New York, NY – Wendy Williams, the former daytime talk show host, finds herself at the center of a controversial documentary that some are criticizing as exploitative. The new two-part Lifetime docuseries, “Where Is Wendy Williams,” portrays the former host appearing disoriented at times, not even recognizing her manager in one scene. The documentary also shows her manager confronting her about empty liquor bottles found in her apartment.
Shawn Zanotti, who worked as Williams’ publicist starting in 2021 and is featured in the docuseries, expressed her disapproval of the producers’ approach in an interview with NBC News. Zanotti believed that Williams was being exploited and that the documentary did not accurately represent the project she had agreed to participate in.
Although originally pitched as a way for Williams to share her story and make a comeback, Zanotti felt that the final product focused more on sensationalizing negative aspects of Williams’ life, neglecting to showcase any positive moments. The producers behind the documentary did not respond to requests for further comment on the matter.
Just one day before the documentary aired, Williams’ management team announced that she had been diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia, and she was receiving treatment in a facility. Zanotti, who has not communicated with Williams since she entered the treatment facility in April, confirmed that she is still working as her publicist.
The controversy surrounding the documentary escalated as Williams’ guardian, Sabrina Morrissey, filed a lawsuit to prevent the series from airing, claiming that it did not accurately portray Williams’ best interests. The lawsuit was ultimately dismissed, with the judge citing the First Amendment.
Despite the filmmaker’s assertions that they were unaware of Williams’ diagnosis during production, Zanotti believes that the series was designed to create a spectacle for profit and ratings, rather than provide an accurate representation of Williams’ life. Speculation about Williams’ health had started after she fainted live on air in 2017, and her struggles with addiction and autoimmune disorder had been openly discussed.
As Williams remains largely out of the public eye, Zanotti questions who truly has her best interests at heart and is concerned about how fans will remember her. The controversy surrounding the documentary raises important questions about the ethics of representing individuals with health challenges in the media, and the responsibilities of filmmakers in telling sensitive stories with dignity and accuracy.