The Wendy Williams Show/Fox Broadcasting Comapny/BET/PA ImagesAmerican TV presenter Wendy Williams has backtracked after outraging fans and celebrities alike with her mockery of Joaquin Phoenix’s cleft lip.
The 55-year-old made the controversial comments while presenting her show, aptly titled The Wendy Williams Show.
While she started off by pointing out his ‘piercing eyes’, she swiftly moved onto taking a jab at his cleft palate, pulling her lip up while audience members laughed. However, viewers at home didn’t find it quite so amusing.
Starting off by calling the Oscar-nominated actor ‘unusually attractive’, she then said: ‘When he shaves off his moustache he’s got a hairline fracture. He’s got one of those – what do you call it? Cleft lip, cleft palate.’
The nonsurgical scar – which Phoenix has had on his top lip since birth – is often covered by facial hair. As per the Cleft Lip and Palate Association, he was likely born with a ‘microform cleft’, which doesn’t necessarily require surgery but leaves a groove on the lip.
Cher posted her outrage on Twitter in a series of tweets:
BEFORE THEIR TEENS‼️MUCH OF THE TIME THEY ARE IN PAIN,AFRAID,BUT HAVE HOPE 🙏🏻THEY WILL LOOK NORMAL. THE💔& FEAR THEIR PARENTS GO THROUGH IS UNBEARABLE. IF YOUR MOM SAW WHAT YOU DID SHE’D BE ASHAMED. MY MOM TAUGHT ME TO LOVE & HELP PPL IN PAIN.WHO ARE U⁉️U SHOULD B FIRED
— Cher (@cher) January 16, 2020
After someone replied, saying Williams had apologised, Cher responded:
APOLOGIZED🤬
THERE IS NO APOLOGY FOR
WHAT SHE DID…. & LAUGHED
ABOUT ‼️I KNOW THESE CHILDREN,& ADULTS.THEY GO THROUGH HELL,THEIR PARENTS GO THROUGH HELL‼️Fk Her Apology.
SHE WANTS TO KEEP HER JOB‼️I CANT CONTAIN MY ANGER‼️— Cher (@cher) January 16, 2020
British TV’s Carol Vorderman drew attention to Williams’ behaviour last week, saying she was ‘disgusted’:
As Ambassador for Cleft Lip and Palate Association @CLAPACOMMUNITY I really am disgusted by this @wendywilliams.. Mimicing a cleft lip, and making a joke about it, is disgraceful. Have you any idea the pain and operations a child with cleft must go through as they grow? Please RT https://t.co/bINZItpWgI
— Carol Vorderman (@carolvorders) January 9, 2020
Williams eventually issued an apology after Adam Bighill, a Canadian football player who was born with the condition as well as his son, got in touch with her. After Bighill posted a photo of his son Beau ready to go in for surgery, the host apologised to the ‘cleft community’.
Today is Beau’s big day. He is getting his lip repaired today in Winnipeg by the fantastic Dr. Ross. Thanks to everyone who has reached out, and in advance, thanks for any of your well wishes for Beau. He is so loved! #cleftstrong #1in700 #cleftcutie pic.twitter.com/n3MxaLvl5f
— Adam Bighill (@Bighill44) January 15, 2020
Williams wrote on Twitter:
We’re thinking about Beau today as he is in surgery. I want to apologize to the cleft community and in Beau’s honor, our show is donating to @operationsmile and @AmerCleftPalate and encourage our Wendy Watchers to learn more and help support the cleft community.
Bighill has since responded, replying: ‘Thank you @WendyWilliams for your apology, your donation, and for thinking of Beau today for his surgery. I forgive you, and I encourage others to as well. I wish you all the best.’
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After graduating from Glasgow Caledonian University with an NCTJ and BCTJ-accredited Multimedia Journalism degree, Cameron ventured into the world of print journalism at The National, while also working as a freelance film journalist on the side, becoming an accredited Rotten Tomatoes critic in the process. He’s now left his Scottish homelands and took up residence at UNILAD as a journalist.