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‘Permanently incapacitated’ Wendy Williams couldn’t consent to Lifetime doc, guardian says

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'Permanently incapacitated' Wendy Williams couldn't consent to Lifetime doc, guardian says

As a seasoned film critic with decades of experience under my belt, I’ve seen it all – from the most heartwarming to the downright exploitative. The case of “Where Is Wendy Williams?” is undoubtedly one that falls squarely into the latter category.

Earlier this year, when Lifetime aired its controversial “Wendy Williams: What Happened?” documentary series, they acknowledged Wendy Williams as one of the executive producers for the production.

During the making of the documentary, it was stated that the former talk show host, who was diagnosed with early-onset dementia and aphasia last year, lacked the ability to approve being filmed. This was asserted by her guardian, Sabrina Morrissey, in a court complaint filed in New York County Supreme Court.

In her September complaint, Morrissey stated that it was clear from the start of the Program that Williams was in a state where she couldn’t give consent to be recorded, let alone endure humiliation and exploitation. Recently, this case has been transferred to federal court.

The complaint asks that the defendants pay Williams unspecified compensatory and punitive damages and asks the court to order the defendants to permanently stop airing the show.

This month, Morrissey was counter-suited by the defendants in the case: A&E Television Networks (parent company of Lifetime), Lifetime Entertainment Services, EOne Productions, Creature Films, and the documentary’s executive producer Mark Ford.

As a film enthusiast, I reached out to representatives from A&E, Lifetime, Creature Films, and Ford on Tuesday, but I haven’t received a response as of yet from any of them regarding my inquiry made to The Times.

Titled “Where Is Wendy Williams?”, this four-part series was marketed as a “gritty and captivating documentary” that chronicled the life of the media figure post the cancellation of “The Wendy Williams Show” in February 2022. The show’s termination coincided with a deterioration in Williams’ health, both physically and mentally. Filming for the docuseries began in August 2022, shortly after Williams was appointed a financial guardian, and ended in April 2023, as stated in court documents reviewed by The Times, due to her deteriorating health.

About a month ago, I learned in my documentation that Williams was diagnosed with Frontotemporal Lobe Dementia and Primary Progressive Aphasia – these are severe neurodegenerative disorders affecting behavior and language, as explained by the National Institute on Aging. Since then, her cognitive abilities have been significantly impaired, rendering her permanently incapacitated.

After receiving Williams’ diagnosis, Morrissey implied that she logically believed the project was terminated since no contract was finalized and Williams appeared to not be working on a podcast or advancing her career at that moment. The complaint suggested that Williams might have signed an “on-screen talent agreement” after filming had started, but Morrissey deemed such an agreement ineffective due to Williams’ incapacity – and because it wasn’t disclosed to her guardian or the court.

Morrissey was utterly stunned and appalled upon seeing the trailer of the documentary on February 2nd. She tried to stop its release by seeking a restraining order in court, but the appellate judge declined, ruling that such a measure would be an unacceptable form of advance censorship.

In her latest submission, Morrissey pointed out that the judge did not refute or discuss the validity of the Guardian’s claim that [Williams] was unable to consent. She further stated that, despite being aware of Williams’ diagnoses, the defendants persisted in their attempt to exploit the unlawfully obtained footage for profit.

In my perspective, they chose to proceed with the program, fully acknowledging its portrayal of a woman with severe disabilities who lacked control over her actions during filming, and who was unable to make deliberate and well-informed choices throughout the process.

In a statement, Morrissey mentioned that despite Lifetime earning substantial profits from the show’s creation, she herself received only $82,000 in compensation.

After the documentary’s debut in February, executive producer Mark Ford shared with The Times that the team wouldn’t have taken on the project if they had known Wendy was suffering from dementia. He further explained, “The project was approved by various parties: her guardian, lawyers, managers, publicist, and eventually, her family.

As we delved further into the project, our worry about Wendy’s fate if filming ceased grew significantly. If anything, continuing to film seemed less risky than stopping. We were also aware that we had the authority to prevent its broadcast. If the movie didn’t take a turn for the better or positive, it would never have been aired by Lifetime, and we wouldn’t have wanted to air it ourselves.

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2024-11-27 03:31

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