Kevin Hunter reportedly wants that old thing back — the old spousal support payments, that is. Wendy Williams‘ ex-husband has filed court documents to resume alimony despite his ex-wife’s recent health and financial struggles. According to RadarOnline, the 50-year-old maintains that the talk show host stopped sending payments in October 2021.
In response, Williams’ attorney filed a separate motion noting the drastic change in her income since last year. Documents show she stopped receiving her salary in October weeks after she first began missing appearances on “The Wendy Williams Show.” Some outlets claim she was paid $55,000 per episode for the show Hunter executive produced from 2007 to 2019.
“On October 15, of 2021 plaintiff was informed by Talk WW that her contract was being suspended and that no compensation shall accrue or be payable to plaintiff for the duration of plaintiff’s disability and incapacity,” stated Williams’ attorney.
After nearly 22 years of marriage, Hunter and Williams finalized their divorce in January 2020. They share a 25-year-old son, Kevin Hunter Jr. Her attorney noted the divorce decree they both signed and agreed to.
“If, for any reason, [Plaintiffs] contract with Talk WW is not renewed and/or is otherwise suspended, canceled or terminated and [Plaintiff] does not have any other television show being aired and paying her an equivalent salary, [Defendant] understands and agrees that all Severance Payment shall be subject to either termination or modification,” the document continued.
The attorney added, “She presently has no other television show being aired and paying her any income, let alone an equivalent salary.”
Hunter seemingly referred to the case in a post on his Instagram Story on Wednesday, Nov. 30. He claims his latest filing has “nothing to with Wendy” and everything to do with people and producers he previously worked with.
“Everybody wanna know what’s really going on…the fact is I’m not being silent anymore this don’t have nothing to do with Wendy but has everything to do with the people trying to steal Hard earned money that I worked for and help build,” Hunter wrote. “I have a slew of experts to help substantiate all my claims and I’m tired of this bull—t. I didn’t forfeit as much as I did for my son to go through this..miss me with the double standard sh-t as well. IT’S ON!!!!”
After Hunter fathered a child with another woman in 2019, Williams filed for divorce and he was later fired as executive producer. She was ordered to pay him a lump sum in exchange for his shares of their production company. But at the start of her fall 2021, the beloved talk show host began experiencing a series of health scares, hospital visits, and an ugly financial battle with Wells Fargo.
Her departure led to months of guest hosts on “The Wendy Williams Show” before it was canceled indefinitely in February. The long-running series aired its last episode later in June. This was also three months after Hunter sued the show’s production company, Debmar-Mercury.
Back in March, Hunter sought $10 million in damages from the production company founders Ira Bernstein and Mort Marcus, claiming they unlawfully terminated him over his divorce. In a statement from his attorneys, Hunter took credit for bringing the show “tremendous success.” He claims he helped develop popular segments like “Hot Topics,” “Shoe Cam,” and the famous “Hot Seat.”
The production duo’s response to the court, as reported by Radar Online, was to seek dismissal of the claim on the grounds that Hunter has not provided sufficient evidence he was terminated because of the divorce under state law.
The founders said his “claim warrants dismissal because his marriage to Williams, in particular, is not a protected characteristic” by the law.
According to New York State Division of Human Rights, “It is unlawful pursuant to the Human Rights Law for an employer to discriminate because of an individual’s age, race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, sex, disability, predisposing genetic characteristics, familial status, marital status, or domestic violence victim status.”
