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Wendy Williams’ ex Kevin Hunter slams talk show’s finale as a ‘travesty’
Kevin Hunter didn’t mince words when it came time to address the finale of “The Wendy Williams Show.”
Williams’ ex-husband, who is in the midst of a lawsuit with the daytime talk show’s production company, Debmar-Mercury, blasted the final episode as a “travesty.”
“I feel like it is a travesty on the part of Debmar-Mercury to have such an unceremonious departure without Wendy being involved,” he said in a statement to “Entertainment Tonight.”
“It is the first time in the history of talk shows for this to be done, especially for a show that has been on for more than 10 years,” Hunter, 50, added. “There is absolutely no reason why a bigger celebration that involved Wendy couldn’t happen.”
Hunter, who shares son Kevin Hunter Jr., 21, with Williams, co-created “Wendy” with his former wife but was fired from his role as executive producer just one week after she filed for divorce in April 2019.
“I know the blood, sweat and tears that went into making the show such a success, [and] I am not happy with the way the show is going out on a personal level,” he continued, “and I am truly sorry that the show’s fans have to see it go down the way that it is.”
A spokesperson for the show confirmed to Page Six earlier this week that it would be ending Friday after 13 seasons. Williams, 57, did not appear for a goodbye tribute, but the show aired a video montage of its eponymous host, who has been struggling with her health in recent years.
“The final original episode of ‘The Wendy Williams Show’ will air on Friday, June 17, with a video tribute to the iconic host,” the statement said. “The series comes to an end after 13 successful years in syndication.”
Hunter sued Debmar-Mercury for wrongful termination in March. The civil lawsuit filed in New York City federal court claimed the production company had wrongfully fired Hunter “on the basis of his marital status” to Williams.
“Hunter was one of the reasons behind the Wendy William Show’s tremendous success and everything seemed to go south after he left,” Hunter’s attorney, Abe George, told Page Six in a statement after filing.
“Mr. Hunter was unlawfully terminated solely due to his marital status to Wendy, which is contrary to human rights laws in NYC.”
Hunter’s suit named Debmar-Mercury founders Ira Bernstein and Mort Marcus as defendants and demanded a jury trial.
Hunter, who is now living in Florida with fiancée Sharina Hudson, with whom he also shares a child, is seeking a monetary award of at least $7 million as well as punitive damages, lost wages and legal fees, according to the court documents obtained by Page Six.
“The way Debmar meticulously involved themselves in my personal life, their want to divide and conquer so that they could have access to Wendy, and the practices they carried on with and the way they involved themselves in with me and my ex-wife is deplorable,” Hunter shared with “ET.”
