Wendy Williams was finally seen stepping out of her assisted living facility – which she has labeled as a ‘prison’ – to have dinner with Don Lemon in NYC on Thursday.
The TV personality, 60 – who hired new attorney Joe Tacopina in an attempt to end her conservatorship under Sabrina Morrissey – was also joined by niece Alex Finnie and the former CNN host’s husband Tim Malone.
The group was seen grabbing a bite to eat at Il Cantinori located in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of the city.
It comes just one day after the star’s guardian reportedly denied Williams from having dinner with her niece and new lawyer this week on Wednesday.
However, just one day later, Wendy flashed a big smile as she left the facility and was seen arriving to the popular eatery with her niece Alex by her side.
Williams donned a pair of blue denim shorts as well as a fuzzy black jacket for the evening out. She completed the look by slipping into a pair of tights and fuzzy black boots.
Wendy Williams, 60, was finally seen stepping out of her assisted living facility – which she has labeled as a ‘prison’ – to have dinner with Don Lemon in NYC on Thursday
The TV personality was also joined by niece Alex Finnie and the former CNN host’s husband Tim Malone
Her long locks were parted in the middle and flowed down past her shoulders in light waves.
The media personality easily carried a black, crocodile-embossed purse in her hand to hold a few items she needed during the dinner.
Wendy’s niece was seen helping her aunt get onto a red mobility scooter as they paused on a sidewalk in front of the restaurant.
Lemon briefly mingled with the star outside while sporting a burgundy-colored shirt as well as denim jeans and tan suede shoes.
While approaching the hotspot earlier in the night, Don – who was fired from CNN in 2023 – layered the outfit with a gray puffer jacket while his husband Tim Malone strolled closely by his side.
Wendy seems to have a close friendship with Lemon, and notably appeared on his podcast The Don Lemon Show earlier this year.
At the time, she expressed: ‘My life is ridiculous. I’ve been with this guardian person for three years. For three years of my life… I’m isolated. I feel like I’m in prison. I can’t go out. All I can do is look at the window.’
Lemon then questioned the star if she was ‘incapacitated’ and in response, Williams simply said, ‘Hell f***ing no.’
The group was seen grabbing a bite to eat at Il Cantinori located in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of the city
It comes just one day after the star’s guardian reportedly denied Williams from having dinner with her niece and new lawyer this week on Wednesday
However, just one day later, Wendy flashed a big smile as she left the facility and was seen arriving to the popular eatery with her niece Alex by her side
She completed the look by slipping into a pair of black tights and fuzzy black boots
Wendy’s niece was seen helping her aunt get onto a red scooter as they paused on a sidewalk in front of the restaurant
The media personality easily carried a black, crocodile-embossed purse in her hand to hold a few items she needed during the dinner
Her long locks were parted in the middle and flowed down past her shoulders in light waves
Wendy was placed under the guardianship of Sabrina Morrissey in 2022 – and last year in November she claimed that Williams was ‘permanently incapacitated’ by her dementia battle.
Back in 2023, the TV personality was diagnosed with aphasia and frontotemporal dementia.
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Desperate Wendy Williams bangs on assisted living window
When Lemon brought up her guardian’s allegations, Wendy said, ‘I don’t know how much I can talk without being punished.’
She later added, ‘I’m not in a good position. My life is screwed up. You know, this guardian mess is – please, look, I am isolated. I feel like I’m in prison. I feel like, you know, they’re trying to control me and everything that I do.’
Earlier this week, Morrissey reportedly refused to allow Wendy to leave the assisted living facility called Coterie to have dinner with her niece and new attorney Joe Tacopina.
The star hired Tacopina – who recently represented A$AP Rocky – to help secure her freedom from her three-year conservatorship.
A #FreeWendy movement has since begun and last week, Williams was seen banging on her window from inside the facility as supporters rallied for her below on the street.
However, Morrissey told People this month that Wendy is refusing to undergo certain medical tests – a MRI brain scan and neuropsychological assessment – as she aims to get out of the guardianship.
While approaching the hotspot earlier in the night, Don – who was fired from CNN in 2023 – layered the outfit with a gray puffer jacket while his husband Tim Malone strolled closely by his side
Wendy seems to have a close friendship with Lemon, and notably appeared on his podcast The Don Lemon Show earlier this year
Lemon then questioned the star if she was ‘incapacitated’ and in response, Williams simply said, ‘Hell f***ing no’
Wendy was placed under the guardianship of Sabrina Morrissey in 2022 – and last year in November she claimed that Williams was ‘permanently incapacitated’ by her dementia battle
Earlier this week, Morrissey reportedly refused to allow Wendy to leave the assisted living facility called Coterie to have dinner with her niece and new attorney Joe Tacopina
Sabrina stated, ‘Medical testing, including an MRI brain scan and neuropsychological assessment, had been scheduled for Ms. Williams.’ The appointment was set for March 21 – but the star did not go.
