How the “Queen Of Talk” gabbed her way from show pony to media mogul
Wendy Williams has always been a lightning rod for strong opinions—some good, some full-on foul. But when it comes to measuring her success, even her staunchest critics have to give Williams her due.
After leveraging 20 years on the rise as a shameless radio shock-jock into an odds-defying decade as host of her eponymous hit talk show, Williams is an undisputed mogul.
With a net worth of at least $40 million (including an annual TV show salary of $10 million), according to Celebrity Net Worth, Williams’ mega-brand is built on a big personality that’s unafraid to express what she thinks and expose who she wants, while making no excuses along the way. Love her or hate her, there’s no one else like her, and her unapologetic authenticity has won her legions of rabid fans.
The Wendy Williams Show, now in its 11th season, averages more than 2.4 million daily viewers, making Williams rival Ellen DeGeneres as the No. 1 female host on daytime TV. Both the show and host have received multiple Emmy nominations and Williams was a 2009 inductee into the National Radio Hall of Fame.
Her empire has included production deals with Lifetime TV; fashion, jewelry, and wig lines; a book publishing company; and a philanthropic arm created to assist those struggling with addiction, as Williams openly admits she has. She is also the author of several books including Wendy’s Got the Heat, a 2003 memoir that made the coveted New York Times best-seller list.
Despite her notoriously strong personality, dogged work ethic, and unbridled ambition, toward the end of her autobiography, Williams pointedly advised women readers to “Know Your Place.” Summarizing her relationship with her then husband/manager Kevin Hunter, she wrote: “…my job is to make the house run smoothly. His job ultimately is to make me feel safe and protected. He is the man and that’s his primary job. I am the little woman.”
Williams has been called lots of things through the years but “little woman” has never been one of them.
Continue reading your story on the app
Continue reading your story in the magazine
Great Leaders Aren't Born, They're Made
Former Aetna CEO Ron Williams shares his decades of leadership lessons in his new book
How Fifth Third's Kala Gibson Drives Impactful Urban Entrepreneurship
As executive vice president and head of business Banking for Fifth Third Bank, Kala Gibson focuses on helping small businesses gain the resources necessary for them to continue to drive employment, innovation, and impact.
I Want to Be a Triple Threat
I always loved Papa John's. I was introduced to it in ’89 in Baton Rouge Louisiana when I didn’t have a lot of money but I had enough money for a big ol’ Shaqaroni pizza—sausage, pepperoni, extra cheese.
Power In The Boardroom
EXPANDING BLACK REPRESENTATION IN THE BOARDROOM AND THE C-SUITE REQUIRES ADVOCACY, STRATEGY, AND POSSIBLY, LEGISLATION. TO MEMBERS OF OUR B.E. REGISTRY OF CORPORATE DIRECTORS, HOWEVER, THE DETERMINING FACTOR COMES DOWN TO LEADERSHIP.
This Dell Exec Took A Leap, And Landed At SVP
NAJUMA ATKINSON HAS BUILT A 20-YEAR CAREER AT DELL TECHNOLOGIES Inc.
This Young, Black Aerodynamics Engineer Is Rebooting Classics At General Motors
THE CHEVY BLAZER HAS GOTTEN A MAKEOVER IN 2019.
FWD Momentum
The nation’s largest black-owned businesses, in sectors including manufacturing, construction, automotive, and financial services, have applied transformative strategies and sustainable models in a tech-driven, competitive world
Unpacking The Wendy Williams Experience
How the “Queen Of Talk” gabbed her way from show pony to media mogul
A Winning Recipe
CEO Michael Thompson has made the nation’s largest black-owned food manufacturer an industry mvp through consistent play, collaborative partnerhips, and masterful performance
The 4H Club
ICV partners has attracted millions in capital, built a portfolio of high-return companies, and diversified private equity by following its core values of staying humble, hard working, honest, and hungry
