Lifestyle
Wendy Williams is diagnosed with aphasia and frontotemporal dementia
![Wendy Williams is diagnosed with aphasia and frontotemporal dementia Wendy Williams is diagnosed with aphasia and frontotemporal dementia](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2024/02/22/ap20139825183676_wide-aeb8d60f5196bb71e5fa9fb3ac5656f4c7df56f2-s1400-c100.jpg)
Wendy Williams has been diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), her medical care team announced Thursday. Here, Williams attends the world premiere of Apple TV+’s The Morning Show in New York on Oct. 28, 2019.
Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
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Wendy Williams has been diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), her medical care team announced Thursday. Here, Williams attends the world premiere of Apple TV+’s The Morning Show in New York on Oct. 28, 2019.
Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
Wendy Williams, the former TV talk show host and shock jock, has been diagnosed with aphasia and frontotemporal dementia, her medical team announced.
In a news release Thursday, her team said Williams, 59, received her diagnosis last year and that the conditions have already “presented significant hurdles in Wendy’s life.”
“Wendy is still able to do many things for herself,” her team said, noting that she is appreciative of the kind thoughts and wishes being sent to her. “Most importantly she maintains her trademark sense of humor and is receiving the care she requires to make sure she is protected and that her needs are addressed.”
News of her latest medical diagnosis comes days ahead of the Lifetime premiere of Where is Wendy Williams? — a two-part documentary detailing her health battles following the end of her syndicated talk show in 2022.
![After more than a decade of accolades and controversy, 'The Wendy Williams Show' ends](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2022/06/16/ap21029628051558_sq-604f4818a9bf93278fb9534300305de9717923cb-s100.jpg)
Williams, the former TV host of The Wendy Williams Show, stepped away from the world of broadcasting following a series of health issues. (Williams also has Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder affecting the thyroid.)
In 2022, due to her ongoing health battles, it was announced that her syndicated daytime talk show would end after a 13-year run on TV.
Williams’ team says they shared the health update this week to “correct inaccurate and hurtful rumors about her health,” as many fans have been concerned, yet confused over the last few years about her physical health and financial well-being.
In 2022, the 59-year-old was placed under temporary financial guardianship after her bank, Wells Fargo, raised concerns — claiming in a New York court that she is an “incapacitated person,” The Hollywood Reporter reported.
What exactly is aphasia?
Aphasia is defined as a condition that affects the ability to speak, write and understand language, according to the Mayo Clinic. The language disorder can occur after strokes or head injuries — and can even lead, in some cases, to dementia.
Medical experts say the impacts of the disorder can vary, depending on the person’s diagnosis. But mainly, the condition affects a person’s ability to communicate — whether written, spoken or both.
Nearly 180,000 people in the U.S. acquire the condition each year. Most people living with aphasia are middle-aged or older, as the average age of those living with the condition is 70 years old. However, anyone, including young children, can acquire it.
![Understanding aphasia, the condition impacting Bruce Willis' acting career](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2022/03/30/BruceWillis_sq-4d008872a462e690c25196d299986839e6d277f4-s100.jpg)
Dr. Jonathon Lebovitz, a neurosurgeon specializing in the surgical treatment of brain and spine conditions at Nuvance Health, told NPR in 2022 following the diagnosis of actor Bruce Willis, that a person’s condition depends on the exact portion of the brain that’s impacted.
“In most patients that have aphasia, it is a symptom of a larger medical issue,” Lebovitz said.
What is frontotemporal dementia?
Frontotemporal dementia, commonly known as FTD, is one of several types of dementia that cause nerve damage in the frontal and temporal lobes — which leads to a loss of function in those areas, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
FTD can also disrupt motor function and movement, which could be classified as Lou Gehrig’s disease — otherwise known as ALS.
There are two different types of frontotemporal dementia: Behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia, which causes nerve loss in the areas of the brain that control empathy, judgment and conduct, and primary progressive aphasia (PPA) — the form Williams has, which affects language skills, speaking, writing and comprehension.
About 30% of people with frontotemporal degeneration inherit the disease. The underlying causes of FTD are unknown.
What are the treatment options for aphasia and FTD?
For those who are diagnosed with aphasia, there are several treatment options available.
Traditionally, most people undergo a form of speech and language therapy to restore their communicative skills. Additionally, there are ongoing clinical trials that use brain stimulation and may help improve one’s ability to regain skills.
![A Reading Teacher Who Lost The Ability To Read](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2014/01/25/istock_000018773151small_sq-0b5b4509704f629b1bff70fdb6b8a4b00a040659-s100.jpg)
So far, no long-term research on aphasia has been conducted yet.
