Wendy Williams is still stuck in her conservatorship after an alleged dementia diagnosis

Summary

---

Podcast Summary:

The Latest with Loren LoRosa
Episode: Wendy Williams is still stuck in her conservatorship after an alleged dementia diagnosis
Date: August 14, 2025
Host: Loren LaRosa
Network: The Black Effect and iHeartPodcasts

---

Overview

This episode centers around Wendy Williams' ongoing conservatorship, the recent developments regarding her health, and intense disputes about her alleged dementia diagnosis. Loren LaRosa gives an inside look at recent legal filings, conversations with attorneys involved, and the swirling media reports—all while calling into question the transparency and motivations behind the guardianship.

---

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Context & Recent Updates

• Loren revisits previous coverage of Wendy Williams' situation (02:29), focusing on updates since Mother's Day and reports of neurological testing.
• The big headline: Reports circulate that Wendy Williams has completed her evaluations, and, according to People Magazine, has been diagnosed again with frontotemporal dementia.
• Loren emphasizes that these details are “alleged,” given conflicting information from Williams' attorney.

2. Conflicting Accounts of Wendy’s Diagnoses and Legal Status

• According to a lawyer representing Wendy’s guardian, a letter to the judge states all medical and neurological testing is now complete (04:11).
• The guardianship has requested the court to extend Wendy’s conservatorship by an additional three months—until November 5, 2025—mainly to give time to resolve an ongoing A&E lawsuit connected to Wendy (04:45).
• Loren clarifies, "The additional three months were requested only because the Annie lawsuit doesn’t want to pick back up… They don’t want to move forward with anything until they figure out who they’re even dealing with" (05:26).

3. Wendy Williams' Attorney Speaks Out

• Loren details her direct communication with Wendy’s attorney, Joe Tacopina (06:31):
  • He forcefully disputes the reports of a completed diagnosis, telling Loren, “Reports that medical testing… for Wendy Williams is [expletive]. The letter stating Wendy has been diagnosed again with dementia is false.”
  • On the leaked diagnosis:

    “Regardless, regarding the leaked medical diagnosis of Wendy Williams, this is yet another outrageous tactic and a blatant violation of Wendy’s fundamental rights as a human being. Let me be clear. The claim is false and is being spread by a party who has vested interest in keeping Wendy trapped under this excessive and restrictive guardianship. The critical questions are these: Where is the actual medical report supporting this leak? And who is the doctor that is willing to go under oath and face cross-examination by me so the truth can be exposed?”
    — Joe Tacopina, quoted by Loren LaRosa (07:34)

• Loren calls Tacopina “a shark… nothing to play with” and underscores the seriousness of his pushback.

4. The Fight for Control & Transparency

• Both guardianship lawyers and Wendy’s legal team appear at odds:
  • The guardianship side says all tests are done and defers to the court.
  • Tacopina (Williams’ attorney) accuses the other side of leaking false medical information for their own gain.
  • Loren draws comparisons with Britney Spears’ conservatorship, noting that medical conditions are typically private under HIPAA, but Wendy’s situation differs mostly because she herself discussed her health on The Breakfast Club (08:15).

5. Access and Accountability

• Loren describes her efforts to speak directly with the guardian’s attorney. After finally connecting, she is abruptly hung up on (09:33).
  • “I don’t think her attorneys are too fond of the Breakfast Club platform just because of, you know, the platform that we gave Wendy. I can’t say that for certain, but it feels that way.”
• Loren pledges to keep pursuing details and to share updates with her listeners.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the alleged diagnosis and media leaks:
  “He [Joe Tacopina] called it bullshit. He says the letter submitted by attorneys for her guardian stating that there are complete tests and that Wendy has allegedly been diagnosed again with dementia are false.”
  — Loren LaRosa (06:54)

• Direct challenge to the veracity of reports:
  “Where is the actual medical report supporting this leak? And who is the doctor that is willing to go under oath and face cross-examination by me so the truth can be exposed?”
  — Joe Tacopina, via Loren LaRosa (07:55)

• On the secrecy and media spectacle:
  “Wendy Williams’s medical situation is on Front street because Wendy Williams came to the Breakfast Club and she talked about ... the fact that she did not feel like she had [dementia] ... She calls it a luxury prison.”
  — Loren LaRosa (08:05)

• On efforts to get both sides:
  “I’ve reached out twice. I will also try and call again, and if I can get any more details on it, y’all know I’ll be right back here in the latest with it.”
  — Loren LaRosa (10:05)

