During her radio and on-air tenure, Wendy Williams was the undisputed queen of dishing out trending celebrity news and hot topics. Coined as “Feuding Wendy,” her playful, dramatic interview style, which fueled on-air celebrity reactions, was an art form.
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Whether she was blasting rumored affairs or calling someone everything but a child of God, Williams’ interviews always made for a cultural moment. Let’s take a look back at some of her most controversial celebrity interviews over the years.
Judge Mathis
During the 2003 radio interview on “The Wendy Williams Experience,” Judge Greg Mathis appeared as a guest to promote his book. The conversation devolved into a messy exchange when Williams confronted him with infidelity accusations after an alleged mistress attempting to sell her story to the tabloids.
Things got heated between the two as Mathis questioned her credibility. It got so deep that he even accused her of being under the influence of cocaine. What a mess!
Omarosa Manigault Newman
Speaking of a challenging interview, who can forget the television interview with reality star Omarosa? The former Trump aide appeared as a guest in 2008 to promote her book, but their bitter feud played out on national television.
Omarosa Manigault Newman, Part 2
Omarosa questioned Williams’ credibility as a talk show host, while the latter never hesitated to fire back at Omarosa’s personality. Their feuding relationship will always be messy but enjoyable.
Whitney Houston
The Whitney Houston interview was one of Williams’ most intense and confrontational moments, quickly becoming an iconic radio interview. During her radio days, Williams frequently discussed the former “Waiting To Exhale” star’s struggles on her show, including rumors of drug use and her marriage to then-husband, Bobby Brown.
During this intense interview, Williams asked her about her alleged drug use, and all hell broke loose over the airwaves. It was a lot of cursing and name-calling, reflecting Houston’s frustration with constant media scrutiny.
Lil’ Kim
Beyond highlighting her “different” physical appearance, Lil’ Kim faced criticism from Williams, who expressed her concerns about Lil’ Kim’s provocative image. During the conversation, Williams suggested how the hip-hop industry’s promotion of hyper-sexualized female rappers could negatively influence young girls. The Brooklyn rapper defended herself, emphasizing that her image was truthful and empowering; and not merely for attention.
Mariah Carey
Noted as one of the legendary voices in musical history, that didn’t stop Mariah Carey from going toe-to-toe with Williams. In her 2003 interview, the radio icon repeatedly accused Carey of having breast implants and a nose job. “You look like the type who got implants,” Carey slammed Williams, responding, “You look like Pamela Lee’s cousin.” Yikes!
Destiny’s Child
Destiny’s Child had an unforgettable experience with Wendy Williams. Following the group’s lineup change, Williams challenged the group members’ dynamics, including questioning the removal of former member, Farrah, and the group’s alleged romantic relationships with members of the R&B group Jagged Edge.
Foxy Brown
Who else could forget the exchange between Foxy Brown and Wendy Williams? During her live interview, Williams wasted no time pressing the Brooklyn rapper about her relationship with Spragga Benz, which the “Candy” rapper kept brief. Williams even mentioned Brown’s rumored romantic and sexual relationship with Jay-Z, making the moment a little awkward.
Tameka Foster
Williams invited Usher’s now ex-wife, Tameka Foster, to discuss her career as a celebrity stylist. However, the interview took an odd turn when Williams began to ask questions about Foster’s then-husband, specifically exploring the relationship the singer shared with his mother. Foster wasn’t prepared for these interview questions and refused to indulge in the conversation, ultimately leading Williams to kick Foster out of the studio.
Keke Palmer
Keke Palmer’s appearance on “The Wendy Williams Show” led to a highly controversial exchange, particularly regarding Palmer’s incident involving Trey Songz. During the interview, the famed child actress expressed her disappointment, telling Williams, “I would have loved to turn on your show and saw you be a little bit more compassionate and less accusatory and ridiculous.” The actress set Williams straight about her discussing her situation on air.
Sean “Diddy” Combs
When it comes to facing the wrath of Sean “Diddy” Combs, no one is exempt, including Williams. During her time at Hot 97, Williams alleged Diddy was gay in 1998. And what did Diddy’s have to say? He allegedly orchestrated some moves behind the scenes and had her removed from the air for spreading false rumors about him. Williams even accused Combs of sending his former female group, Total, to attack the famed host.
Since their fallout, Williams invited the Bad Boy legend on her daytime talk show, and the two celebrities were able to reconcile.
Tupac Shakur
Do you remember Tupac having issues with Williams? Well, Williams alleged that the late rapper was sexually assaulted while in jail. The California rapper didn’t take this rumor too lightly, so he fired off shots at Williams on a diss track, “Why u Turn On Me.” The lyrics are too vulgar to repeat, but let’s say he had a few choice words about her weight and encouraged her to join Jenny Craig.
Method Man
In 2006, while on her show, Williams revealed that Method Man’s wife had cancer. Even for Williams, this was a new low for her. As expected, the Wu-Tang Clan member was outraged by the news disclosure and posted a video calling out Williams for crossing the line.
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