Wendy Williams is undoubtedly one of the household names in the television and entertainment industry in the U.S. Born on July 18, 1964, in Asbury Park, New Jersey, Williams is widely known for her syndicated talk show “The Wendy Williams Show.”
It all started for the New York native in the entertainment industry when she graduated from Northeastern University with a degree in communications and a minor in journalism. During her studies, she worked for St. Croix’s WVIS radio station in the Virgin Islands.
At the time, the celebrated talk show host noted that she earned only $3.75/hour. However, according to Williams, the gig helped launched her career in the media.
“TBT to the year I graduated from Northeastern University in Boston,” she posted on Instagram. “I hightailed it to the USVI where I had my first radio job. I made $3.75/hour and loved every second of it. I was on my own and lived in a small apartment.
She added: “It was an amazing experience and really helped launch my career. To all those who graduated this year, congratulations. And remember what Aunt Wendy says – focus on yourself and your career.”
Today, Williams has an accumulated net worth of $40 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Her salary for The Wendy Williams Show is $10 million per year, the outlet reports, adding that in a year she films over 180 episodes which translates into a salary of $55,000 per episode.
Williams landed her first professional radio job at WVIS in the Virgin Islands. After a year, she moved to New York City to work as a substitute DJ at WRKS. She later moved to an afternoon drive-time shift, eventually winning the Billboard Award for “Best On-Air Radio Personality” in 1993.
Her career blossomed when she made a move to Philadelphia to work for WUSL (“Power 99FM”). At WUSL, she made a name for herself through her raw discussions around sensitive topics on personal life, former drug addiction, breast enhancement surgery, and miscarriages.
Her thought-provoking discussions on radio endeared her to fans. Williams was subsequently inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame. However, she felt it was time to quit radio and move to TV.
In 2001, she launched the “The Wendy Williams Show” which airs on BET and Fox. In its 13 seasons and counting, the show is syndicated in 53 countries and will continue into 2022. Her show is one of the most successful TV shows and attracts some 2.3 million daily viewers. In 2015, the show was ranked number one in the demographic of women 25-54 in the U.S.
Williams’ journey has not been smooth sailing. She achieved success in the midst of chaos in her life. In 2019, she opened up about a relapse of alcohol and drug addiction and living in a sober living house. She also filed for divorce from Kevin Hunter and opened up about her lymphedema diagnosis that has been causing her legs and ankles to swell.
She told the LA Times, “The elephant in the room is that I’ve been having a very, very tough year, but slowly but surely I’m climbing out of the pit. Sometimes life is a very, very lonely path, and you’ve just got to make some hard decisions.”
Nevertheless, Williams came through stronger than ever. In an interview recently, she revealed that she was now living her best life. “I like who I am, so I have no regrets,” she said. “If anything, I’m extremely happy that I’m still relevant enough that I’m able to come through some pretty kick behind double doors and say. ‘How you doing?’ and still be young, fun, and pop culture relevant.”
