Who could forget the time Wendy Williams fainted on live TV? It turns out the addiction that led to that incident was also the reason her first husband, Bert Gary Gory, left her. Wendy has been pretty successful at making us forget she was married before Kevin Hunter, but that first marriage was just as messy. Allegedly, it ended because of Wendy’s severe addiction, and Bert himself has spoken about why he had to walk away from their dysfunctional relationship. So, what did he say about Wendy’s addiction that destroyed their marriage? And why does Wendy act like that chapter of her life never existed?
Wendy has been quite open about her tumultuous relationship with Kevin, including his infidelity and having a child with another woman. But why does she keep everything about Bert under wraps? Maybe it’s because Bert knows so much about what really caused their marriage to end.
From what I could find out about Bert, he is—or at least was—a sales and marketing expert in Charlotte, North Carolina. Since 2010, he’s been the president of G2 Marketing, a digital marketing company. He met Wendy while working at KISS FM, where she was an on-air presenter. They started hanging out, and their casual meetups eventually turned into a romantic relationship, leading to marriage. However, after only five months, they began to live apart due to tensions and misunderstandings. They divorced in 1995, just a year after getting married.
Isn’t it strange that this part of Wendy’s life was left out of her biopic? How can a major event like a first marriage be excluded from a film that’s supposed to cover significant moments in her life? In the biopic, Wendy briefly mentions why she skips over her first marriage, saying, “Yeah, I’m skipping over my first husband. He was just a rebound after the disaster with Eric B. It was a starter marriage that lasted five months, and frankly, it’s not interesting enough to talk about.” Despite Wendy’s claim that there’s nothing interesting about her relationship with Bert, it seems like there’s a lot more to the story.
You know what’s wild? Wendy only spilled the tea about Bert in her autobiography, “Wendy’s Got the Heat,” where she called him Robert Morris III to keep things under wraps. She admitted they looked good arm in arm, but when it came down to it, they just couldn’t make it work. According to Wendy, they were constantly at odds over everything, from her style to her club appearances. And she didn’t hold back about how she couldn’t stand Bert’s crew, made up mostly of computer geeks, corporate types, and her radio fans who couldn’t stop prying about celebs.
In her book, Wendy didn’t shy away from revealing the rough patches with Bert, especially the time he crossed a major line by spitting in her face during their final blowout. After they split, Bert didn’t exactly take the high road—he started badmouthing Wendy and even had the nerve to ask for alimony in their divorce papers to keep living large. Sound familiar? That’s because it’s pretty much what Wendy went through with Kevin.
While Wendy has her perspective, Bert’s take on the end of their marriage differs significantly. In 2019, when Wendy entered rehab, Bert spoke candidly about their relationship in an interview with Radar Online. This was also when Wendy disclosed her stay in a sober house.
Wendy revealed her ongoing struggle with sobriety, stating, “And even today and beyond, I have been living in a sober house. I am driven by my 24-hour sober coach back to a home. Lights out by 10 PM. So I go to my room, and I stare at the ceiling and I fall asleep to wake up to come back here to see you. So that is my truth.”
In addition, Wendy addressed her on-air collapse, emphasizing that it was genuine: “That was not a stunt. I’m overheated in my costume and I did pass out, but you know what? I’m a champ and I’m back.”
Bert shared some insights with Radar Online about his relationship with Wendy. Firstly, he strongly denied any mistreatment of Wendy, asserting instead that their marriage was strained primarily due to her addiction issues and alleged infidelity. He revealed, “After we split, I started getting calls from people telling me different things. But by then, it didn’t really matter. Several folks came forward with stories of her being involved with others.”
Bert even admitted to knowing about one affair Wendy had with someone in the entertainment industry but chose not to reveal the person’s identity out of respect for their family. He emphasized that their breakup was mainly due to Wendy’s undisclosed addiction problems, which he claims he was completely unaware of during their relationship. It was only after they separated that he realized her erratic behavior might have been linked to substance abuse.
According to Bert, Wendy underwent a significant change due to her addiction, leading to strains in their relationship. He even recalled a heated argument during their honeymoon, where Wendy’s desire to go out alone raised suspicions of drug involvement.
Those familiar with Wendy’s journey know that Bert’s recent revelation wasn’t exactly breaking news. Wendy has been candid about her ongoing battle with addiction:
“I was what you’d call a ‘functioning addict.’ Despite my struggles, I never missed a beat at work. Everyone, from my colleagues to my bosses, knew. But instead of showing me the door, they’d watch me defiantly march into the studio with my headphones on, ready to deliver. They couldn’t fire me; I was pulling in the ratings.”
Unfortunately, amidst all the chaos in her life, Wendy faced a setback and experienced a relapse. In January 2022, Wells Fargo took a drastic step and froze her accounts, citing concerns about her mental state and the possibility of financial exploitation:
“When I started asking questions about my finances, Lori Schiller suddenly went silent. I’m just asking for clarity about my own money. It’s not fair that Wells Fargo is dodging my inquiries. I deserve some straightforward answers.”
In August 2022, Wendy checked into a rehab facility once more, this time to confront her severe alcoholism. It followed a string of highly publicized incidents involving alcohol. Despite reportedly lacking the willpower to quit, Wendy committed to a two-month stint in rehab, claiming to feel revitalized upon completion. However, later reports from The Sun detailed hospital admissions and event cancellations, hinting at ongoing struggles. Concerns about Wendy’s well-being were shared by her brother Tommy and son Kevin Jr., suggesting that her battle with health issues persisted.
Regarding Wendy’s first marriage to Bert, he attributed its end to her addiction. Yet, there’s speculation, fueled by Wendy’s own statements, that Bert’s mistreatment may have been a contributing factor. So, the question lingers: Was the divorce mainly a consequence of Wendy’s addiction or mistreatment by Bert? Your thoughts are welcome below.
