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Execs to Wendy: Tone It Down


WENDY WILLIAMS X390 (GETTY) | ADVOCATE.COM

Wendy Williams coined a household catchphrase with her signature “How you doin’?” but according to the New York Post, execs with The Wendy Williams Show are asking the host to tone down her image for season 2.

Reads The Post: “To appeal to middle-America moms, executives dumped producer Rob Dauber and even told the hair-and-makeup team to tone down Williams' look.”

Interestingly, Dauber is the one who flew into damage control mode last year when it was reported New York-based drag queen Erickatoure Aviance had been turned away from the show because she showed up to watch in drag.

Aviance told The Advocate last August she dressed up “because I thought she'd appreciate it.” Williams has long compared her own look to drag.

According to reports, Williams was also asked to dial down her personality. The show returns from hiatus in September.

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Reader Comments
  • Name: Steve Brame
    Date posted: 9/7/2010 11:45:30 PM
    Hometown: Princeton, NJ

    Comment:

    Her whole schtick is over-the-top drama. Toning it down is asking her to change into someone else, and it's her big personality that created her celebrity status. Unfortunately, she supported the Superbowl anti-abortion ad without acknowledging that Fox was in bed with the anti-choice group that sponsored the ad, co-writing it essentially, which is also a virulently homophobic group. Fox had denied pro-gay ads deemed "controversial", yet changed their critieria when accepting and co-writing the anti-choice ad. I was very disappointed in Wendy Williams' support of that ad.

  • Name: Zak in the ATL
    Date posted: 9/7/2010 11:17:38 PM
    Hometown: Atlanta

    Comment:

    Wendy's show is a daytime talk show -- not a reality show. She's got a big following in the African American community, the music business and a big ole gay following. If you've never seen her show or heard of her, you've been under a rock. She's a wonderful person and very pro-gay. One of the most fun shows out there. Set your DVR's people!

  • Name: David K Moyer
    Date posted: 9/7/2010 9:10:41 PM
    Hometown: Allentown

    Comment:

    I can't believe that someone is asking the show to be toned down, I think it needs to be turned up more at least Wendy has the "balls" to tackle some of these nonsense issue. I love her show and have turned a lot of my friends onto her show, she is what the Fox network needs, as far as I'm concerned it is one of the best hours of early morning television.

  • Name: thomas
    Date posted: 9/7/2010 5:04:20 PM
    Hometown: san antonio

    Comment:

    people are so ignorant don't watch her show she must be doin something right if ur talking shit about her being a man which she isn't and for lgbt people to be talking about a woman looking like a man is shooting urself in the foot in case u didn't know

  • Name: thomas
    Date posted: 9/7/2010 4:58:32 PM
    Hometown: san antonio

    Comment:

    this is just another way for them to put their feet on our necks i love wendy for the fact that she is the kind of woman that doesn't care what people think she is her i wouldn't watch it for the fact that their trying to change her to suit a certain demographic

  • Name: Jane
    Date posted: 9/7/2010 4:07:25 PM
    Hometown: Pasadena, CA

    Comment:

    ...wait; seriously, Wendy isn't a man in drag? Really; come on, really?

  • Name: Mark
    Date posted: 9/7/2010 1:19:43 PM
    Hometown: Omaha

    Comment:

    I am not a fan of Wendy's show, but my partner is, so I've seen it a number of times. Frankly, if they ask her to tone it down, the show won't be nearly as interesting. Wendy's personality and style are what make people want to watch.

  • Name: JasonBR
    Date posted: 9/7/2010 1:03:30 PM
    Hometown: Baton Rouge

    Comment:

    I don't watch the show and don't plan to watch the show, but if she already has enough viewer ship to warrant a second season I wouldn't change anything. As the old saying goes, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"

  • Name: Victor J Kinzer
    Date posted: 9/7/2010 8:51:12 AM
    Hometown: Bloomington, IN

    Comment:

    To JDB: It does name the show. In the first paragraph. Delightful attention to Detail. To Alan: So you haven't seen the show, but feel the need to post something degrading and mean spirited. You must be a delightful date. I for one have not watched the show due to not having Television, but I do remember the tussle when Ms. Williams said something that was interpreted as anti-gay and the steps she took to fix the problem. From all of the coverage of that incident it seems like she is baudy, says what comes to mind without any real concern about political correctness, but is a decent person and a friend to our community. She handled the fallout over her statements with far more grace than most people who GLAAD aims their guns at and I really appreciated it. The conversations that happen when people of this nature say things "unacceptable" are important, and we need more of them. I am disappointed about this executive decision.

  • Name: BigFren
    Date posted: 9/6/2010 7:38:04 PM
    Hometown: Jamaica

    Comment:

    If you are already a fan of Wendy's you know what she offers and you love it; not like it, love it! Her brand of late night / evening talk-TV appeals to me after I've read enough for the evening and need to empty my mind for sleep. If they 'tone her down' I'll simply change the station since for me Wendy Williams is like a craving for something sweet. When I want Wendy, I want Wendy not a toned-down version. Otherwise, why bother, audiences have varying apitites, Ms. Williams is one such.



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