One of the most controversial personalities of all time is hands-down the former talk show host Wendy Williams. The multi-hyphenated personality started her career as a radio jockey, and then she moved on to become one of the most celebrated yet controversial personalities on TV. However, it did not deter Williams from being a Daytime Emmy-nominated talk show host.
Apart from hosting ‘The Wendy Williams Show’, Wendy Williams also starred in films like ‘World War Z’ and ‘Act Like a Lady’. She also turned into a producer with her ex-husband, Kevin Hunter, founding a production house called Wendy Williams Productions. She has produced shows like the 2011 ‘Drop Dead Diva’ and also the biopic on the late R&B star Aaliyah. Most of her salary came from ‘The Wendy Williams Show’.
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Wendy Williams Net Worth
As per Celebrity Net Worth, Wendy Williams has accumulated $20 million in net worth through her mega-successful ‘The Wendy Williams Show’ along with her production house and other investments. Wendy started appearing on the show in 2008 and lasted until 2022. She earned $10 million every year with her show.
Wendy Williams has also authored several books like ‘Is the Bitch Dead, Or What?’, ‘Hold Me in Contempt: A Romance’, ‘Drama Is Her Middle Name’, and others. In 2015, Wendy launched her clothing line at the Home Shopping Network. She also has a jewelry line called ‘Adorn by Wendy Williams’. She was the face of Pantene’s ‘Truly Relaxed and Truly Natural’ campaign.
In 2024, in the documentary titled ‘Where Is Wendy Williams?’, she declared that she has no money. In 2022, her bank, Wells Fargo, froze her assets and declined access to them and her statements. The bank alleged that it did so due to her “unsound mind”.
She filed an injunction in 2022 with her lawyers, saying that she lost access to her accounts after one of the advisors, Lori Schiller, said that she was of unsound mind.
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Early Life And Career
Wendy Williams was born to Shirley Williams and Thomas Williams on July 18, 1964, in New Jersey. She attended Ocean Township High School and later went to Northeastern University. After earning a B.Sc. degree in communications, Wendy started her radio career. After working in New York, she became a popular DJ with the Washington-based radio station WOL.
Later, Wendy Williams’ popularity grew when she did the Whitney Houston interview. She has been known for her unfiltered and unhinged opinions and her past stories about miscarriages, drug addiction, and other wild things. In 2009, she left the radio industry to completely focus on her television career.
In 2008, Debmar-Mercury gave a six-week trial for ‘The Wendy Williams Show’. Due to the success of the show, it signed a deal with Fox. The show was nominated for the Daytime Emmy Awards in 2015 and 2016. However, in 2021, due to Graves’ disease, Nick Cannon had to fill in until she got better. The 2022 season was the last one for Wendy, as Sherri Shepherd became the successor to the show.
Wendy Williams also ventured into the celluloid space. She starred in films like ‘Think Like A Man’ and ‘Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates’. She also participated as a contestant in the 12th season of ‘Dancing with the Stars’. In 2013, she became a part of the ‘Chicago’ on Broadway.
In 2015, she also went on a comedy tour in 12 cities called ‘The Wendy Williams Sit Down Tour: Too Real For Standup’.
Wendy Williams’ Personal Life
Wendy Williams’ life has been turbulent, both professionally and personally. She has been in two marriages. The first one was with Robert Morris III, but it ended in divorce in 1995. When she was working in Philadelphia at the WUSL station, she met her ex-husband, Kevin Hunter. After dating for three years, they finally tied the knot in 1998.
Wendy Williams and Kevin Hunter welcomed their only son, Kevin Hunter Jr., in 2000. The ex-couple got into business together as he became her agent as well as co-owner of Wendy Williams Productions. He also became the executive producer of ‘The Wendy Williams Show’.
In 2003, Wendy Williams, in her memoir ‘Wendy’s Got The Heat’, revealed that Kevin Hunter cheated on her in 2000. Kevin was cheating with a massage therapist, Sharina Hudson. However, Wendy and Kevin were going strong as he was there as she battled Graves’ disease.
In 2019, it was revealed that Kevin had a child with Sharina. Due to the episode, Wendy filed for divorce from Hunter after being married for 22 years. In 2022, on the ‘Hollywood Unlocked’ podcast with Jason Lee, she revealed that she had married a New York Police Department cop called Henry.
Real Estate
Wendy Williams has a very diverse portfolio in real estate. The TV host bought a penthouse in New Jersey with Kevin Hunter in 2009 for $2.1 million. However, Wendy sold it in 2020 for $1.47 million. In Manhattan, she bought a penthouse for $3 million. In 2023, it was reported that she had sold her personal belongings from the penthouse. Currently, Wendy is living in Florida.
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