Wendy Williams’ conservatorship case is entering a new phase after her attorney publicly disputed the medical diagnosis that helped place the former talk show host under court supervision.
During a December 9 appearance on ABC News’ Nightline, attorney Joe Tacopina said a recent neurological evaluation challenges the long-standing claim that Williams has frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and progressive aphasia.
Those diagnoses were revealed in 2023 and later cited in legal filings related to her guardianship, according to USA Today.
Tacopina said Williams was evaluated by Dr. Samuel E. Gandy, a New York City neurologist who specializes in Alzheimer’s disease. According to Tacopina, Gandy concluded that Williams does not have frontotemporal dementia.
“Wendy Williams does not have frontotemporal dementia,” Tacopina said on the program. He emphasized that the assessment should be taken seriously, adding that Gandy is “the top” expert in his field.
Instead, Tacopina claimed Williams’ past cognitive decline was tied to years of severe alcohol abuse. He described her condition as alcohol-induced dementia, a form of alcohol-related brain damage.
“There’s something called alcohol-induced dementia,” Tacopina said. “That may have been something Wendy was suffering from back in [2023], 24.”
He continued, “She was an alcoholic, no question about it,” alleging that Williams was intoxicated for much of the day and required rehabilitation at the time. Tacopina later clarified that Williams is no longer drinking.
According to The Cleveland Clinic, alcohol-related dementia can develop after prolonged heavy alcohol use and is linked to direct damage to brain cells, changes in brain structure, and nutritional deficiencies—most notably a lack of thiamine, or Vitamin B1.
In some cases, the condition can progress into Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome, also known as "wet brain," which is marked by severe memory loss, impaired coordination, and cognitive dysfunction.
Medical experts note that early sobriety and proper nutritional treatment can sometimes improve symptoms, though long-term damage may be irreversible in advanced cases.
Tacopina also pushed back on previous reporting that Williams’ diagnoses had been reaffirmed earlier this year.
“I don’t agree with those results because I’ve not seen those results,” he said on Nightline. “We don’t know who the doctor is; we’ve not seen the report.”
Williams’ court-appointed guardian, Sabrina E. Morrissey, denied any misconduct in a statement shared with the program, saying she “emphatically denies any wrongdoing, mismanagement, or self-dealing” and noting that the court oversees all actions taken under the guardianship. Legal filings from 2024 described Williams as “cognitively impaired and permanently incapacitated.”
Despite those claims, Williams has made several public appearances in recent months, including attending New York Fashion Week. Her longtime friend Sunny Hostin told Nightline, “I spoke to her several months ago, and she just sounds like the same Wendy.”
Separately, Williams’ ex-husband, Kevin Hunter, continues to challenge the conservatorship in federal court. His lawsuit alleges unlawful restrictions on her civil liberties. It also states that Williams passed a competency evaluation earlier this year, with healthcare professionals noting she was alert and oriented during welfare checks.
If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol addiction, confidential support is available through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 or via samhsa.gov, which provides treatment referrals nationwide. Additionally, Alcoholics Anonymous offers peer support through local meetings listed at aa.org.