Wendy Williams is a fighter. You know that. For decades, she sat in her purple chair and dissected the lives of the rich and famous with a "How you doin'?" that could feel like a hug or a interrogation, depending on the day. But lately, the table has turned in a way that feels more like a nightmare than a tabloid headline.
She's trapped. That’s the word she uses.
Right now, Wendy Williams is fighting a court-ordered guardianship that has effectively stripped her of the right to control her own money, her own medical care, and even her own front door. It’s been years of legal silence, sealed documents, and a rotating door of court-appointed strangers managing the life of a woman who built a $20 million empire from nothing but a microphone and a sharp tongue.
The situation is messy. Honestly, it's heartbreaking.
The Bank, the "Unsound Mind," and the Freeze
This all started way back in early 2022, and not with a medical emergency, but with a bank account. Wells Fargo froze Wendy's assets. They claimed she was of "unsound mind" and a victim of "undue influence and financial exploitation." Imagine waking up and finding out your bank decided you weren't smart enough to spend your own money.
The court stepped in and appointed a temporary financial guardian. This wasn't a family member. It wasn't her son, Kevin Jr., or her sister, Wanda. It was a stranger.
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By May 2022, the guardianship became permanent. Sabrina Morrissey, a lawyer, was eventually named as the person holding the keys to Wendy’s life. Since then, Wendy has been living in a high-end facility, but it doesn't sound like a vacation. She’s called it a "luxury prison." In rare, frantic phone calls to The Breakfast Club and other outlets, she’s been blunt: "I am not incapacitated."
The Diagnosis: FTD and Primary Progressive Aphasia
In early 2024, things got even more complicated. Her medical team went public with a diagnosis: Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) and Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA). It’s the same thing Bruce Willis is battling.
These aren't just "forgetful" diseases. They attack the parts of the brain that handle language and personality. One minute you’re fine, and the next, the word for "coffee" just evaporates from your brain. It explains the erratic behavior fans saw in her final TV seasons—the staring, the confusion, the sudden mood shifts.
But here’s the twist. Wendy’s new legal team, led by powerhouse Joe Tacopina, claims she’s actually doing much better. In late 2025, they dropped a bombshell: a new medical evaluation suggests she might not need the guardianship at all. They’ve even gone as far as to say she was "cleared" of the FTD diagnosis by some neurologists, though the court still has to weigh those conflicting opinions.
Why the Guardian says she stays
- Safety Concerns: Morrissey has argued that Wendy isn't capable of protecting herself from people who want her money.
- The Documentary Drama: The guardian actually sued Lifetime to stop the Where Is Wendy Williams? documentary, claiming the producers exploited a woman who couldn't legally consent to being filmed.
- Medical Compliance: The legal argument is that without a guardian, Wendy might not stay in the treatment she needs to stay stable.
A System That Feels Like a Sentence
"This system is broken," Wendy’s niece, Alex Finnie, told reporters. And she’s not the only one who thinks so.
Wendy’s ex-husband, Kevin Hunter, filed a massive $250 million lawsuit in 2025 against the guardian, the judge, and even Wells Fargo. He’s calling the whole thing "civil death." He alleges Wendy was never given an independent medical exam before her rights were taken away. He also claims her accounts are being drained by "professional, for-profit appointees" while her own family is kept at arm's length.
It’s a "Free Wendy" movement that mirrors the Britney Spears saga, but with a much darker medical cloud hanging over it.
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The Latest Update from the Front Lines
As of January 2026, the battle is reaching a fever pitch. Wendy is scheduled to be deposed in the ongoing legal fight over the Lifetime documentary. A judge ruled that despite her health issues, she can and must testify.
Her lawyer, Tacopina, is pushing for the guardianship to end by the end of this year. He’s tired of her being "punished." He recently told the press that Wendy was supposed to go to a celebratory dinner with friends but couldn't because her guardian allegedly dismissed her bodyguard, leaving her stuck inside.
"She can't go anywhere without Sabrina signing off," a source recently leaked. It’s a level of control that feels suffocating for a woman who spent thirty years being the boss.
What’s Next for Wendy?
The court is currently reviewing those new medical scans. If they show her cognitive function has stabilized or improved, the judge could finally pull the plug on the guardianship. Or, at the very least, transition her to a "limited" version where she gets some of her autonomy back.
Wendy wants her life back. She wants to choose her own doctors. She wants to see her son without a chaperone. She wants to be Wendy again.
What you should watch for in the coming months:
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- The Deposition Results: How Wendy performs during her legal testimony will be the ultimate "test" of her mental capacity in the eyes of the court.
- The Accounting: Keep an eye on the filings regarding her $20 million estate. If Kevin Hunter's lawsuit moves forward, we might finally see where all that "Talk Show Queen" money actually went.
- Family Access: If the court grants more access to her sister and son, it’s a huge sign that the "stranger-led" era of her care is ending.
If you’re following this case, the most important thing to understand is that guardianship law is incredibly difficult to overturn. Once a judge decides you aren't "fit," proving you've "recovered" is a steep uphill climb. Wendy is currently halfway up that mountain, and she isn't stopping until she reaches the top.