For years, Wendy Williams reigned as the queen of daytime talk, serving up celebrity gossip with sharp wit and an unfiltered eye. But behind the scenes, her own life was veering into territory she never imagined a court-ordered guardianship that has put her finances and personal freedom under tight lockdown. Now, she is opening up about her experience and plans to reclaim her independence.
Williams' conservatorship was implemented after Wells Fargo froze her bank account due to suspicious activity associated with her son. What started as a move to protect her assets quickly became even more restrictive than she ever envisioned.
"It was about my money and making sure my money was protected," Williams said in an earnest interview on The View. "But at this time in my life, I want guardianship ended and move on with my life, if that's ever possible."
Initially, Williams did not oppose the arrangement, thinking it would offer temporary financial oversight. But over time, she was losing more than control over her money; she was losing control over her life.
"I did not know that this person was going to take my whole entire life," she said.
Under the guardianship, Williams was taken from her New York home and put in a memory unit at a Connecticut facility. Stripped of her phone and separated from personal contact with her loved ones, the experience felt isolating and dehumanizing, she said.
"It was awful," she remembered. "Just grass and trees and a memory unit. They took my phone, so I can't call my family. I have to call them, they can't call me.
After a year, she was sent back to New York, but she said nothing much changed.
"It's the same thing," Williams lamented, the frustration of the prolonged control over her life evident. "I don't want a guardian. I want to get out of this. It's more than three years now, and it's high time my money and my life return to status quo."
Williams' drive for freedom doesn't come without obstacles. The judge overseeing her case, Lisa Sokoloff, has voiced doubts about whether she can handle independence. In an email to Williams' attorney, the judge proposed even stricter limitations if the talk show host continued to talk publicly about her situation.
"I have always maintained that Wendy will receive as much independence as she can handle," Sokoloff wrote, implying that Williams cannot handle her affairs. She also cautioned that continuing the public discussion of the case could have repercussions.
"Tell your client that if she wants a jury, she should not try to poison the jury pool," the judge suggested.
Despite legal roadblocks, Williams is clear about what she wants: her freedom, money, and life back.
"First of all, I'm not moving to New York," she said, putting any speculation she might relocate to rest. And what about her current guardian, Sabrina Morrisey? Williams isn't mincing words.
"The bottom line is I don't want Sabrina, end of story. But I don't want guardians either."
The battle isn't over yet. As Williams struggles to regain her autonomy, her case shines a light on the complex and often controversial world of legal guardianships. Whether she'll break free is to be seen, Wendy Williams isn't done telling her story, and she isn't going down without a fight.
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