Despite dementia, Wendy Williams will be deposed in Lifetime lawsuit
What's the story
Former talk show host Wendy Williams will be deposed in her legal battle against Lifetime and its parent company A&E. This decision comes despite her diagnoses of frontotemporal dementia and aphasia. The ruling was made by a judge who granted the network's request for a deposition from Williams, reported People on Tuesday. The deposition is expected to take place before November 4 and will last no longer than three hours.
Remote testimony
Williams will testify remotely
Williams, 61, will be allowed to testify remotely in a "de bene esse" deposition. This type of deposition is used when a witness' ability to testify later may be affected by factors such as age, health, or fading memory. The judge has ruled that, despite her current dementia diagnosis, keeping her under guardianship with conservator Sabrina Morissey, Williams's condition does not exempt her from providing testimony in this case.
Legal action
What's the lawsuit about?
Morissey, acting as Williams's legal guardian, filed a lawsuit against Lifetime over its documentary Where is Wendy Williams? in February 2024. The lawsuit claimed that the network filmed the documentary without proper clearance from her guardian. Morissey alleged that at the time of filming, Williams did not have the legal or mental capacity to authorize her participation in the documentary.
Cognitive competence
A&E took docuseries off air amid legal battle
Despite her diagnoses, Williams has consistently maintained that she is not cognitively impaired and continues to fight for her independence from guardianship. A source told People that the attorneys suing A&E had claimed at a September 5 hearing that the docuseries was so horrific it could no longer be found on air anywhere. A&E's attorneys later admitted they had taken down the series out of respect for legal proceedings.
Health updates
I get out of guardianship?: Williams's vow
Williams recently underwent a second round of cognitive testing, which confirmed her previous dementia and aphasia diagnoses. However, she has expressed dissatisfaction with media reports about her health. In an interview with Page Six, she said that she and her attorneys were "highly upset" about the report and vowed that she "will get out of guardianship."