NEWSBack To Business! Wendy Williams Hoping For $100 Million Podcast Deal: Source
With Wendy Williams' plan to return to her beloved talk show being dubbed "logistically impossible" by TV pros, it seems the embattled host is going back to her roots as a radio jockey.
Multiple sources spilled Williams has had podcast offers on the table for months now, but her up and down career path as of late may be cause for concern. The Wendy Williams Show host is hoping to make a pretty penny from whatever deal she locks down, with a source reportedly noting: "She sees Joe Rogan has a $100 million podcast deal, and now she wants that kind of money."
But after taking a leave of absence from her eponymous daytime talk show, Williams may be a hard sell for platforms such as iHeart Radio and Spotify, who one source told The Sun are being looked at for potential new homes for Williams' talk show brand.
"The people at iHeart don't like controversy, so the best place for her is Spotify," suggested the source. "They like the wild cards, but even at Spotify they don't give you the money unless you prove yourself first, and Wendy wants money upfront."
The other issue, according to the insider, is many don't know if Williams — who started out her career as a New York City radio DJ — can "be trusted to deliver a daily show or weekly show."
Concern for Williams' mental health has been a hot topic ever since she first stepped back from her famed purple chair in September 2021 due to ongoing health issues, including complications from Graves' disease and a brief hospitalization for psychiatric service — but OK! learned there was concern surrounding her wellbeing way before her talk show hiatus.
- Wendy Williams' Theoretical Talk Show Return Is 'Logistically Impossible' Despite Embattled Host's Insistence: Source
- Wendy Williams Requests 'Meeting' With Replacement Host Sherri Shepherd
- Wendy Williams Feels Sherri Shepherd's Show Announcement Is A 'Slap In The Face' As The Former Talk Show Host Works On Multi-Million Dollar Podcast Deal: Source
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Williams was first admitted to the hospital in 2020 after fans and staffers began to notice her odd behavior, and while she recently claimed she's doing better than ever as she hyped up her alleged return to her talk show, she has her loyal viewers worried once again.
Fans expressed concern after Williams appeared on an Instagram Live interview with rapper Fat Joe over the weekend during which she said she was no longer on The Wendy Williams Show because "somebody stopped giving me my money." (Williams' money is tied up right now after Wells Fargo froze her accounts claiming she was the victim of financial exploitation and needed guardianship. She brought the bank to court in an attempt to unfreeze her accounts.)
The 57-year-old also maintained she'll "absolutely" be returning to her show, despite the fact her production company, Debmar-Mercury, announced earlier this year that her series was coming to an end and Sherri Shepherd will be replacing her with her own talk show, Sherri, this coming September.
"I love being on my own show and I love that people love to watch it. You know, all the time," she told Fat Joe while confirming she wouldn't be watching Shepherd's new show.
