Sure, in the world of celebrity gossip, words can pack a serious punch! Just ask Wendy Williams, the queen of the hot take. Since she strutted into the limelight on the radio, her career has been a whirlwind of controversy, fame, and, let’s face it, a healthy dose of drama. With The Wendy Williams Show, she’s transitioned from a local sensation to a household name.

Wendy Williams | image: WBLS, licensed under CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia CommonsWhile Williams’ sharp words have often landed her in hot water more times than she can count (remember her comments on Diddy?), one of her earlier remarks about Beyoncé might just take the cake. The former boldly declared herself a fan of the pop diva, only to follow it up with a backhanded compliment that left everyone scratching their heads.

In the high-stakes game of celebrity commentary, there are certain boundaries you just don’t cross, and calling out Queen Bey is like stepping on a landmine. Wendy Williams, known for her bold takes and unfiltered opinions, once declared herself a fan of the pop superstar. But she followed it up with some choice words that raised many eyebrows.

In 2012, while discussing Beyoncé’s self-directed HBO documentary (Life is But a Dream), Williams dropped the following bombshell (via TMZ):

I am a Beyoncé fan. I’m gonna watch her upcoming documentary because fortunately one of the TVs in our kitchen has closed captioning so I’ll be able to understand what she says. You know Beyoncé can’t talk. She sounds like she has a fifth-grade education.

Buzzfeed quickly chimed in with a straightforward “Not cool, Wendy!” while Perez Hilton took to his platform to defend Beyoncé, exclaiming:

OH NO SHE DID NOT! In fact, we’ve always thought of Beyoncé as rather eloquent, and we are generally entranced AND informed by her words!

Beyoncé Knowles-Carter | Credits: J.ébey, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Let’s face it: Williams’ reputation for stirring the pot is nothing new. This isn’t the first time she’s stepped on a celebrity’s toes. Earlier, during a discussion about Fergie’s performance of the national anthem, Williams claimed that Beyoncé, along with other artists like Jennifer Lopez and Janet Jackson, “needs Auto-Tune” to sing effectively.

The Wendy Williams Show significantly boosted its popularity but also led to substantial backlash. Throughout her career, Williams made several remarks considered insensitive or offensive. A notable example was when she discussed Method Man’s wife’s cancer diagnosis before it became public knowledge, which many viewed as a serious invasion of privacy (see VOX).

Wendy Williams and Diddy have a long history, ranging from her accusations that he was trying to control her career to later having him as a guest on her show. Given their dramatic background, it’s understandable that she has faced significant backlash from Diddy’s fans over the years. But with recent events unfolding, including lawsuits and serious allegations against him, her past comments are suddenly looking a lot more credible.
Diddy | Credit: Late Night with Seth Meyers / YouTube
In her book, The Wendy Williams Experience, she didn’t pull any punches (via US Weekly):

Don’t get it twisted. In my opinion, Puffy is a very dangerous man. He may not wear his danger the way someone like, say, Suge Knight — who is six four, and 350 pounds — wears his, but he is dangerous all the same. Suge wears his fear and intimidation, Puffy hides behind his shiny suits, which makes him more dangerous because you don’t necessarily see him coming.

Fast forward to today, and with Diddy now facing serious charges, it’s hard not to think about the years of backlash Williams endured for merely voicing her opinions on the music mogul.

Recently, when the Daily Mail reached out to the 60-year-old talk show host about Diddy’s alleged behavior, she shared:

What is really weird is that I have been told by so many people, ‘Wendy, you called it.’ Including some people from my family who have said the same.

Williams didn’t hold back. She shared her discomfort about the video of Diddy allegedly attacking his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, saying she feels awful considering how many other women might have gone through similar situations.