'Wendy Williams: What A Mess!': Release date, plot, cast, trailer and all you need to know about the talk show host's Lifetime documentary

Wendy Williams, the self-anointed Queen of all Media, sheds her private persona and discusses every inch of joy and humiliation she has experienced since childhood
Wendy Williams (Getty Images)
Wendy Williams (Getty Images)

Wendy Williams is one of the boldest and most popular talk show hosts there is. While many speculations, rumors and headlines about her life, marriage and addiction have circulated over the years, Williams is now taking charge of her own narrative. She is set to tell her own story in both the Lifetime biopic 'Wendy Williams: The Movie' and an unfiltered documentary 'Wendy Williams: What A Mess!'. Here is all you need to know about the latter.

Release date

Can't wait to watch the documentary? 'Wendy Williams: What a Mess!' premieres on Saturday, January 30, at 10 pm ET.

Plot

Wendy Williams in 'Wendy Williams: What a Mess!' (Lifetime)

The official synopsis reads, "In this feature length documentary, Wendy Williams, the self-anointed Queen of all Media, sheds her private persona and speaks directly to the camera, discussing every inch of joy and humiliation she has experienced since childhood. From her apartment in Manhattan, we’re with Wendy during the course of her divorce, as she deals with being a ‘Hot Topic’ and finds a way to right her ship again. It’s a raw, no holds barred look with never-before heard truths about Wendy’s notorious feuds with celebrities, her shocking divorce, her childhood and the private darkness she has endured. This is the story of a self-made woman who finds herself at the start of a new life, uncertain of the future, but ready to reclaim her crown."

Essence reported that with the release, Williams wants people to know her truth. “I want people to say, ‘She had the guts to be so raw and honest'. People who’ve really listened to me as I speak over 35 years in broadcast will say, ‘Oh my gosh, I remember she talked about this, but I didn’t realize that it was that intense or that deep.’ I was able to clear up half-truths and untruths," she said.

Cast

Wendy Williams

Wendy Williams (Getty Images)

Born on July 18, 1964, in Asbury Park, New Jersey, USA, Williams is now 56 years old. She is a producer, writer and actress. She is known for her roles as Gail in 'Think Like A Man' (2012) and 'Think Like A Man Too' (2014), the voice of Condor Mom in 'Ice Age: The Great Egg-Scapade' (2016), and was recently Lips on 'The Masked Singer' (2020). She is also the host of the popular TV 'The Wendy Williams Show' and is credited both as a writer and a producer.

She also has producer credits for 'Queen of Media' (2011), 'Wendy Williams Project' (2013) and the TV movie 'Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B' (2014). Williams also won a Star on the Walk of Fame in 2019 and has been nominated for 4 Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host for 'The Wendy Williams Show' in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019. 

Creators

The documentary is produced by eOne and Creature Films for Lifetime. Wendy Williams, Tara Long, Mark Ford, Kevin Lopez, Sarah Girgis and Joie Jacoby serve as executive producers. Brie Miranda Bryant and Gena McCarthy serve as executive producers for Lifetime.

Trailer

This is a "culmination of everything" says Williams in tears in the documentary that is described to be authorized and unfiltered.



 

Where to watch

Catch 'Wendy Williams: What a Mess!' on Saturday, January 30, at 10/9c on Lifetime.

If you like this, you'll love these:

'Wendy Williams: The Movie'

'Hello, Privilege. It's Me, Chelsea'

'Miss Americana'

'Bright Lights'

'Look Mom I Can Fly'

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