TV host Wendy Williams is now ‘permanently incapacitated’ according to the court documents shared by her guardian, Sabrina Morrissey. The update comes after the 60-year-old media personality was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia and aphasia in May 2023.
The filing obtained by The Independent describes Williams as “an acclaimed entertainer who, tragically, has been afflicted by early-onset dementia and, as a result, has become cognitively impaired and permanently incapacitated.”
Trending
The documents further added that, after noticing a pattern of “disturbing” events in January 2022, Wells Fargo “took the highly unusual step of initiating a guardianship” for Williams’ “financial affairs.”
The news comes amid Morrisey’s ongoing battle against Lifetime’s docuseries Where is Wendy Williams? released in early 2024. It follows the former talk show host’s life after The Wendy Williams Show which was cancelled in February 2022 following a deterioration in her physical and mental health.
What is meant by the term "permanently incapacitated"?
According to a report by Law Insider, permanent incapacitation means a disability of 50% and above suffered by the victim which is of a permanent nature, with no chances of variation in the degree of disability and the injury/disability renders the victim unfit for the rest of the life.
It describes Incapacitation as the state of being unable to physically or mentally make informed rational judgements and effectively communicate. This may include unconsciousness, sleep, or blackouts, and may result from the use of alcohol or other drugs.
Further allegations levied by Wendy Williams’ guardian post-release of the documentary
Morrissey argued that the documentary exploited Williams in a vulnerable state when she was unable to provide informed consent for her filming. The suit included the following defendants - Lifetime’s parent company, A&E Television Networks, Lifetime Entertainment Services, EOne Productions, Creature Films and the doc’s executive producer Mark Ford.
"This case arises from the brutally calculated, deliberate actions of powerful and cravenly opportunistic media companies working together with a producer to knowingly exploit [Williams]," the documents read. "FTD is a progressive disease, meaning that there is no cure and the symptoms only get worse over time.”
The filing further alleged that
The media companies cruelly took advantage of [Williams’] cognitive and physical decline by creating and publishing a documentary at a time when [Williams] was highly vulnerable and clearly incapable of consenting to be filmed.
Morrissey has asked the court to approve "narrowly applied redactions" to certain portions of the ongoing lawsuit involving
"her health, familial relationships and finances in order to protect Wendy Williams’ privacy and dignity."
A report by Marca informed that Williams was credited as the executive producer of Where is Wendy Williams despite the allegations that she could not consent to a film project. Morrisey has filed a complaint requesting that profits from the docuseries must be given to Williams for “proper medical care and supervision for the rest of her life."
Reply
