The process that Wendy Williams‘ Guardian filed suit against A&E before the premiere of ‘Where Is Wendy Williams?’ was supposedly opened.
RELATED: Wendy Williams Conservative Files Lawsuit Against A&E Ahead of Release of Her Lifetime Documentary
Here’s what the unsealed process reveals
As The Shadow Room previously reported, Williams’ guardian, Sabrina Morrisseyfiled the lawsuit on February 22nd. Furthermore, the date was two days before the premiere of the documentary.
At the time, the contents of the action were sealed. Furthermore, it was just revealed that Morrissey was taking legal action against Lifetime and its parent company, A+E Networks.
According to The Hollywood ReporterMorrissey’s lawsuit against the companies was filed on Thursday, March 14. The guardian alleges that Williams “did not have the legal or mental capacity to authorize his participation” in the documentary when his contract was signed.
Furthermore, Morrissey claims that “it is still unknown who created the company that signed a contract with the network”. It is worth noting that the company that signed the contract was listed as “The Wendy Experience”.
“The contract appears to have been signed on January 25, 2023, by the ‘CEO’ of The Wendy Experience, Inc,” the lawsuit states. “The name on the signature is not clearly legible; however, it is highly distinguishable from the WWH signature.”
Wendy Williams’ Guardian Talks Former Star Manager, Shares Reaction to Documentary
According to Morrissey, Williams’ former manager Will Selby claimed he would “have ultimate creative control” over the final version of the documentary. Furthermore, Selby claimed that Morrissey Williams would be portrayed in a positive light.
“Like a phoenix rising from the ashes,” he was quoted as saying.
Morrissey claimed that based on these intentions she allowed the creation of the documentary. Furthermore, she believed that “nothing would be released without her and the court’s approval.”
However, the documentary’s trailer was reportedly released without Morrissey’s approval. According to the suit, Selby told Morrissey “he did not review or approve the trailer or the documentary prior to the trailer’s release.”
“This blatant exploitation of a vulnerable woman with a serious medical condition, loved by millions of people within and outside the African-American community, is disgusting and cannot be allowed,” Morrissey’s lawsuit says. “…The Guardian was horrified by the release of the trailer and its contents, which falsely portray WWH’s behavior and demeanor as being the result of intoxication rather than his medical condition, which was diagnosed by doctors at Weill Cornell.”
According to The Hollywood Reporter, a temporary restraining order was granted after Morrissey filed his lawsuit. However, it was eventually reversed by a higher court, allowing the documentary to be broadcast.
The outlet reports that appellate judge Peter H. Moulton reversed the decision due to the First Amendment of the Constitution.
“(Preventing the company from broadcasting the documentary would be an) impermissible prior restraint on speech that violates the First Amendment of the Constitution.”
Here’s What Happened After ‘Where Is Wendy Williams’ Was Released
As The Shadow Room previously reported, the release of Lifetime’s Wendy Williams documentary has sparked widespread reactions. The documentary arrived amid the revelation that Williams was recently diagnosed with aphasia and dementia.
RELATED: Prayers up! Wendy Williams has been diagnosed with two additional medical conditions
Initially, Steve Wilkos went viral for his reaction to the documentary, while Lifetime producers also spoke against criticism of the series. Additionally, Wendy Williams’ publicist, who also appeared in the documentary, went viral after claiming he was unaware of Williams’ struggle with alcohol addiction.
The four-parter even generated a response from Williams’ ex-husband, Kevin Hunter.
RELATED: Wendy Williams’ Ex-Husband Reportedly Asks to Get Two Years of Back Divorce Payments From Her