Wendy Williams slammed her pricey New York City assisted living residence as a “dump” during a rare phone interview, as her court-ordered guardianship and health issues continue to stir controversy.
Coterie Hudson Yards is described as lavish, with marble floors, fresh lilies, a crystal chandelier, 24/7 nursing care, a private theater, spa and salon. Her 360-square-foot studio suite comes with a steep monthly cost.
The 60-year-old former daytime TV host currently lives on the memory care floor of the luxury facility, which charges $25,800 per month.
Despite the upscale amenities, Williams said she’s miserable. “Did you see the people? The elderly people? Why do I want to look at that? This is a f—-d-up situation,” she told The Cut. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve asked that I be moved from this floor.”
Williams’ estate also covers her guardian Sabrina Morrissey’s fees, a $10,000 monthly retainer for her personal attorney and other legal expenses. In 2024, lawyers flagged concerns about her financial situation.
Morrissey sold Williams’ 2,400-square-foot condo at a loss and rehomed her two cats.
Placed under guardianship in 2022, Williams has limited freedom. The memory care floor is locked, and she needs approval from both the facility and her guardian to leave. She has no cell phone access and can only make outgoing calls from a landline.
In February 2024, Williams’ team announced she had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia and progressive aphasia. Still, Williams denies having dementia.
Her ex-husband, Kevin Hunter, filed a $250 million lawsuit in June to terminate the guardianship, calling it “fraudulent bondage.” He also accused the judge in the case of being “crooked.”
A judge dismissed the lawsuit on October 9, but Hunter can refile. Williams and Hunter divorced in 2019 after she discovered he had fathered a child with another woman during their 21-year marriage.
Hunter had been receiving $37,500 monthly in alimony before the guardianship halted payments.
Williams’ attorney Joe Tacopina has been outspoken about the case. “She’s the same Wendy Williams that you know from TV. She’s a person who’s in control of her faculties and is a great human being,” he told TMZ in July.
Tacopina said the guardianship is “scary” and “it’s hard to get out.” He confirmed plans to sue those involved, calling the arrangement “basically, incarceration.”
He added, “This whole thing is about money, money, money, money,” and called the legal process “despicably slow.”
Despite her restricted living situation, Williams has made public appearances. She attended New York Fashion Week in September.
A new medical evaluation is expected in the coming weeks. The judge could maintain the guardianship, reduce restrictions, replace Morrissey or end the arrangement.
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