk show host. However, what began as a documentary exploring the whereabouts of Wendy Williams took a shocking turn when it was revealed that she is suffering from alcohol-related dementia.
The revelation came as a surprise to many, including the producers of the documentary, who insist they were unaware of Williams’ condition when they began filming. According to ETonline, producers Mark Ford and Erica Hanson defended their project, emphasizing the extensive legal and ethical measures taken to ensure the documentary was handled with care and sensitivity.
Speaking with ET’s Kevin Frazier, Ford and Hanson explained that multiple lawyers were involved in the process, along with Wendy Williams’ manager, Will Selby, to ensure that the documentary was produced in a fair and respectful manner. Ford emphasized that every individual on Williams’ side of the equation, including attorneys and publicists, signed off on the project after detailed conversations with their legal team.
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Despite initial skepticism from Williams’ family, Ford and Hanson stated that they eventually gained their trust and involvement in the documentary. While it took some time for the family to feel comfortable with the project, they ultimately became directly involved in sharing their side of the story, which Ford described as essential to the documentary’s exploration of Williams’ life and struggles.
“It turned out that they weren’t there in the beginning, but there were conversations pretty soon after we began in which we started having that conversation with them directly,” Ford explained. “And it just, of course, it took time for them to trust the project, trust us. But ultimately, we felt it was so essential that we — there was no way we’re gonna, we were going to proceed with this without the family completely on board.”
The “Where is Wendy Williams?” documentary has sparked conversations about mental health, addiction, and the ethical considerations surrounding documentary filmmaking. As viewers grapple with the shocking revelation about Williams’ health, the documentary serves as a poignant reminder of the complexities of fame, fortune, and personal struggles in the public eye.
Watch below.