Fans of Wendy Williams have been treated to a return of sorts in recent weeks. The daytime heavyweight made an appearance at this year’s Met Gala and has been opening up about her time away from the spotlight and the things she’s been going through. In a new interview with Fat Joe, she discussed a number of topics, from her finances to her health and how her ongoing fight with Lymphedema has been taking its toll on her.
During the sitdown with Fat Joe, the friends laughed and joked about old times while catching up. Wendy let Joe know that she is currently in good spirits and eager to get back on screens despite ongoing health issues. Wendy has graves disease, which she’s been battling for some time now. Coupled with Covid-19, Wendy missed the season premiere of her show last fall and has never returned. Sherri Shepherd held down hosting duties for much of the season alongside Leah Remini, Michelle Visage, Terrance J, and even Fat Joe. Now Shepherd has been named a permanent new host, with her official version of the show debuting this fall.
In addition to graves disease, Wendy Williams also deals with Lymphedema. According to cancer.gov, “Lymphedema is the build-up of fluid in soft body tissues when the lymph system is damaged or blocked.” This can lead to swelling in the arms, legs, and feet. It can also lead to tightness in the skin, loss of feeling, and trouble sleeping.
For Wendy Williams, it has resulted in her losing a large portion of sensation in her feet. As a result, the daytime host stopped wearing heels on her show and was often seen running to her famous purple chair in sneakers or slippers. She revealed in her documentary with Lifetime that she also has to do daily treatments on her feet to help alleviate the swelling and pain.
While talking to Fat Joe, Wendy Williams told the “Lean Back” emcee that she only retains about 5% of the feeling in her feet and, for a while, needed to use a wheelchair.
“You can’t feel anything when I touch my feet. I was doing a wheelchair with it at first because I said ‘How am I going to walk aaround like this,” she told Joe. She showed Joe her feet on camera and said she would show him in person as well the long last effects it has had on her.
Last year, Wendy Williamsshared a photo online to show followers just how bad it can be during a flare-up. In the image, which showed off her feet and ankles, Wendy said, “My Dr. Laure is the French lady who’s helping me live with Lymphedema. She scrubs & understands my disease is not curable, only manageable. Oh yes, I’m wearing a sequin dress why not?! #lymphedema.” The post also shared a flyer for her participation in the lymphedema walk and a link for fans to donate.
Fans flooded her comments with support, saying”💕 You are totally an amazing 😻 strong woman. I cannot imagine how you carry on from Day to Day. God Bless and keep you always, Wendy; you remain in my prayers.” Another shared, “Prayers for Wendy! Big hug to my all-time favorite talk show hostess!!!” Another fan was not too keen on Wendy Williams and some of the stuff she said on TV – reminding the TV host that she has mocked people who are no longer alive and she does not deserve sympathy.
Photos of her swollen feet first surfaced in 2019. She took to her show to address it after paparazzi alarmed fans. “It’s not going to kill me, but I do have a machine, and how dare you talk about the swelling of it all.”
Wendy has fought hard over the years to compact her illnesses until recently. It’s safe to say the dissolution of her marriage possibly made things harder for her. Williams’s battle with Lymphedema was coupled with a very public cheating scandal that resulted in her ex-husband Kevin fathering a child outside of their marriage and Wendy going back to rehab.
After this extended amount of time away, many feel she is ready to return to the small screen, while some feel like her recent interviews paints the picture of someone who still needs some time off. “What the hell is happening!?? Wendy. Maybe she needs to stay out a little longer.”
