Wendy Williams' former spouse, Kevin Hunter, has achieved a significant legal victory in his $10 million lawsuit against the producers of "The Wendy Williams Show." This development comes after a New York federal judge ruled against the show's production company, Debmar Mercury, and its heads, Ira Bernstein and Mort Marcus, rejecting their bid to dismiss the lawsuit.
Kevin Hunter's lawsuit alleges wrongful termination from his role as an executive producer on "The Wendy Williams Show." The termination, he claims, was solely based on the dissolution of his marriage to Wendy Williams, particularly after she filed for divorce in 2019, accusing him of infidelity. The lawsuit states, “The termination of [Kevin] was based strictly upon [Kevin’s] marital status and his impending divorce to the Show’s host, ignoring all of the contributions that [Kevin] made to make the Show a success.”
Kevin's contributions to the show were indeed significant. He claims to have been instrumental in the creation of iconic segments such as "Hot Topics" and "Shoe Cam." Furthermore, he asserts that he played a pivotal role in developing marketing strategies, establishing media contacts, and bridging the gap between the show and the African-American community. This was particularly crucial given Debmar’s alleged lack of understanding of the show’s target audience. Kevin's tenure as executive producer spanned from 2007 to 2019, ending abruptly due to allegations of an affair with Sharina Hudson, with whom he now shares a child.
The lawsuit further alleges that the producers planned to incorporate many elements from "The Wendy Williams Show" into a new talk show featuring Sherri Shepherd. Kevin argues that this decision violates New York law. In their defense, the producers contended that the New York law cited by Kevin, which prohibits discrimination based on marital status, does not apply to discrimination based on being married to a specific individual. However, the judge refuted this argument, stating that Kevin's allegations of being terminated due to his impending divorce from Wendy Williams fall under the purview of marital status discrimination as per New York law.
This legal battle has been ongoing since February 2022, and the recent ruling means the case will now proceed. A hearing has been scheduled for later this month. This lawsuit is one of several challenges Kevin has faced recently, including financial difficulties following the suspension of his alimony payments amidst Wendy's dispute with Wells Fargo.
The end of Kevin's tenure and the subsequent legal battles coincide with a challenging period for "The Wendy Williams Show." The show was officially canceled in June 2022 after Wendy Williams faced a series of health issues, leading to her absence throughout the final season.
It remains to be seen how this lawsuit will unfold and what implications it might have for all parties involved.