Many of you may have heard of the dustup and public backlash Wendy Williams got for comments some considered mocking and insensitive regarding what appears to be a cleft lip on Joaquin Phoenix.
It all started when Wendy attempted to compliment the ‘Joker’ star but instead, as often happens with Wendy’s ‘compliments,’ something went awry, and she wound up insulting likely millions of people who were born with the condition. Cleft lip and Cleft palate are no laughing matter as they are disfiguring, and many children who suffer from it, especially in third world countries, lack the financial resources to have it surgically corrected.
Needless to say, Twitter was swift to call Wendy out and make her aware of the misstep. Even Adam Bighill of the Canadian Football League responded to Wendy online sharing a photo of his young son Beau who just so happened to have an upcoming surgery to have the condition corrected.
Wendy smartly, and promptly apologized, and most seem to have forgiven her … except for the legendary Cher! As Wendy tried to put it behind her with what I believe to be a sincere apology and, in addition, even donating to the cause of helping kids with the condition, Cher was having none of it. She continued the dragging on Twitter in ALL CAPS:
@WendyWilliams
“I Was Going To Try and Hold My Temper BUT IM SO F***ING ANGRY I CANT. In 1985 I Made a Film Called “MASK”!’ THROUGH THAT FILM I BECAME INVOLVED WITH CHILDREN And ADULTS WHO HAD CRANIOFACIAL ANOMALIES. YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THESE PPL GO THROUGH!! 20+ OPERATIONS. BEFORE THEIR TEENS MUCH OF THE TIME THEY ARE IN PAIN, AFRAID, BUT HAVE HOPE THEY WILL LOOK NORMAL. THE HEARTBREAK And FEAR THEIR PARENTS GO THROUGH IS UNBEARABLE.’
DOES AN APOLOGY MAKE UP FOR THIS pic.twitter.com/Su0OHB8hTG
— Cher (@cher) January 16, 2020
Now, many of you know I have called Wendy to task in the past, especially for her ageist comments about Madonna. I have never held back. In this instance, though, I am going to come to her defense and say yes, she screwed up, but she owned it, and after the public helped her see the inappropriateness of her comments, her donation to the cause even went a step beyond. So yes, she tried to get a quick laugh from her audience, and it backfired but no harm was meant.
Cher remains livid though and is even calling for Wendy to be fired from her show! I don’t think that will happen, but I’m sure that Wendy probably wishes she could at least turn back time and never had made the comment in the first place.
Oh well. We live and learn.
Double standards Rosie lost her show Kathy Griffin too so guy depends who you are not to mention both where white!!!!!
Wendy Williams is and always will be a piece of crapy loser. It’s really too bad society thinks she great…. pass me the barf bag.