DJ Boof of the Wendy Williams Show says Williams’ staff had no idea the extent of the illness the talk show host had been suffering from, amid multiple reports that she is dealing with dementia.
DJ Boof, 39, said TMZ live Monday that it has been upsetting to witness Williams’ continued struggles with his health and that he believes his family members will be instrumental in moving his care forward.
DJ Boof was asked how long it had been evident that Williams was in the middle of a health battle; and whether there was a conflict between the people running the program and Williams’ family, in terms of what the best course of action was for Williams.
“I don’t think anyone knew exactly how serious it was,” DJ Boof said. “I felt like people knew something was wrong with him, but they didn’t really know. I knew it because I’ve been in that situation; It’s sad that something like this happens to him; need help.’
DJ Boof said he spoke with Williams just a month ago and felt that the people running Williams’ conservatorship “were not allowing [her family] know exactly what is happening.
DJ Boof, 39, of the Wendy Williams Show, says Williams’ staff had no idea the extent of the illness the talk show host had been suffering from, amid multiple reports that she is dealing with dementia. Photographed in Los Angeles in 2018.
DJ Boof said Monday that it has been upsetting to witness Williams’ ongoing health issues and that he believes his family members will be instrumental in his care moving forward.
“I don’t think it’s her not keeping them informed,” he said of Williams. ‘If you asked me, I think she needs to be close to her family… I think, if you asked me, I think Florida would be a better place for her, because that’s where her family is and she needs that 24-hour care. ‘
DJ Boof said watching Williams’ health decline has been difficult after working with her for a dozen years.
“I’ve seen it all and we had a relationship outside of the show that most people don’t have,” he said.
DJ Boof said he last saw Williams in Miami and that she seemed to be thriving at the time.
“I’ve seen her, she was 100 percent great, she was recovering… and she seemed to be doing very well,” he said.
Her health problems were the focus of a Lifetime documentary titled Where’s Wendy Williams?, which focused on how Williams’ alcohol consumption influenced her deteriorating health.
Different groups have released new details about Williams’ deteriorating health, as Williams’ caregiver issued a statement Thursday saying doctors diagnosed the TV personality with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia.
The health issues “have already presented significant obstacles in Wendy’s life” and have behavioral and cognitive impacts, according to the statement.
Williams’ health problems were the focus of a Lifetime documentary titled Where’s Wendy Williams?
DJ Boof said watching Williams’ health decline has been difficult after working with her for a dozen years.
“Wendy is still capable of doing many things for herself,” the statement attributed to her care team read. ‘The most important thing is that she maintains her characteristic sense of humor and she receives the attention she needs to make sure she is protected and that her needs are met.
“She appreciates the many kind thoughts and well wishes sent her way.”
The statement regarding Williams’ health was published in PR Newswire. A representative listed in the statement, Jennifer Hanley, referred questions to the statement when contacted by The Associated Press.
The announcement came a day after a cover story appeared in People The magazine quoted Williams’ family about the nature of his struggles, ahead of a Lifetime documentary set to air Saturday.
“The people who love her can’t see her,” the magazine quoted Williams’ sister Wanda as saying. ‘I think the big (question) is: How the hell did we get here?’ The family said a court-appointed legal guardian was the only person with unrestricted access to Williams.
The article said that the Lifetime documentary crew, which set out in 2022 to chronicle Williams’ comeback, stopped filming in April 2023 when, according to what his manager ‘and jeweler’ Will Selby says in footage from the film, he entered a center to treat ‘cognitive problems’. .’
His son says in the documentary that doctors had linked his cognitive problems to alcohol consumption, People reported. Williams’ family told People that they don’t know where she is and can’t call her themselves, but she can call them.
The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration describes FTD as a group of brain disorders caused by degeneration of the frontal and/or temporal lobes of the brain that affects behavior, language, and movement.
Williams’ caregiver released a statement Thursday saying doctors diagnosed Williams with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia. Photographed in 2018 in Atlanta.
The health issues “have already presented significant obstacles in Wendy’s life” and have behavioral and cognitive impacts, according to the statement.
Aphasia, a brain disorder that can cause problems speaking or understanding words, may be a symptom of this. The association describes frontotemporal degeneration as “an inevitable decline in functioning,” with an average life expectancy of seven to 13 years after the onset of symptoms.
FTD usually occurs in people in their 40s, 50s, and 60s. It can affect a person’s personality, causing a loss of inhibition or inappropriate behavior. It is sometimes confused with depression or bipolar disorder and can take years to diagnose.
There are no treatments to slow or stop the disease, but some interventions can help control symptoms.
The association participated in the disclosure of the diagnosis of actor Bruce Willis in February 2023, presenting a statement published by the actor’s family.
“We thank Wendy Williams for having the courage to make her diagnosis public and raise awareness about the disease,” the association’s executive director, Susan Dickinson, said in a statement. ‘We know a diagnosis like this can be heartbreaking, but she is not alone. While there may not be a cure, every day we work to improve care and research into treatments for this disease.’
Thursday’s statement credited Weill Cornell Medicine in New York for the care and expertise Williams received. Weill Cornell declined to comment.
Williams rose to fame in part because of her no-holds-barred approach to her life, which included sharing personal details about her health, plastic surgery and cocaine addiction, the subject of her 2003 memoir, Wendy’s Got the Heat.
A hallmark of The Wendy Williams Show, which competed for viewers with Ellen DeGeneres’ show, was its signature catchphrase, ‘How are you?’
Williams rose to fame in part because of her no-holds-barred approach to her life, which included sharing personal details about her health, plastic surgery and cocaine addiction. Photographed last year in New York.
She transitioned to television after a successful career as a radio host, known for her gossip and criticism of celebrities, including a controversial 2003 interview with Whitney Houston.
In 2022, Williams’ eponymous daytime talk show ended due to his ongoing health issues. Sherri Shepherd, who replaced Williams as guest host, received her own show from her.
Williams said in 2018 that years earlier she had been diagnosed with Graves’ disease, which leads to the overproduction of thyroid hormones and can cause a wide range of symptoms and affect overall health.