‘The Court directed that the testing be completed in March. Ms. Williams has declined to participate in the testing to date and therefore, the testing was not completed.’
She added, ‘The parties are not able to address the concerns that have been expressed to the media without the testing. Once Ms. Williams undergoes the testing and a full evaluation, the results will inform the next steps for Ms. Williams’ care.’
However in response, Wendy also told the outlet: ‘I don’t know anything about that.’ She then added ‘bulls***’ and said, ‘I am open to what I am open to and I can’t talk about it right now.’
Late last month in March, it was revealed that Wendy was obtaining a new legal team in a bold move to break free from the guardianship.
Ginalisa Monterroso, the CEO and founder of Connect Care Advisory Group, recently told Page Six, ‘They say she’s incapacitated.
‘That usually means someone who is a vegetable or unaware of their surroundings and unable to communicate. That’s not Wendy. Even just look at her operate her scooter. Can an incapacitated person do that?’
She added, ‘I would not be advocating publicly on behalf of Wendy if I felt she had any cognitive issues or that she belonged in a memory unit.’
Monterroso emphasized the importance of Williams obtaining a new legal team in order to get out of the conservatorship.
However, Morrissey told People this month that Wendy is refusing to undergo certain medical tests – a MRI brain scan and neuropsychological assessment – as she aims to get out of the guardianship
Late last month in March, it was revealed that Wendy was obtaining a new legal team in a bold move to break free from the guardianship; Joe Tacopina seen in 2023 in L.A.
‘She’s just stuck in what she calls a luxury prison…There’s been no plan put in place for her, no paperwork, no hearings. There was no strategy or help lined up for her at all.’
Ginalisa explained that she talks to the star almost daily and has also sent a letter to Adult Protective Services in New York.
She also told the outlet, ‘A doctor in Florida first examined her in 2019 and his diagnosis was alcohol-related dementia.
‘She’s also had serious thyroid issues since her 30s and there’s such a thing as thyroid-related dementia. She also has Graves disease which is why her eyes sometimes bulge.’
Monterroso continued, ‘Whatever it is, a guardianship is supposed to be for someone who doesn’t know to put on a coat in winter or doesn’t remember to pay bills or wanders out and doesn’t know where they are.
‘That’s not Wendy. So then why put an alcoholic in a memory care unit and throw away the key?’
In mid-March, her assisted living facility called the NYPD when Wendy left to grab dinner with her niece. Days later, she defiantly stepped out for dinner once again in NYC.
In a pre-recorded interview which aired on The View last month, Wendy said: ‘I don’t want a guardian. I don’t want… put it this way, I don’t want Sabrina, period. You know what I’m saying?
‘I don’t want a guardian. I want to get out of guardian. It’s been over three years. You know what I’m saying? It’s time for my money and my life to get back to status quo.’
Williams added, ‘I can’t do it with these two people again. I can’t. And I’m speaking of the guardian and the judge. I need a new guardian.’
‘She’s just stuck in what she calls a luxury prison…There’s been no plan put in place for her, no paperwork, no hearings. There was no strategy or help lined up for her at all,’ Monterroso said; Williams seen in 2018 in NYC
Attorneys for Morrissey had sent a letter to DailyMail.com and stated that the drama surrounding the guardianship is ‘untrue, inaccurate, incomplete, or misleading.’
It was added that the ‘consistent with general practice in New York, guardianship proceedings are kept confidential to this case.
‘Recently, however, the court determined that misinformation circulating in the media is harmful to Ms. Williams interests and the Guardianship.’
Her attorneys further said in the letter that ‘contrary to many media reports, Morrissey, as guardian, did not declare Wendy Williams to be legally incapacitated’ – since a guardian does not have the power to do so.
Wendy also called into Good Day New York to explain that she passed a psychiatric evaluation with ‘flying colors.’
In mid-March, her assisted living facility called the NYPD when Wendy left to grab dinner with her niece . Days later, she defiantly stepped out for dinner once again in NYC; Wendy seen with niece above
She later gave details about the living facility she is staying at and said, ‘And you know, I’m on the fifth floor. It’s called the memory unit. This is a floor, you know, you don’t remember anything. Like really?
‘And as far as me being able to go outside, I’m not allowed. You know, I have to stay in this building,’ she continued, and added she needs to be ‘permitted’ in order to go to the gym that is located on the third floor.’
Wendy then emotionally stated that her money is ‘up in the air’ before saying, ‘This is my life.’
Towards the end of the interview, she shared that leaving her guardianship is ‘the number one most important thing.’