Memorandum
- From
- Derek Weston via FOX News
- Date
- Filed
- Culture·4 min to read
- Re
Wendy Williams tells cameras «I want out» during rare New York sighting
ReWendy Williams tells cameras «I want out» during rare New York sighting
Former talk show host Wendy Williams made her first known public appearance since February, telling reporters she wants out of her court-appointed guardianship.
Wendy Williams delivered a blunt message to cameras during a rare public outing in New York City on Wednesday, telling reporters she wants out of the guardianship that has controlled her life since 2022.
The 62-year-old former talk show host was spotted walking through the city in a casual outfit of a black T-shirt, high-rise denim shorts, and black boots, carrying a red handbag alongside a male companion. When asked what she wanted fans to know about what she is going through, Williams fired back with three words: «I want out!»
The appearance marked Williams' first known public sighting since February, and her terse response comes amid years of legal battles and questions about her health, personal life, and the court-appointed guardianship that has overseen her affairs.
Williams was placed under guardianship in 2022, the same year her daytime talk show was canceled after 13 seasons. She has largely stayed out of the public eye since then, with occasional statements and legal filings providing glimpses into her situation.
In February 2024, Williams' team announced that she had been diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) in 2023, after years of speculation about changes in her behavior and speech. Her team said at the time that questions had been raised about her ability to process information, particularly when she began to lose words, act erratically, and have difficulty understanding financial transactions.
«Aphasia, a condition affecting language and communication abilities, and frontotemporal dementia, a progressive disorder impacting behavior and cognitive functions, have already presented significant hurdles in Wendy's life,» her team said in the announcement.
Williams has disputed that she has dementia. Her attorney, Joe Tacopina, went further in December 2025, saying Williams had undergone an evaluation by New York City neurologist Dr. Samuel E. Gandy, who determined she «does not have frontotemporal dementia.» Tacopina has also raised the possibility that alcohol addiction played a role in Williams' health struggles.
«There's something called alcohol-induced dementia. That may have been something Wendy was suffering from back in [2023], 24. She was an alcoholic, no question about it,» Tacopina said during a «Nightline» segment. «Wendy was drunk almost 24 hours a day. She looked like she needed help. She did need help. She needed alcohol rehabilitation.»
Williams' struggles with alcohol addiction were previously documented in the Lifetime documentary series «Where Is Wendy Williams?,» which examined the former star's life away from television.
After her diagnosis was announced in 2024, Williams thanked supporters who rallied around her. «I have immense gratitude for the love and kind words I have received after sharing my diagnosis of Aphasia and Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD). Let me say, wow! Your response has been overwhelming. The messages shared with me have touched me, reminding me of the power of unity and the need for compassion. I hope that others with FTD may benefit from my story,» she said in a statement at the time.
Williams' latest public plea adds another chapter to a long-running legal and personal saga that has drawn widespread attention. Her guardianship case continues to be a subject of public interest, with supporters and critics alike questioning the arrangement that has kept the former television star under court supervision for years.
