Dr. Phil McGraw is sending love to Wendy Williams after her dementia and aphasia diagnosis.
The clinical psychology specialist, 71, pleaded with the public to have empathy for the troubled star after the former talk show host's heartbreaking mental decline and alcoholism were highlighted in the Where Is Wendy Williams? documentary.
"I was on her show a half-dozen times. When she stepped back from it, she contacted me and I talked to her off-camera some. I got to know one thing about her… I found her to be a very nice, very caring, very sincere person. And so I hope the world just extends her some grace at this point," McGraw explained to a reporter while clarifying he hadn't yet seen the entire documentary.
Williams' devoted fans and even her family members who appeared in the film were shocked by the final product that ended up airing on the cable network.
"I didn't see where they were going with things early on," the daytime diva's brother, Tommy Williams, said of the project in a separate interview. "I was on the sidelines saying, ‘Why are they showing this?’ I was pissed."
"It was addressing a lot of the media, and it was going to the house, addressing the family as well," the famous sibling continued. "I didn't feel as though I want to ride with the people who felt it was necessary to put that out there and show what was going on with Wendy."
As OK! previously reported, Williams' team broke the news of her dementia and aphasia diagnosis just before the doc aired. "As Wendy’s fans are aware, in the past she has been open with the public about her medical struggles with Graves’ Disease and Lymphedema as well as other significant challenges related to her health," the statement began.
"Over the past few years, questions have been raised at times about Wendy's ability to process information and many have speculated about Wendy's condition, particularly when she began to lose words, act erratically at times, and have difficulty understanding financial transactions," the message continued.
"In 2023, after undergoing a battery of medical tests, Wendy was officially diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Aphasia, a condition affecting language and communication abilities, and frontotemporal dementia, a progressive disorder impacting behavior and cognitive functions, have already presented significant hurdles in Wendy's life," they confirmed about her current mental state.
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Extra conducted the interview with McGraw.
