Wendy Williams is preparing for a courtroom showdown that could determine her future independence, as the former television host-diagnosed with dementia and aphasia-undergoes intensive preparation for a deposition in her ongoing lawsuit against Lifetime and A&E over the Where Is Wendy Williams? documentary.
The 61-year-old former talk show star, who has lived under a court-ordered guardianship for more than two years, has begun what insiders describe as "intensive training sessions" with legal and medical experts. "She knows this deposition is everything," a source told RadarOnline. "If Wendy comes across as sharp, strong and totally in control, it could show she's capable of making her own decisions again."
Another insider said Williams is working closely with "legal coaches, memory specialists, even medical pros." The source added, "This isn't just about a lawsuit - this is about freedom."
Williams's legal team is challenging the results of her previous medical evaluations, which she claims were manipulated. "Wendy is convinced the results were manipulated to make her look worse than she is," Hollywood columnist Rob Shuter wrote on Substack. "She thinks it's part of a setup to keep her under lock and key."
In a pair of recent interviews-the first since her 2023 dementia diagnosis-Williams herself pushed back on the narrative of cognitive decline, insisting she remains mentally sound. "I am not cognitively impaired," Williams said on The Breakfast Club, where she appeared via phone alongside her niece, journalist Alex Finnie. "I feel like I am in a prison."
Williams described life in a New York facility where she said she is kept isolated, unable to access her personal phone or computer, and even restricted from using the elevator without permission. Finnie told the program, "Instead of this guardian, Sabrina, working with her, it seems like she's made it difficult for my aunt to live any sort of healthy, independent life."
The former daytime host accused her court-appointed guardian, attorney Sabrina E. Morrissey, of overreach, claiming Morrissey gave away her cats and may block her from traveling to Miami for her father's 94th birthday. "My life is my life is my goddamn life," Williams said, adding that she fears retaliation for speaking publicly.
In a separate interview on Don Lemon's podcast, Williams reiterated that she feels "isolated" in what she described as a "prison"-like environment. "My life is screwed up," she said. "I feel like they're trying to control me and everything that I do."
Morrissey's attorney, Roberta Kaplan, disputed Williams's claims, telling The New York Times that the former talk show host "has both good days and bad days" but suffers from "a degenerative brain disease that has no cure." Kaplan said a state court found Williams unable to make legal or financial decisions, adding, "Unfortunately, because of her diagnosis, Wendy's condition will only get worse with time and she will require care for the rest of her life."
