Of all the problems, rumors, and controversies that The Wendy Williams Show has seen in Season 13, there has probably been little thought given by producers to at least one formerly important aspect of the series: Kevin Hunter, the ex-husband of Wendy Williams. He had been a major part of the show, and her career, behind the scenes, since the beginning, until he was fired in early 2019. Now, with The Wendy Williams Show ending after the current season, Hunter is suing the program.
Why Is Kevin Hunter Suing The Wendy Williams Show?
According to The Shade Room, which obtained copies of the court documents filed in the lawsuit, Kevin Hunter is suing Debmar-Mercury, the production company behind The Wendy Williams Show, for wrongful termination. Hunter alleges that his firing was “on the basis of his marital status which is barred by the New York City Human Rights Law,” and noted that he “has suffered an economic loss, which will be determined by trial, in the range of seven to ten million dollars.”
As you may recall, Wendy Williams and Kevin Hunter became hot topics of gossip themselves, when word began to circulate that Hunter had not only been having an affair, but had fathered a child with the other woman. Williams filed for divorce in early April of 2019, and about a week later, the announcement was made that Hunter, who’d been an executive producer on her show, was no longer with the series.
In Hunter’s filing, he says that after Williams filed for divorce he received a letter from Debmar-Mercury making him aware that he was fired, with it noting, in part, that his termination was “effective immediately” and that “your professional relationship with Debmar-Mercury is also concluded.”
Hunter goes on to claim in the lawsuit that he “used his business knowledge and street smarts to negotiate a significant financial increase from the initial contract being offered to Williams” and alleges that he helped in “the creation of the show’s brand and the look and feel of the show; helping conceptualize the wildly popular, ‘Hot Topics,’ ‘Shoe Cam,’ and ‘Hot Seat,’ segments of the show,” with the filing also claiming that many of the segments he assisted in the creation of will be a part of the show which will take its place in the fall, Sherri.
The lawsuit also states that Hunter began as an executive producer on The Wendy Williams Show “from on or about November of 2007,” and claims that “the show never recovered from his firing” because the “defendants underestimated Plaintiff’s value to the show.”
What Does Kevin Hunter Want From His Lawsuit?
The filing also claims that Hunter was contractually obligated to 10% of “commission on revenues” from The Wendy Williams Show. He’s hoping to receive “not less than $7,000,000″ along with “punitive damages, lost wages, commissions,” while also asking the court for “the costs and fees of this proceeding, including legal fees.”
Wendy Williams is already embroiled in a legal battle with her bank, which is seeking a conservatorship for her and has cut Williams off from her finances. So, luckily, Kevin Hunter’s suit is only against Debmar-Mercury and hopefully won’t impact Williams, her already troubling financial situation, or the talk show maven’s legacy going forward.
