Is Wendy Williams Okay? What We Know About Startling Claims Of Her Recent Hospitalization And Why She Suspended Her Talk Show
Get well soon, Wendy Williams!
Getty Images Wendy Williams is a provocateur. She has made a career off of making headlines for her no-holds-barred celebrity interviews. Now, however, the headlines she's making are those of her own.
Recently, it was revealed that she'd been hospitalized for what appears to be symptoms of Graves Disease, and that production of her "at-home" version of her popular eponymous talk show had been suspended indefinitely.
However, a new rumor suggests that Williams has been hospitalized for a far more tragic reason: because she's suicidal. Is there any truth to that rumor? And more importantly:
Is Wendy Williams okay?
Let's take a look at what we know so we can separate rumors from facts.
The official story is that Wendy Williams was hospitalized for symptoms of Graves Disease.
Two weeks ago, Williams announced that her Wendy @ Home show — the "remote" version of her eponymous talk show — would suspend production indefinitely. According to a statement issued by Williams' publicist, this suspension is due to her suffering from fatigue for Graves Disease. Her fatigue was so great, in fact, that it required hospitalization. However, she's been active on her social media accounts, including Twitter, as evidenced by posts like the one below.
What is Graves Disease?
Graves Disease — which Williams was diagnosed with in 2018 — is considered an "autoimmune" disorder. It triggers an endocrine response that leads to one's thyroid being over-active. Symptoms of an over-active thyroid (also known as hyperthyroidism) include irregular heartbeats, trouble sleeping, and excessive weight loss. If left untreated, Graves Disease can be fatal.
What's the rumor about William's alleged hospitalization?
According to the latest, unconfirmed rumors, Williams has been hospitalized for "refusing to eat." What's more, these new rumors claim that she checked into the hospital "under a fake name," and that her head was shaved because she was undergoing neurological testing. But worst of all, these rumors suggested that Williams was suicidal, and she was being kept under observation for that reason.
What's Tasha K's role in this latest rumor about Wendy Williams?
On an episode of her YouTube show, Unwine With Tasha K, which you can see above, the entertainment blogger Tasha K reported that things with Williams are "serious," and she went into extensive detail about what that "seriousness" meant. Tasha K was the first one to disclose that Williams' now-ex-husband, Kevin Hunter, cheated on her and had an outside child on her — and that's why her report is being taken more seriously than others'. However, it bears repeating that none of this has been confirmed by anyone in the Williams camp, nor has it been confirmed by the hospital where Williams is allegedly staying.
Is it possible that Williams merely relapsed?
Because we have no official confirmation from sources close to Williams, we have to take into account other alternative possibilities. One reasonable possibility is that Williams was hospitalized for having a relapse. In 2019, Williams was hospitalized for a brief stint after she "fell off the wagon" and began drinking alcohol again. This happened shortly after her ex-husband's mistress gave birth to their outside child. Due to the nature of substance abuse, and addiction, it's possible that Williams relapsed again. However, we cannot be 100% certain.
What's the verdict on what's happening with Williams?
As of right now, because we don't know the details about what really happened to Wendy Williams, we should stick with the official story — that she was hospitalized for Graves Disease — and we, of course, will keep you updated with any developments as they emerge. Regardless of the situation, we hope Wendy Williams gets well soon!
Bernadette Giacomazzo is an editor, writer, publicist, and photographer whose work has appeared in Teen Vogue, People, Us Weekly, The Source, XXL, HipHopDX, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Post, BET.com, and more.