Wendy Williams apologizes for Joaquin Phoenix 'cleft lip' comments

[Demovictory9]

After being slammed for appearing to mock those with cleft lips and palates, Wendy Williams has apologized.

The daytime talk show host ran afoul of some parents and activists after recent comments she made regarding a scar on actor Joaquin Phoenix's lip.
While discussing the Golden Globes during her January 7 show, Williams told her show's audience she finds Phoenix — who won a best actor Golden Globe for his "Joker" performance — "oddly attractive."
"When he shaves off his mustache, he's got a hairline fracture," Williams said. "He's got one of those, what do you call it, cleft lip, cleft palate."

Williams pulled her top lip up over her teeth to demonstrate the look of a cleft.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, both a cleft lip and a cleft palate "are birth defects that occur when a baby's lip or mouth do not form properly during pregnancy. Together, these birth defects commonly are called 'orofacial clefts.'"
Canadian football player Adam Bighill was one of several people who criticized Williams on social media and repeatedly called for Williams to apologize.
On Wednesday he tweeted a photo of him holding his son, Beau.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/16/entertainment/wendy-williams-joaquin-phoenix-cleft-lip/index.html

Link to tweet

[MuseRider]

1. What a jerk and a clueless idiot.

My mother had a nasty scar. At least her palate was fixed and she could talk without sounding funny. She could not blow up a balloon though, lol. She was so terribly embarrassed by it her whole life. Growing up in a prominent family in a very small town the only child of the only divorced mother in the town in the 30's made it all hard for her.

We all have our scars, some are not easy to see and some are. If you are lucky enough not to have one I say be compassionate and keep your f'ing mouth shut.

[Hekate]

2. Surgery has come light-years since I was a kid in the '50s...

A classmate of mine in 3rd and 4th grades had a very obvious cleft lip and cleft palate repair and speech that sounded both nasal and as though air was being pushed in the wrong direction.

I've seen the ads for Smile Train, the charity that repairs these birth defects in undeveloped countries, and the before and after photos seem miraculous.

Nowadays I sometimes look at an adult with a very thin scar from one nostril through the upper lip and think of my childhood friend, hoping he was able to have the modern plastic surgery whenever it was it became available.

to the memory of your mom

[MuseRider]

4. Thank you!

That is very kind of you and I will return the hug . Life is hard enough without jerks pointing out things that you cannot even begin to change.

I hope your friend was able to do that. It is really not that uncommon so it is very good that there are so many places that help people with this. I have seen some very bad cleft lips and heard of people who cannot eat like we can because of the palate. I do not think anyone needs to be reminded of their differences, surely this dope knew that she was not the first person to point that out.

I knew someone like your childhood friend. He was of no mind to change things and was fine with the way he was. It was pretty impressive and very brave I thought back in those days.

[onecent]

3. Congratulation to Beau's big day. He is so sweet, and he will have

many many GREAT DAYS!!!!!!

[CurtEastPoint]

5. Someone should mock Ms. Wendy for her alopecia (aka bald) and tacky wigs. So there.

[maxsolomon]

6. We're all basically very frilly tubes.

folding and folding from the tips of our noses to our buttholes.

sometimes the tubes don't grow 100% perfect.

she apologized, she learned. let's move on.