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• (02:29) – Loren introduces Wendy Williams’ case and recaps previous coverage
• (04:11) – Details on letter from guardian’s attorney to judge about completed testing & request for conservatorship extension
• (05:26) – Legal background on the A&E lawsuit and need for delay
• (06:31) – Statement and context from Wendy Williams’ lawyer, Joe Tacopina
• (07:34) – Tacopina’s denouncement of the leaked diagnosis and challenge to the other side
• (08:05) – Comparison to Britney Spears’ conservatorship and explanation of medical disclosure differences
• (09:33) – Loren’s unsuccessful attempt to contact guardianship attorney
• (10:05) – Loren calls for listener feedback and outlines next steps

---

Calls to Action & Listener Engagement

• Loren invites listeners to share opinions:
  • “Do you think the testing is valid, or do you side with Wendy’s attorney, Joe Tekopina? ... Do you believe the allegations of him saying, hey, they’re doing this because they have a vested interest? ... Lowriders at me for the tweets. We outside, we outside. We outside, outside in the tweets.” (10:19)
• She promises to pursue updates and encourages her audience to stay tuned.

---

Tone and Style

Loren LaRosa’s reporting is conversational and direct, blending investigative rigor with relatable, culture-forward language. She keeps her explanations clear, uses personal anecdotes about running down leads, and expresses a strong commitment to transparency and accountability for high-profile, sensitive cases like Wendy Williams’.

---

Transcript

[Lauren LaRosa]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Lenovo/Intel Sponsor]

Lenovo is built for creators who don't wait for inspiration. They chase it with inventive tech, built in AI tools and seamless performance. Lenovo devices powered by Intel Core Ultra processors are designed to bring your wildest ideas to life faster. That's the power of Lenovo. With intel inside, enjoy flexible financing, rewards on every purchase and free shipping. And students get special offers when you create an [e-mail] Lenovo Lenovo.

[Dana Schwartz and Lizzy Logan]

In 1920, a magazine article announced something incredible. Two young girls had photographed real fairies. But even more incredible, that article was written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the man who invented Sherlock Holmes. How did he fall for that? Hoax is a new podcast from me, Dana Schwartz, the host of Noble Blood, and me, Lizzy Logan. Every episode we'll explore one of the most audacious and ambitious tricks in history and try to answer the question why we believe what we believe. Listen to hoax on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Hunter]

I'm Hunter, host of Hunting for Answers on the Black Effect Podcast Network. Join me every weekday as I share bite sized stories of missing and murdered black women and girls in America. Stories like Erica Hunt, a young mother vanished without a trace after a family gathering on Fourth of July weekend. 20. No goodbyes, no clues, just gone. Listen to Hunting for Answers every weekday on the Black Effect Podcast Network, iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[AJ Jacobs]

Let's start with a quick puzzle. The answer is Ken Jennings appearance on the puzzler with A.J. jacobs. The question is, what is the most entertaining listening experience in podcast land? Jeopardy truthers believe in?

[Ken Jennings]

I guess they would be conspiracy theorists.

[AJ Jacobs]

That's right.

[Ken Jennings]

They give you the answers and you still blew it.

[AJ Jacobs]

The Puzzler listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Ken Jennings]

Let's get to it. Time to do it.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I'm the homegirl that knows a little bit about everything and everybody I know. She gonna lie about that, right?

[AJ Jacobs]

