A Loving Look Back At The Best, Most Chaotic Wendy Williams Moments
"Death to all of them."
Wendy Williams has wrapped up her chaotic talk show after 13 seasons, more than 1500 episodes, and nearly 15 years on the air.
The 57-year-old bode farewell to the Wendy Williams Show on Friday, but due to ongoing health issues, was unable to send herself off — instead, being thanked by guests and a pre-recorded tribute reel.
Williams brought chaos and humour to her titular program in a way that counterparts like Ellen and James Corden — who are also wrapping up their competing shows in 2022 — could only dream of. The last couple of years have been rough on Williams, who had to deal with financial disputes with Wells Fargo, a divorce, her mother’s passing, as well as immune disorder Graves’ disease, revealed to the public when she fainted on air in 2017 while dressed up as the Statue of Liberty.
While Australian audiences weren’t lucky enough to see her aired during the dud hours of free-to-air daytime TV, Williams’ influence and legacy live on through the internet, capturing her endless iconic memes and viral hits.
Using her own words, she’s an icon, she’s a legend, and she is the moment. Here’s a loving look back at Wendy William’s most memorable moments.
Happy Halloween
If there was a hall of fame for the most unintentionally funny things to happen on television, this clip would make the cut.
During the 2019 Halloween special of her show, Williams, dressed up as a ringmaster, threw out the idea that there could be a masked ‘killer’ coming after her — a years-long obsession documented in multi-part compilations dedicated to her various homicide protections and escape plans.
Her comedian-of-a-camera-operator James then flips to a member of an audience in a Zombie mask without missing a beat, to which Williams delivers a question which then became a viral TikTok sound two years later: “What was that? Okay … James!” as he begins slowly panning in on the potential assailant.
Dula Peep
It was two seconds of television that has followed Williams around for two years after the host accidentally messing up pop sensation Dua Lipa’s name.
Giving John Travolta calling Idina Menzel ‘Adele Dazeem’ at the 2014 Oscars a run for his money, Williams brazenly referred to Lipa as ‘Dula Peep’ — and you know what? Fair enough. But it was not once, but twice, that the misnomer was dropped on air when recounting her attendance at a strip club party with Lizzo.
Struggling with Lipa’s name a third time, Williams apologised, even advancing to the next stage of pronounciation: Du La Peepa.
Thankfully, no long-term beef ensued. Dua Lipa was later asked about the nickname on Jimmy Fallon, which she conceded through laughter that she found it “kind of cute”.
“Death To All Of Them”
Queen of letting her intrusive thoughts win, Williams unleashed on Jamie Spears around the time of the release of 2021 documentary Framing Britney Spears about his financial control over his daughter.
“How dare you Mr Spears, you had me fooled,” said Williams from her plushy pink chair. “And you to, Mrs Spears. Death… to all of them!” she growled before pulling a surprised face when she catches up with what came out of her mouth.
Thank you Wendy, unintentional leader of the #FreeBritney movement.
More … Death?
If it hasn’t become clear this far down that death and mortality is a running theme on the Wendy Williams Show then you haven’t been paying attention.
Her grasp on black comedy, while clearly unintentional, has cropped up many times throughout the show’s tenure that her execution of death announcements accidentally turn into jokes themselves.
“Do you know who Suave is,” asked Williams of her audience, of a 19-year-old TikTok star tragically shot last year, before prompting them to clap if they do.
“He’s got more followers than me — 2.5 million,” she continues. “On Tiktok, but on Instagram you have more followers,” her producer chimed in. “So here he is,” she said, turning towards a picture of the artist on screen and pausing for a slightly too long beat. “He’s 19 … and he was murdered Monday morning,” she finally revealed, as the audience hastily turned their laughter into sighs of sadness.
In one episode discussing Kim Cattrall’s missing brother, she reveals the Sex and the City star’s sibling had been found dead as well, before jumping right into the latest episode of the show, and abruptly changing segments.
“Anyway, alright, don’t mean to bring you down, but it’s time for Wendy’s pop tropic giveaway,” she ended, with a transition of celebratory balloons on the screen.
Finally, in another viral TikTok sound, how could anyone forget the classic “Oh she passed away? Awwww. Awwwwww. Alright!”
Burps And Farts Galore
This speaks for itself, but there is enough footage of Williams burping and farting, sometimes at the same time, for another iconic compilation video.