Wendy Williams 'lacked capacity' when she agreed to film Lifetime doc, unsealed filings say
More information is coming out about the lawsuit filed last month to stop the four-hour Lifetime documentary "Where is Wendy Williams?" from airing.
The complaint filed by Williams' temporary guardian, Sabrina Morrissey, on Feb. 21 was unsealed Thursday in New York State Supreme Court, according to The Hollywood Reporter and NBC News, which first reported the news.
In this court filing, obtained by USA TODAY Thursday, Morrissey alleged Williams "was not, and is not, capable of consenting to the terms" of the contract for filming the documentary. On Feb. 22, Williams' team revealed the former daytime talk show host had been diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia.
"As a result of her medical condition, (Williams) lacked capacity when the Contract was purportedly executed, and she remains in that condition," the lawsuit states.
Although she's listed as an executive producer on the documentary, Williams "was, at all relevant times, incapable of managing her own business and personal affairs, and indeed, was placed into a guardianship and under the supervision of this court," the suit says. Williams "did not, and could not, approve the manner in which she was filmed and portrayed in the Trailer and documentary."
Morrissey, who had seen the unreleased documentary's trailer but not the project in its entirety, alleged "the documentary exploits (Williams') medical condition to portray her in a humiliating, degrading manner and in a false light."
A+E Television Networks and Entertainment One Reality Productions are listed as the defendants in the lawsuit.
In a statement shared with USA TODAY, a spokesperson for A+E Networks/Lifetime said, "We look forward to the unsealing of our papers as well, as they tell a very different story."
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Wendy Williams was 'under 24-hour medical care' when documentary trailer released, lawsuit claims
Williams' diagnosis was not public when the trailer for the documentary released in early February.
Doctors at New York City's Weill Cornell Medical Center diagnosed Williams with progressive aphasia — caused by damage to parts of the brain responsible for language — and frontotemporal dementia, which results from "damage to neurons primarily in the in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain," according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
When the trailer came out, Williams was "contending with very serious medical issues that have rendered her effectively incapacitated. She currently is under 24-hour medical care and supervision," the filing claimed. Its release caught Williams' guardian by "complete shock and surprise" as Morrissey had not viewed or approved of the footage.
Morrissey "was horrified by the release of the trailer and its contents, which falsely depict (Williams') behavior and demeanor as being the result of intoxication rather than the result of her medical condition," according to the lawsuit.
The complaint seeking a restraining order against the TV network was filed on the grounds that "the complete promised documentary would even further portray (Williams) in a humiliating and demeaning manner, unconscionably exploiting (Williams') condition, and perhaps even disclosing her personal and private medical diagnosis for perceived 'entertainment value.'"
Morrissey had asked the court to halt the documentary from releasing and to determine Williams' contract with the documentary's production company as void.
"This blatant exploitation of a vulnerable woman with a serious medical condition who is beloved by millions within and outside of the African American community is disgusting, and it cannot be allowed," the lawsuit states.
The day before the premiere of part one of the documentary, an appellate judge ruled that blocking its release would be an "impermissible prior restraint on speech that violates the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution."
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'Where is Wendy Williams?' producers 'worried about what would happen if we stopped filming'
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter published late last month, "Where is Wendy Williams?" producers pushed back on critics of the documentary.
"At a certain point, we were more worried about what would happen if we stopped filming than if we continued," producer Mark Ford said. He later added, "Of course, if we had known that Wendy had dementia going into it, no one would've rolled a camera."
Ford claimed Williams became "very close" with the film's producers and there was a "real emotional connection that the project gave her" while noting that the guardian had earlier involvement in the film.
In the documentary, Williams behaves aggressively toward people around her at multiple points, including by telling her publicist to get liposuction.
An extended scene in the second episode sees Williams being driven to a vape shop but sparking confusion after insisting it's not the same shop she usually goes to. She berates her publicist, sending her into the shop multiple times, and tells her driver to look around for a different location. Eventually, the documentary producers step in to say they need to stop filming.
After the incident, Williams' driver expresses concern that she's "losing memory," saying she sometimes doesn't know who he is.
Williams' guardian casts doubt on who signed contract to film Lifetime documentary
According to Morrissey's complaint, "Where is Wendy Williams?" was pitched to Williams' guardian as "a project that would be positive and beneficial for (Williams') image."
"Based on these assurances and representations, (Morrissey) allowed the project to go forward, with the understanding that nothing would be released without review and final approval of (Morrissey) and the court, who are responsible for (Williams') well-being," the lawsuit says.
In the complaint and separate court filings, Morrissey casts doubt on the validity of the contract Williams signed to partake in filming the project by pointing out another representative also signed the documents in early 2023.
The suit says the contract appeared to be signed in January 2023 "by the 'CEO' of The Wendy Experience, Inc. The name in the signature is not clearly legible; however, it is highly distinguishable from (Williams') signature.
"It is presently unclear who purported to authorize the creation of The Wendy Experience, Inc.," it continues. "Although the Wendy Experience, Inc. was formed after the appointment of the Guardian, the Guardian did not authorize, and was not involved in its creation and did not learn of the (documentary) Contract until many months later."
Wendy Williams 'would be mortified':Publicist slams Lifetime documentary
In the agreement, included in an exhibit filed Feb. 26 and reviewed by USA TODAY Thursday, a The Wendy Experience's CEO, who is unnamed, signed in agreement to the contract on Jan. 25, 2023. The printed name "Wendy Hunter" (Williams was married to Kevin Hunter St. until 2019) represents Williams' signature in one portion, though some of the signatures in subsequent addendums are signed with the last name "Williams."
In "Where is Wendy Williams?" several family members criticized Williams' guardianship setup, under which the court appointed a professional guardian to oversee her finances. They believe a member of the family should serve in that role, with her son arguing the guardian "has not done a good job of protecting" her.
Williams' sister, Wanda Finnie, claimed she offered to be her guardian, but "then, all of a sudden, the wall came down, and there was nothing."
"The Wendy Williams Show" aired from 2008 until 2022, when it was canceled and replaced by a new talk show, "Sherri," featuring host Sherri Shepherd, in September 2022. In its final season, "Wendy" featured guest hosts while Williams was out on medical leave as she reportedly battled Graves' disease, an autoimmune disorder.
Contributing: Jay Stahl and Brendan Morrow