Lauren came in hot.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Hey, y', all, what's up? It's Lauren LaRosa. And this is the latest with Lauren LaRosa. This is your daily dig on all things pop culture, entertainment news, and all of the conversations that shake the room, baby. Now today in the latest, we have Wendy Williams. Now, you guys know I've been updating you on Wendy Williams. We had talked a few episodes back about, you know, Wendy Williams Mother's Day and how that would be spent. And prior to that in the same week, we also talked about Wendy Williams and her testing. And I was told at that time, this was some weeks ago, that Wendy Williams was still undergoing testing. But it was near the end of the testing. And as of yesterday, it has been confirmed ish that Wendy Williams has allegedly completed her testing. Now, the reason why I say ish is because Wendy Williams attorney Joe Taina has come out fiercely swinging back against the conversation and the stories and the update provided by Wendy Williams guardian Sabrina Morrissey, that Wendy Williams has completed her testing. And then according to a source from People magazine, People magazine has a source. According to a source, Wendy Williams has been diagnosed again with frontal temporal dementia, which is what Wendy Williams was fighting hard to prove that she did not have. Now, all of this is alleged because again, WENDY Williams ATTORNEY I talked to him, I spoke with him and he tells me that is not what happened. That is not true. This is. This is not where we are. So let's back up. Before I get into what Wendy Williams attorney Joe Tacopina told me about Wendy Williams, I want to give you guys just a glimpse into the story of what went down. So reports surface that Wendy Williams had completed all of her testing, neurological testing, scans, all of the things. Because right now a court is trying to determine if Wendy can make decisions for herself or not, if she needs to be in the guardianship or not, and all other things. Now, when the reports came out, I was provided with, in all of the outlets were provided with a letter to the judge from an attorney for Sabrina Morrissey, who is Wendy Williams guardian. And the letter stated that Wendy Williams was done all testing, including scans, you know, and including neurological testing. And that at this point, because of the A and E lawsuit and the time that they would need to figure things out about that lawsuit, the guardianship was requesting that Wendy Williams stay in her guardianship until November 5, 2025. So they were asking for a three month extension. The extension is of a stay that the A and E lawsuit already had out. Basically because Wendy Williams said, look, I don't even want to be suing these people. I didn't make this decision. I don't want to sue these people. So Annie and the attorneys and the guardianship said, oh, okay, cool. If you don't want to do it, we ain't going to force you to do nothing. Let's hold on this. Let's see if Wendy can make her own decisions and then we'll come back to this. Now, I spoke to the attorney for the Andy lawsuit, the attorney who is representing Sabrina Morrissey and Wendy Williams in this lawsuit. And that attorney tells me that because there are also reports basically stating that because of the alleged testing that happened with Wendy Williams, Wendy Williams is indefinitely stuck in this guardianship. Like, you know, final decision had been made. That is not true. I spoke to the A and E lawyer who told me that is not true. The additional three months were requested only because the Annie lawsuit doesn't want to pick back up. The lawyer for the guardian says they don't want to move forward with anything until they figure out who they're even dealing with. Like, are we going to be dealing with Wendy Williams in this lawsuit moving forward? If. If we are, she says she doesn't want the lawsuit. So will it even go forward or will there be another guardian appointed? Because some more Sabrina Morrissey has already said, I don't even want nothing to do with this no more. I need to figure out, you know, what's best for her. But I want to step away right now. In the reports, you know, they referenced this letter that was sent to the judge. In the letter, I received the letter. I read through the letter. They do make it clear, and they say that Wendy Williams has completed the testing. Now, I reached out to Joe Taina the minute I saw these stories and the minute I received the documents, I reached out to Dolce Capina, which is Wendy's attorney, and I said, okay, look, here's what is being reported. I've been, you know, reaching up and staying in contact and following up with you, trying to figure out what's going on. It's been quiet on the Wendy front. And there's been. Now, at one point, there were also reports that Wendy didn't even want to take the testing, which I was told, you know, was not true either. But Joe Tekapina responds to me and he says, reports that medical testing or any information or reference in a letter that medical testing for Wendy Williams is completely. He called it bullshit. He says the letter submitted by attorneys for her guardian stating that there are complete tests and that Wendy has allegedly been diagnosed again with dementia are false. Now, he also went off because here's the thing. So like for instance, when Britney Spears was in her conservatorship, we always had conversations around, like, who her conservators were, her dad and how much money was being made and how much money was being spent and all the things. And they talked about, you know, her care, like what her day to day looked like, why she needed supervision, all the things when they were fighting to try and keep her in it. But we never found out what Britney Spears medical condition was because of HIPAA laws. These things are supposed to be kept private, right? So Britney Spears situation is somewhat similar to Wendy's because there's a medical diagnosis needed in order to make the decision on whether Wendy should or should not be released from the conservatorship. Now, Wendy Williams medical situation is on Front street because Wendy Williams came to the Breakfast Club and she talked about the claims that she had been diagnosed with dementia and the fact that she did not feel like she had it. She felt like she can make decisions for herself. She shouldn't be, you know, in the type of, like, living situation she calls it, a luxury prison and all the things. So her diagnosis, or lack thereof was already on Front street because she talked about it herself. But in these documents, there was. They couldn't mention what the medical record said. All it said was that they were complete. People magazine does this story. And People magazine has the information that Wendy Williams was allegedly again diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia. But they don't cite their source, of course they can't, because it's illegal to be discussing People's medical information. So her attorney is going off, he says, regardless, regarding the leaked medical diagnosis of Wendy Williams, this is yet another outrageous tactic and a blatant violation of Wendy's fundamental rights as a human being. Let me be clear. The claim is false and is being spread by a party who has vested interest in keeping Wendy trapped under this excessive and restrictive guardianship. The critical questions are these. Where is the actual medical report supporting this leak? And who is the doctor that is willing to go under oath and face cross examination by me so the truth can be exposed? He went off. And Joe Tekapena ain't nothing to play with, okay? He is a shark. He is nothing to play with. Now look, I have reached back out to the attorney listed for the guardian, but for some reason, they don't wanna talk to us. I found a name and a location for the attorney for Tabrina Morrissey, who is Wendy Williams guardian. So I looked him up online through, you know, a little system I have, was able to get his cell phone number. I call him, I say, hey, it's Loran LaRosa from the Breakfast Club. He instantly says, I can't talk and hangs up on me. I don't think that her attorneys are too fond of the Breakfast Club platform just because of, you know, the platform that we gave Wendy. I can't say that for certain, but it feels that way. I would love to be in contact with them, though, because, you know, when things like this happen where you have an attorney basically saying y' all are leaking medical information. That's a huge claim. He's alleging that, and he's saying they're only spreading this because they want to make it look like she still needs to be here because they have an interest, they gain something off of this. Would love to have a conversation with both sides in this. So, I mean, I've reached out. I've reached out twice. I will also try and call again, and if I can get any more details on it, y' all know I'll be right back here in the latest with it. At the end of the day, there's always a lot to talk about, and I would love to know for you guys that are listening, I know you know Wendy Williams and everything happening with her. A lot of times when I see my lowriders out and about, y', all, that's the number one thing that you guys ask me, is like, hey, how's Wendy? I haven't spoken to Wendy personally in months at this point, but I have been speaking to her attorney as much as I can, just trying to figure out what's going on and keep you guys up to date and stay up to date. But I want to know what you guys think. Like, do you guys think that the reports are valid? And again, there was a letter submitted to the judge saying that this happened on paper from the attorney for the guardianship saying that Wendy had completed those tests. Low riders at me for the tweets. We outside, we outside. We outside, outside in the tweets. Every other page, I go, Lauren LaRosa everywhere. Do you think the testing is valid, or do you side with Wendy's attorney, Joe Tekopina? You believe the allegations of him saying, hey, they're doing this because they have a vested interest that never happened. This is all a part of a plan to allegedly keep Wendy into the conservatorship. It gets tricky out here, but at the end of the day, there's a lot to talk about. Low riders. And every time you guys join me to do it, I appreciate you guys. I will see you you in my next episode.

