I’ve always believed that a piece of media can possess exploitative components while also helping spread awareness. The Wendy Williams documentary “Where is Wendy Williams” does not exude any of those qualities.

As I watched the docuseries, I became concerned and felt guilty for watching a documentary that is not shy of its exploitative nature. I am a fan of Wendy Williams and decided to look into this documentary to see how it all came about.

The television network Lifetime released a two-part docuseries about former radio host and TV personality Wendy Williams titled “Where is Wendy Williams?” The documentary follows Williams and her efforts to return to her talk show “The Wendy Williams Show,” which was abruptly canceled in 2022. However, the documentary was far darker than any viewer expected because what they documented was the deterioration of a once vibrant human.

Despite the documentary series being marketed as a “deep dive into adult guardianship,” you find that it is full of exploitative elements. One instance that stood out to me was when Williams was filmed without her wig, displaying signs of memory loss while having an emotional conversation with her “friend” Blac Chyna. Scenes like this make you wonder, what’s the real motive behind filming this series?

Timothy Conley, a Communications professor at Santa Monica College (SMC), said, “From what I saw in the trailer and from what I heard, I’m not sure that this documentary is speaking to something that is portraying Williams in a positive light.”

The documentary shed light on multiple aspects of William’s day-to-day life, specifically her sobriety, guardianship, and memory loss. The two-part series also featured several gut-wrenching and unsettling scenes in which Williams appeared to be highly intoxicated while being surrounded by people who seemed to be taking advantage of her financially.

Before Lifetime had a chance to air the series, it was revealed Williams had been diagnosed with aphasia and frontotemporal dementia.

Frontotemporal dementia is considered a rare form of dementia that normally affects younger people. There are three forms of the condition, and Williams was diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia, which slowly damages the parts of the brain that control speech and language. Those suffering from the condition can exude brash behaviors and lack of understanding, which Williams displayed in the documentary series.

It has been reported that this docuseries was produced by Williams and her family and advertised as an inside look at Williams's life after she was put under temporary guardianship in 2022. However, viewers took to X, formerly known as Twitter, denouncing the docuseries and its form of exploitation. It didn’t take long for viewers to notice that Williams wasn’t in the right state of mind to consent to a documentary.

On the other hand, some thought the series was a good way to show the corrupt side of the guardianship system while shedding light on dementia. Roxanne Captor, a Theatre Arts professor at SMC, said, “If people are saying it’s exploitative, it probably is.” When asked if a documentary like this could be helpful, Captor said, “There have been many great movies about Alzheimer's that do help people with Alzheimer's and their family members to heal. That’s what people who deal with this should look for because that’s what’s helpful.”

On a YouTube channel called “Soft White Underbelly,” Mark Laita hosts discussions with guests about traumatic experiences, addiction, and unconventional lifestyles. The channel is described as “interviews and portraits of the human condition.” The platform has garnered over one billion views, which has evoked controversial feelings over its content.

There have been numerous debates on the overall ethics of the YouTube channel despite those being interviewed not being sober. This raised questions of whether they are in a suitable mental state to consent to a proper interview viewed by thousands.

Soft White Underbelly has been called out for being manipulative, which is something that Laita has not denied, stating on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, “I understand there’s an exploitative element to it, but let's just say I never did these videos, let’s say we just pretend these problems don’t exist, it's all going to continue. It’s disguised as entertainment, but if you watch a dozen of them, you’ll learn that we need to protect our kids.”

Laita's sentiments are not unpopular; numerous spectators agree and are undeterred by the YouTube channel's controversial elements. The larger picture sheds light on people who have been discarded by society, helping people understand where they came from and why they are in their situation now.

In contrast to the documentary “Where is Wendy Williams?” “Soft White Underbelly” can have positive effects even though it displays exploitative tactics. There is a line that should not be crossed, but sometimes people are far more concerned with getting clicks, likes, and views rather than tastefully and respectfully presenting more pressing and sensitive content like dementia and drug addiction. In my opinion, these interviews raise awareness.

Despite advertising this series as a form of awareness, Lifetime fails to get its message across. Many viewers, myself included, feel like every scene is a form of violation instead of offering productive or informative information on aphasia and frontotemporal dementia.

Amnesia and addiction are not a pretty thing, and coming into this docuseries, I wasn’t expecting a glamorized version of it. However, what I hoped for was that topics like this would be handled delicately and with respect, but unfortunately, that was not the case. I left the documentary feeling less informed than I already was. This is because none of my questions were answered, and I actually left with additional questions.

Williams is clearly in such poor health that she cannot legitimately consent to a documentary like this, which adds another layer of ickiness to the documentary. As someone who admired William’s ambition and hustle, it was heartbreaking to see her in that state.

The worst part of it all is that Williams used to take pride in the fact that, despite being an infamous celebrity, she could always go home, close her shutters, and enjoy her privacy like any regular person. This documentary stole that from her. It’s incredibly hard to believe that, in her right mind, she would have consented to this docuseries, which some would consider a stain on her legacy.

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