Entertainment :: Television
Wendy Williams :: Ready for prime time by Joseph Erbentraut
EDGE ContributorThursday Jul 9, 2009
Wendy Williams is on top of the world. The self-proclaimed "queen of all media" has been a mainstay of radio for the past 23 years, earning notoriety with her no-question-left-unasked approach to celebrity interviews and discussion topics, but is about to make her biggest breakthrough yet. Her national talk show "The Wendy Williams Show" launches in syndication on July 13, following a wildly successful six week test run in select markets last summer.
Despite all the buzz, Williams, who was also recently nominated for induction in the National Radio Hall of Fame, is taking it all in stride - a wide stride.
"I’m living it every day, but the most important thing to do is to make sure I don’t gain a pound," she told EDGE. "What I like about doing a talk show is that I feel like an outsider, not the cool girl. I never was the cool girl. I’m just the nosy woman, ’the people’s voice’ so to speak, and I like this side of it rather than that side of it."
"I like to keep celebrities friends in my head," Williams continued. "No, really, I don’t have celebrity friends that I scroll down in my ultra cool phone, press send and say, ’Hello Demi! Call Whitney and I’ll meet you at Mr. Chow in Beverly Hills.’ I’m not that girl and I hope to never become that girl."
The real deal
Veteran day-time producer Rob Dauber, who acts as executive producer of the show along with Williams and her husband Kevin Hunter, was immediately transfixed by Williams’ genuine quality.
"The minute I saw her when she walked into the room, I knew she had ’it,’" said Dauber. "I think we can all watch people and tell which ones really have the ability to crack through all the clutter. She is incredibly funny and real."
Dauber, who has previously worked with such names as Oprah Winfrey, Martha Stewart and Rosie O’Donnell, felt Williams’ openness resonated particularly with the LGBT community.
"The gay community realizes she’s the real deal. We like an underdog and she’s someone who’s been working really hard for over 20 years and has made a name for herself in radio, a world dominated by men," he continued. "She always says, ’Y’all love me because I’m messy,’ and it’s true. A lot of us see ourselves as a little messy so we can relate to that."
It is Williams’ direct approach and "messiness" that has gained the Jersey girl a loyal following through the years. She has been through it all and isn’t afraid to talk about it - drug addiction, several miscarriages and a number of plastic surgeries. She was referenced in a Mariah Carey song - "Touch My Body." And no, that crown of blonde hair you see is not real.
"I don’t purposely try to change myself in a way to appeal to gay or straight people in any way," Williams, who turns 44 this month, shared. "I just am who I am and I think that being 5’11" but loving heels and being 6’4" on any given day with a wig and big boobs, suddenly the description alone says, ’Who is this drag queen?’"
"People look and stare but I’ve embraced it," she continued, saying that she’d been called "every name in the book" through the years. When asked what her signature drag number would be, she didn’t miss a beat, stating she’d narrowed it down to Diana Ross "The Boss," Jennifer Lopez "Waiting for Tonight" or anything by Cher.
"I’ve been big and out of the ordinary to the eye just by nature of size all of my life and I spent many years hunched over and coiled up. But now, I take wide strides and walk loud and proud. I am ready for the world."
In addition to filming and promoting her new show, Williams is also busy a mother to a 9-year-old, also named Kevin. She said that "her Kevins" are part of a support system that keeps her sane through everything, adding that she felt the craziness is something that many people feel, even if they aren’t saying it.
"We’ve always been a little bit of the crazy family, and I’ve always been a little bit of the crazy mother. I’m sure every mother has the feeling like they never quite have it all together, especially a working mother," she shared. "What I’ve learned is that is how a lot of women feel, but no women say it. With this show, I’m saying it."
The Wendy Williams Show premieres on Monday, July 13, 2009. Check local listings for time and station.
Joseph covers news, arts and entertainment and lives in Chicago.
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