[Dana Schwartz and Lizzy Logan]

In 1920, a magazine article announced something incredible. Two young girls had photographed real fairies. But even more incredible, that article was written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the man who invented Sherlock Holmes. How did he fall for that hoax? Is a new podcast for me, Dana Schwartz, the host of Noble Blood, and me, Lizzy Logan. Every episode, we'll explore one of the most audacious and ambitious tricks in history and try to answer the question why we believe what we believe. Listen to hoax on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Hunter]

I'm Hunter, host of Hunting for Answers on the Black Effect Podcast Network. Join me every weekday as I share bite sized stories of missing and murdered black women and girls in America. Stories like Erica Hunt, a young mother vanished without a trace after a family gathering on 4th of July weekend, 2016. No goodbyes, no clues, just gone. Listen to Hunting for Answers every weekday on the Black Effect Podcast Network, iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[iHeartRadio Music Festival Announcer]

Our iHeartradio Music Festival, presented by Capital One is coming back to Las Vegas Vegas September 19th and 20th, streaming live only on Hulu. Ladies and gentlemen, Brian Adams, Ed Sheeran, Fade Glorilla Jelly Roll, Sean Fogarty, Lil Wayne, LL Cool J, Mariah Carey, Maroon 5, Sammy Hagar, Tate McCray, the Offspring, Tim McGraw. Tickets are on sale now at AXS.com get your tickets today.

[Ken Jennings]

AXS.com it's black business month and Money and wealth podcast with John Hope Bryant is tapping in. I'm breaking down. Build wealth, create opportunities and move from surviving to thriving. It's time to talk about ownership, equity and everything in between. Black and brown communities have historically been last in line. Let me just say this AI is moving faster than civil rights legislation ever did. Listen to Money and Wealth from the Black Effect podcast network on iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Lauren LaRosa]

This is an iHeart podcast.