After 13 seasons, The Wendy Williams Show has officially been cancelled, with Sherri Shepherd stepping into the timeslot as the daytime host replacement. The news came on the heels of several concerning reports, however, that Williams was in deteriorating health and possibly being taken advantage of financially. And the problems seem to persist still, as the 57-year-old has lately pursued legal action against a publicist in the wake of the cancellation.
Wendy Williams Legal Team Makes Big Statement Against Ex Employee
The now-former talk show host’s legal team sent a cease-and-desist letter to Howard Bragman, per documents obtained by The Sun. He has technically been speaking on Wendy Williams’ behalf as her representative, even downplaying rumors to one outlet in February that she wasn’t returning to her namesake show. Bragman made some other statements more recently as well, which we’ll get into further down, but the main gist is that, evidently, Williams hasn’t approved for such statements to be made by Bragman. Her attorney, LaShawn Thomas, wrote in the cease-and-desist:
I have been advised by Wendy that she has not authorized your office to make any statements on her behalf and I ask that you immediately retract your statements from all media outlets. Additionally, Wendy advises that you are not her authorized representative so I ask that you refrain from making any further statements on her behalf.
The Sun’s sources allege that the publicist in question and the rest of her management team were actually fired last month. Additionally, the TV personality's son and ex-husband are reportedly taking point as the sources of authority now. Her ex has even lately taken to suing the production company behind her eponymous show for wrongful termination of the star.
Insta Post Prompts Wendy Williams Publicist To Say Something
Just a week prior to the cease-and-desist letter coming out, there was a confusing exchange of she said, he said leading to it. On Wendy Williams’ official Instagram account, per People, there was a message posted on her stories (in first person, mind you). She claimed to appreciate Howard Bragman’s previous concerns expressed about her but also firmly stated that she did not authorize him to comment about her status with the production company behind her cancelled show. In response, Bragman told the outlet:
I'm not honestly convinced of the source of that social media post, so when my old friend Wendy FaceTimes me personally and we alone have a chance to discuss recent events, together we can figure out the best path forward.
The publicist’s implication seemed to be that the TV personality was being influenced or not in control of her social media accounts. In the wake of the in-house legal drama, though, all other narratives suggest the tide is now turning for the actress. Anonymous sources claim that her health and “old self” are in fact renewed. Likewise, more recently, the words came straight from the talk show host’s mouth as she discussed her next return to TV after the cancellation.
Nevertheless, if it isn’t clear by now, those in Wendy Williams 'camp don't want to hear about problems – and they’ll apparently use legal force if necessary. With this situation still ongoing, further updates could arrive sooner rather than later.
