we're getting an exclusive first look at a new documentary asking the question where is Wendy Williams fans have expressed concern for the talk show Queen for years Deborah Roberts sat down with a member of her family here's Randy for 12 Seasons she reigned Supreme on her unflinching Unapologetic daytime gossip Fest The Wendy Williams Show with that signature greeting how you doing how you doing how you doing no celebrity off limits during her often scorching Hot Topics Mariah I don't know who you think you're fooling with this one but this morning the 59-year-old self-proclaimed queen of
all media is herself the Hot Topic in a jarring new lifetime documentary where is Wendy Williams from the start we witness an erratic and shockingly thin Wendy this documentary is hard to watch I know very hard to watch I said I wasn't going to cry because I feel like I've cried enough over the last year and a half but what people are going to see is a broken woman who has had the world on her shoulders for so long and just cracked Alex finny Wendy's niece and goddaughter now breaking the family silence I feel like
I've been living in this secret bubble for a very long time lifetime producers witnessing low moments with excessive drinking fits of anger go die I have no idea where we are and bounce of incoherence I have no friends you know how many people come out just you you know how many people love you no I don't some people are going to look at this and say this is exploitation she's being exploited how could they do this right but I will say this first and foremost my aunt is the executive producer of this documentary and she
said now is the perfect time because I want to take ownership of my story our first Caress for many Wendy's story took a dramatic turn on Halloween of 2017 when she collapsed on her [Music] show leading some to wonder whether Wendy who openly talked about her health struggles and battle with alcohol and substance abuse was in trouble her show went on 2 years later another set bag I have been living in a sober house and you know I've had a struggle with cocaine then a messy divorce bizarre behavior and long absences from the set followed
and early 2022 The Wendy Williams Show was cancelled from 6 years old all I wanted was to be famous months later those documentary cameras began rolling with Wendy hoping to reveal a career reboot but that's not what producers found did you have a liquid lunch because I came into your room and all of a sudden out of nowhere I Happ been to notice one of your specialty items so you think you're perfectly fine having as many drinks as you want perfectly okay but I'm just going to put it downstairs to keep it cool keep it
there okay is she an alcoholic so in terms of being an alcoholic I don't want to categorize her because you know I'm not a medical professional but what I can say is that my aunt has had some unhealthy habits when it's come to alcohol they discovered a lonely agitated woman people will look at this documentary and wonder where's her family right how come family's not there saving her because family was shut out we would take responsibility with regard to Guardianship and personal needs to ensure that she was healthy I'm not talking about her money you
put the money over here A New York judge appointed a guardian to manage her life and finances that action coming after her bank Wells Fargo claimed in 2022 court documents that Wendy was a victim of undue influence and financial exploitation the court is going to look at the best interest of the individual it will be based on the evidence that presented as to how the family was helping Wendy Williams at the time if it happens to me it could happen to you overnight Wells Fargo telling ABC News this matter was conducted under seal any claims
against Wells Fargo have been dismissed there was talk that Wells Fargo got involved in this because they thought either her son Kevin Jr or somebody was taking advantage of her financially yeah do you know that to be true so I personally have not seen family taking advantage of my aunt's money I haven't have you ever taken money from your mother's account now not without her consent family members insisting their biggest concern is Wendy's wellbeing after noticing her apparent cognitive decline during this filming at what point did you know something was seriously wrong oh right off
the bat when I saw her she didn't have to say one thing I knew that every cylinder is not fine iring the way it should you are bigger than this you are better than this you are smarter than this you are stronger than this people around you getting paid they're going to tell you stuff to make you feel good so who benefits from this documentary is it family is it managers around her who are going to benefit from this I think that's a question I can't even answer I know that I will say this family
benefiting from this no I I don't that's no I just hope that the person that comes out of this Victorious is my aunt now what is it that you would like to have a do one told I've already told you tell me again I want to be back on TV your hopes for her do you think that she has a prayer of actually resuming a career I think that well I know that um in talking with her she does hope to resume a career and my hope for her is that she does whatever she wants
to do that makes her happy and that stays in the bounds of keeping her healthy Wendy Williams family tells us that she's in a treatment facility though they don't know where they have heard from her and say she sounds much better where is Wendy Williams the two night documentary event premieres this Saturday on Lifetime and you can catch more of my conversation with Alex tomorrow night on Nightline Diane all right Deborah Roberts thanks for that
