- After watching Lifetime's painful documentary, I had to speak out.
- It wasn't the Wendy Williams I worked with for 12 years and grew to love.
- I hope viewers and fans can extend Wendy grace and strength.
"Wendy! Wendy! Wendy!" I can still hear the famous chant that vibrated the studio ringing in my ears nearly three years after leaving "The Wendy Williams Show" set in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City.
It was an honor to work at "Wendy" for 12 years, starting my tenure as a production assistant and leaving as an Emmy-nominated senior producer.
I met Wendy Williams for the first time in September 2009 on set at her old studio on West 53rd Street. I'll never forget it. I had just been hired at 24 years old, and a fellow producer introduced me to Wendy after the show one day.
She was sitting in her infamous purple chair, rocking a fabulous curly blonde wig. I shook Wendy's hand and told her I was a big fan since I grew up listening to her hit radio show on Hot 97. I also couldn't help mentioning that I enjoyed reading her bestselling autobiography, "Wendy's Got The Heat."
She smiled and said, "Thank you. I love your lisp, and your wig is fabulous." When I told her I was not wearing a wig, she asked if she could "root me." (For those who don't know, that means checking your scalp for fake hair.) We laughed, and from that moment, I knew we would get along great.
I love Wendy and loved my experience working on her eponymous talk show, so watching Lifetime's recent documentary, "Where Is Wendy Williams?" crushed my spirit. I cried profusely.
The Wendy I know loves to have fun and takes power naps in the middle of the day so she can "dip it and do it," as she famously told Wendy Watchers. The Wendy I know, would never want to be seen without wearing a wig and wouldn't want the camera zooming in on her feet as she deals with her painful lymphedema diagnosis.
It breaks my heart that the world is seeing Wendy this way. It's why I'm speaking out to correct the narrative about the queen of all media.
The Wendy Williams I worked with was supportive, sharp, and prioritized fun
I remember being backstage, watching TV monitors that allowed us to watch the show in real time, looking at Wendy in admiration. She made me and her viewers feel like she was a "friend in their heads" as she delivered her daily "Hot Topics" segment for a live studio audience.
As a senior producer, my job was to brief Wendy on my segment of the day. I was responsible for producing high-impact segments like "Ask Wendy," where audience members would ask her their gasp-inducing personal questions to get her spot-on, hilarious advice. I also produced "Wendy What's Good?," "Trendy@Wendy," "Eye Candy," and more.
Briefing Wendy was always an eventful experience, and I looked forward to speaking with her inside her "jewel box " — that's what she called her office. It was bright with fancy chandeliers and leopard print everywhere. I loved walking into her office while she was getting glammed up and hearing her shout, "How you doin' Jazz?!" Wendy would shower me with compliments like, "I love your hair," "Let me see your nails," "I love your shoes." It proved that she's a "girl's girl" and, more importantly, an empowering leader.
Working at the "Wendy Show" for over a decade allowed me to be promoted from production assistant to associate producer and, finally, senior producer. As an Afro-Latina woman from The Bronx, raised by hardworking immigrant parents from Honduras, it was a big accomplishment for me. I never took my career progression lightly and strived to go above and beyond for every segment I produced.
To be transparent, there were moments when I felt overlooked by the leadership team, but I never allowed it to affect my work. And regardless, it felt like Wendy saw me. I felt she loved my ideas and creativity.
Wendy allowed me to shine and challenged my producing skills. As a result, I was the only producer invited to Wendy's 10-city tour to produce "Ask Wendy." She also featured me as a guest to discuss my visit to the Trap Music Museum, a physical curation of hip-hop music in Atlanta.
It's been three years since I last saw Wendy. In 2021, I decided to leave the "Wendy Show" after working for the company for 12 seasons. When Wendy found out, she called me at 9:50 a.m., 10 minutes before walking through the studio's double doors. I was met with support.
She said, "Jazz, I'm happy for you. Your next job is lucky to have you. Go kill it and be great!"
That's the last time I heard her voice — until the documentary aired.
As I watched last weekend, I prayed for Wendy's strength and hoped other viewers and faithful Wendy Watchers would extend her grace.
If I could speak to Wendy today, I'd say, "Wendy, you left your mark on this world. There's no rush to get back on TV. YOU. DID. THAT. Thank you for instilling great qualities in me. Never stop saying it like you mean it. I love you always and forever!"
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