The Wendy Williams Show host has made a name for herself in the entertainment industry as a consequence of her unfiltered nature, and while many of her viewers love it, it can still get her into trouble sometimes.
On the 7th of January, Williams poked fun at Joaquin Phoenix’s cleft palate, however, social media users and activists didn’t let her get away with it.
The 55-year-old host kicked off her rant with a series of nice compliments, including that Phoenix had “piercing eyes,” however, it took a turn for the worse when she started pulling at her face, mocking the actor’s lip.
According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, a cleft palate occurs when the baby’s lips and mouth don’t form properly while in the womb. The 45-year-old has never addressed the scar on his lip, but either way, people online weren’t happy.
One member of the infuriated group was the Canadian professional football player, Adam Bighill, who has demanded an apology from the television show host repeatedly for the last five days. Reportedly, he and his son, Beau, also have the condition.
You can check out Adam’s tweet below:
Day 5
Waiting for @FOXTV and @BET to let @WendyWilliams that her actions/comments towards the cleft community are not okay.@steeletalk had me on her show today, and we talk in depth about it. Watch and share!! ❤️🙌🏼🙏🏼https://t.co/oe91b0JI3B
— Adam Bighill (@Bighill44) January 15, 2020
Bighill wasn’t the only professional who lambasted her remarks either. The 59-year-old English TV figure, Carol Vorderman, claimed she was an ambassador for the “Cleft Lip and Palate Association,” and she wasn’t happy with it either.
As Ambassador for Cleft Lip and Palate Association @CLAPACOMMUNITY I really am disgusted by this @wendywilliams.. Mimicing a cleft lip, and making a joke about it, is disgraceful. Have you any idea the pain and operations a child with cleft must go through as they grow? Please RT https://t.co/bINZItpWgI
— Carol Vorderman (@carolvorders) January 9, 2020
Vorderman asked Wendy if she had “any idea” how painful and grueling the process was for children to deal with a cleft palate as they become an adult. Williams hasn’t addressed the social media comments yet and probably won’t.
As it was noted above, Wendy has fought with celebrities and other entertainers before. Famously, Williams got into a feud with 50 Cent, née Curtis Jackson, over the strained relationship he has with one of his sons.
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50 Cent took it upon himself to poke fun at her alcoholism struggles when her man was busted having a baby with another woman. Wendy and her estranged husband, Kevin Hunter, split up last year after it was revealed he got another girl pregnant.
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