Wendy Williams faces blistering backlash over ‘disgusting’ coverage of TikTok star’s murder
Wendy Williams has been criticised for her comments about Swayve. (YouTube)
Wendy Williams is facing fierce backlash on social media over her “disgusting” coverage of a TikTok star’s murder.
The legendary talkshow host showed the audience a photo of Swavy, a TikTok star and dancer. Swavy, whose real name was Matima Miller, was shot dead on Monday morning (5 July) in what his family said was “a senseless act of gun violence”.
Showing the photo of Swavy, Wendy Williams declared: “I have no idea who this is. Neither does Norman, neither does one person in this building.”
She asked the audience: “Do you know who Swavy is? Clap if you know who Swavy is.”
When only a few members of the audience clapped, Williams turned her attention to the crew working on her show, who also said they didn’t know who Swavy was.
“Well, he’s a TikTok star. He’s got more followers than me. 2.5 million,” Williams said.
A member of her crew chimed in: “On TikTok. But on Instagram, you have more followers.”
Wendy Williams revealed that Swavy had been murdered at the end of the segment
“Well as my son Kevin would say, no one uses Instagram any more. And as far as TikTok, I don’t use that at all. I don’t know what that is, I don’t want to be involved,” Williams joked.
She then said: “So here he is,” before looking back at Swavy’s photo for a long moment.
“He’s 19 and he was murdered Monday morning,” she said to shocked gasps from the audience.
Williams has faced resounding backlash on social media for the way she approached Swavy’s murder.
TikTok star Kita Rose hit out at the talkshow host in a video, saying: “Imagine living in a world where before you announce to your audience that somebody has died you make fun of their appearance. Then at your huge-ass age you compare follower count.”
She added: “Wendy, you are on a downward spiral.”
Forget cancel culture…cancel Wendy Williams bruh. Wtf! Smh pic.twitter.com/TtrJR5JZ9o
— TB2 (@tbtwotimes) July 8, 2021
Countless others shared their frustrations with Williams on Twitter.
Black Twitter agreeing to cancel Wendy Williams around the table after watching that video… pic.twitter.com/CAnHKoqO5j— Jermaine (@JermaineWatkins) July 9, 2021
The way Wendy Williams introduced that story about that TikTok star's passing was offensive. I swear she still thinks she is on the radio with the way she discusses the news. She has always had a very dark spirit.— ????? (@MJFINESSELOVER) July 9, 2021
Wendy Williams will have a lot to answer for one day.
And it’s always made me uncomfortable that a lot of the people she targets for nastiness are Black and so much of her audience is white.— A Fine Artist (@indigogloves) July 8, 2021
Wendy Williams brings up Swavy’s death in the most unexpected and disrespectful way imaginable.
Disgusting, Wendy.pic.twitter.com/pXcBgJvsbu
— Gabe Sanchez (@iamgabesanchez) July 9, 2021
This is far from the first time Wendy Williams has found herself in hot water over comments made on her talkshow. In February 2020, she lost a huge swathe of her once loyal queer fanbase when she said gay men shouldn’t wear skirts and heels.
She later issued a tearful apology for her comments, telling fans: “I did not mean to offend my LGBTQ+ community.”
