Multiple producers of Lifetime’s ‘Where Is Wendy Williams?’ documentary are actually talking out amid criticism of the undertaking. As The Shade Room beforehand reported, the two-part collection aired on Saturday, February 24.
It showcased intimate particulars of Wendy Williams’ life, together with her declining well being, alcohol dependancy, and guardianship.
RELATED: What’s Really Going On!? Here’s What We Learned From Wendy Williams’ Documentary
Here’s What The Producers Of ‘Where Is Wendy Williams?’ Revealed
‘Where Is Wendy Williams?’ producer Mark Ford sat down for an unique interview with The Hollywood Reporter, which was printed on Tuesday, February 27.
Earlier on within the article, it’s famous that “at a certain point,” producers had been allegedly “more worried about what would happen” in the event that they “stopped filming” than in the event that they continued.
The interview additionally options the views of fellow producers Erica Hanson and Brie Miranda Bryant. Both seem to verify that there have been moments they felt it “neither appropriate nor safe to keep filming.” However, they hoped the movie would serve a “larger purpose.”
“It was supposed to be a documentary that would follow her journey back into her career doing a podcast,” Ford reportedly defined. “We thought it was a great idea, and we were hopeful that Wendy’s story would be redeeming and we’d be able to document this journey. But as we filmed, it became evident that this wasn’t really going to be a career comeback story, that this was going to be a deeper story, and that there was something ultimately disturbing going on in Wendy’s life.”
According to Ford, producers had been assured that Williams’ battle with alcohol dependancy would “in no way inhibit” their filming plans. However, one other analysis that Williams would obtain would current one other impediment.
“…There were conversations and plans for the podcast, and there were people being put in place to produce that podcast, and that was a storyline that we were following,” he continued. “But it was derailed because of what we now know was the state of Wendy’s dementia.”
The Group Appear To Share The Same Concern As Fans & Viewers
From there, a collection of “erratic” interviews Williams reportedly took half in forward of the documentary’s filming in August 2022 was talked about. The group was requested to share how, in mild of these appearances, they decided that Williams “could be ready for a comeback.”
“It was tough every single day, and there were conversations that we had, all of us, throughout the documentary. And there was no guarantee we would air this documentary if we weren’t happy with the content that we ultimately got and the editorial direction that we landed upon, which was the family’s point of view and illustrating what can happen when one of your family members is put into a guardianship outside of your control,” Ford defined. “We just happened to be there every day seeing the reality of this situation, and we just put the camera on it and captured it. There was no intention.”
Ford defined that the documentary group remained “transparent” about their “producers’ confusion.”
“We’re asking all of these questions that everyone has all the way through. We don’t know this manager. It’s a new manager. We don’t know this publicist. It’s a new publicist. The guardian won’t speak to us. And so we’re constantly just trying to push forward and get the information as filmmakers,” he continued. “Like, what is actually going on here? And by the way, Wendy loved it when the cameras came to the door, it gave her a reason to get up in the morning. I think you see that.”
As talked about earlier, Ford defined that the group was involved about what would occur to Williams in the event that they stopped filming. Additionally, in mild of Williams’ latest analysis of dementia and aphasia, Ford and his group felt they’d an obligation to share a “universal” story.
“…That discovery came much later in the process, how universal this story is and how many thousands of families in America are going through this exact same thing, except they’re not related to Wendy Williams, who has this massive platform,” Ford shared. “So, of course, we’re human beings. There were incredibly bad days, and there’s a lot of footage we shot that no one will ever see. But we felt like it was important to illustrate the difficult process that Wendy and her family were going through, and frankly, what can happen to someone if they’re under the care of a guardian.”
The Producers Spoke On Wendy Williams’ Guardian & The TV Host’s Current Location
Hanson defined that Williams’ guardian, Sabrina Morrissey, wouldn’t usually take the documentary groups’ calls. Additionally, at any time when they did, the exchanges had been disagreeable or a “terse hang-up.”
Most of their communication with Williams’ guardian reportedly ran by the 59-year-old’s supervisor, Will Selby. However, the group maintains that the guardian was made conscious of each step taken in and for the documentary.
Additionally, the group defined that Williams is an government producer of the undertaking. However, this settlement was a “precedent” set “with all of her projects at Lifetime.”
To date, Wendy Williams — who’s reportedly at an undisclosed facility — has but to view the four-hour documentary for herself.
“We simply have had no way to get it to her to see it. No way to screen it with her, because she’s locked down in a facility and we haven’t been able to speak to her since we wrapped filming,” Ford defined. “The last day that you see us filming with her is the last time we spoke to Wendy. But we had many conversations behind the scenes with Wendy and Will about what they wanted to film, and what they wouldn’t want to capture.”
Before concluding, Ford maintained that the filming crew’s expertise was “unsettling,” with Williams allegedly usually being “left alone without food” and in an residence the place she might by accident injure herself.
“There was no one there 24/7. So, these are just all the questions we had throughout,” Ford stated. “But, of course, if we had known that Wendy had dementia going into it, no one would’ve rolled a camera.”
RELATED: DJ Boof Reflects On Finding Wendy Williams “Unresponsive” And Shares What He Thinks She “Needs” Right Now (WATCH)