Wendy Williams Slams Reports She Is 'Frail' for Perpetuating Stigmas Around Substance Abuse

Wendy Williams is hitting back at reports stating she appeared "frail" during a recent late-night trip to Walmart.

During her return to her daytime talk show, The Wendy Williams Show, on Monday following a previously scheduled week-long break, Williams, who recently revealed that she was staying in a sober living facility, slammed reports that criticized her appearance after she was spotted riding a mobile cart in a Walmart in Ellen, New York.

"There's such a stigma to substance abuse. Everyone thinks it's going to be the bum on the corner," she said. "I'm the face of it. How about you? Sometimes you just need to go someplace and get atone with your sobriety and your 12 steps."

Addressing the photo taken of her, which had many commenting on her appearance and suggesting it was a result of substance abuse or the stress of her marriage, Williams revealed that she had gone camping with a number of friends.

"I'm thinking we're going over to Ellis Island to one of those glamp grounds…No, honey. we went all the way up there," she said, adding that the small group ended up in a small town in upstate New York and stayed in a "hood trap" with "no running water" where "the biggest thing going is the Walmart [that is open] 24 hours [a day]."

"At 4 o'clock in the morning, I'm sitting in this scooter…taking pictures with people," she explained the photo. "This became a blog sensation over the weekend, so I'm here to correct. One of the best things about being truthful to yourself and truthful to you and having your own show is that I can come and dispel my own rumors."

"The headline was 'Poor, lonely Wendy needs a hug.' Then it said, 'She looks frail, she was by herself.' By herself?" she continued.

"You know I have the graves' disease, where I have pressure by my eyes. Sometimes my eyes go like this. Right? They caught me with an eye pop, also. She was wearing a robe. Yep, a Wendy Show robe," she said. "It was 4:00 in the morning in Ellenville, New York. What do you want me to wear? A ball gown?"

"Thank you, Ellen, New York, and thank you blogs. Do I look frail to you?" she asked the studio audience. "I do the Hot Topics, I am the Hot Topic. It's fabulous."

The New Jersey native and Ask Wendy author has been entangled in a number of headline-making news stories in recent weeks. After revealing on air that she was staying in a sober house, reports surfaced that she had been found drunk and was hospitalized. Reports have also surfaced that her husband, Kevin Hunter, recently welcomed a child with his alleged mistress.