The court documents filed by Wendy Williams’ guardian against A&E Network to halt the release of the controversial two-part docuseries Where Is Wendy Williams? have been unsealed. While Williams’ guardian claims the A&E doc was exploitative, A&E argues that the guardian in question was merely trying to save face.
Two days before the docuseries was released, the former queen of hot topics’ court-appointed guardian, Sabrina Morrissey, filed the suit. The docuseries was initially supposed to showcase the former daytime talk show host’s comeback, but instead focused on her seemingly struggling with alcohol addiction and declining cognitive functioning. Her wellness team released a statement ahead of the docuseries airing confirming widely speculated reports that the 59-year-old is dealing with dementia. She’s currently in an undisclosed facility to address her multiple health issues.
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Deadline reports Morrissey sought a court order to stop the project from airing, arguing in a lawsuit filed last month that the project was a “blatant exploitation of a vulnerable woman with a serious medical condition,” noting Williams lacked the mental capacity to understand what was happening, and thus unable to sign off. A New York judge initially agreed to halt the project before the decision was reversed.
But A&E’s attorney says Morrissey was afraid of the potential backlash she’d receive if the project aired. The network’s attorney, Rachel Strom, argued in her filing: “At a time when guardianship proceedings are being debated in our own State legislature and through headlines across the nation, the Order impermissibly gags defendants from publishing speech that is unquestionably a matter of public concern, namely [Wendy Williams] own journey through the guardianship process.”
She added: “Only after seeing the Documentary’s trailer and realizing her role in [Wendy Williams’] life may be criticized did Ms. Morrissey enlist the courts to unconstitutionally silence that criticism.”
Williams’ latest docuseries was the last of a three-part deal she signed with the network years back. She served as an executive producer of the project.