When it comes to FTD, there are medications that can help relieve symptoms but with time, the disease eventually gets worse.
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Lifestyle
Tragedy feels all too familiar in these two international dramas
![Tragedy feels all too familiar in these two international dramas Tragedy feels all too familiar in these two international dramas](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3598x2024+33+0/resize/1400/quality/100/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Feb%2Fa6%2F753c8cf240a182d191625172cbfd%2F1477463-125979-zoomed.jpg)
The Swedish series Quicksand and the Mexican drama The Accident offer a reminder that justice plays out differently around the world. Above, Hanna Ardéhn as Maja in Quicksand.
/Netflix
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/Netflix
When a show is called The Accident, you know something very bad is going to happen, and when it opens with a kids’ birthday party, you know it’s probably going to be extra bad.
While on vacation, I came across the 10-episode Spanish-language Netflix series The Accident, which is currently in the Netflix Top 10. I decided to give it a whirl, as much as anything because I wanted to know what the accident was. I had not watched the trailer, which gives it away, but because it does (and it’s revealed in the opening episode), I will tell you what the accident is: At the party, the bounce house where the kids are playing is picked up by a gust of wind, and tragedy ensues.
YouTube
Unfortunately, this can happen (there was a similar tragedy in Maryland not long ago), but this is only the inciting incident. As we follow the affected families, there is intrigue over a business deal, there is an affair, there is a very scary man, there is a teenage romance, and there is a tangled tale of who is responsible for this accident. The series is about the ways these people are changed by one day in their lives, but it also has a strong undercurrent of soapy drama.
![Clockwise from top left: Industry, My Lady Jane, The Bear, The Umbrella Academy, Clipped and House of the Dragon](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1351x1350+101+0/resize/100/quality/100/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc5%2Fbe%2Fdd41899f4cdc8741c6f8af081988%2F6-images-1.jpg)
I’m not sure the show is terrific, but it’s very watchable, in that I watched all 10 episodes in a single day. (Vacation!) This is a Mexican drama, and it made me think about how, wherever a story comes from, the deepest anxieties often echo pretty effectively. A nightmare that involves kids, families that start placing blame, parents who are trying to balance career and family responsibilities with devastating costs for failure – it’s all pretty horrifying.
It’s hard to transition with the words “speaking of horrifying,” but I also watched the 2019 Swedish drama series Quicksand, adapted from the book of the same name, which begins with a school shooting. A young woman named Maja (Hanna Ardéhn) is discovered covered in blood after a shooting that kills several people (including her boyfriend), and over six episodes, the series explores what her role was and what culpability she has. While some of it is about what could possibly drive anyone to commit an act like this, a lot of it is also about the toxicity that can develop in relationships between teenagers, particularly ones who feel alienated from friends or family. Ardéhn is excellent, as is the rest of the cast, and the story walks a fine line between sensitivity and mystery as it provides more and more information about the events on the day.
YouTube
While both of these series are what you might call a “tough sit” because of the subject matter, it’s always interesting to look through a different lens at storytelling that touches on familiar things. For an American viewer like me, both series drive home the point that the justice system works differently in different places – and that criminal offenses can have wildly different penalties in other countries.
And as always, I do recommend watching these shows with subtitles, for the simple reason that you have to give them your attention. You can’t second-screen if you need to read along, and there’s much to be said for training yourself to let something hold your focus for, say, eight hours or so.
Netflix is now serving me recommendations for many, many, many dramas that were produced internationally. I’ll see you in a few years, when I’ve made a dent.
This piece also appeared in NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour newsletter. Sign up for the newsletter so you don’t miss the next one, plus get weekly recommendations about what’s making us happy.
Listen to Pop Culture Happy Hour on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Lifestyle
49ers Rookie WR Ricky Pearsall Shot During Attempted Robbery
![49ers Rookie WR Ricky Pearsall Shot During Attempted Robbery 49ers Rookie WR Ricky Pearsall Shot During Attempted Robbery](https://imagez.tmz.com/image/5d/16by9/2024/09/01/5d226ed4d3374571bdab45d442a28b6e_xl.jpg)
Ricky Pearsall, the 49ers 2024 first-round draft pick, was shot earlier today during an attempted burglary in San Francisco, the city’s mayor announced.
23-year-old Pearsall is in stable condition at a local hospital … after reportedly being shot in the arm around 3:30 PM.
San Francisco 49ers rookie receiver Ricky Pearsall shot in Union Square. pic.twitter.com/tzsRctqSii
— VideoMixtape.com (@VideoMixtape_) September 1, 2024
@VideoMixtape_
The alleged shooter was caught at the scene and is currently in custody.
The harrowing incident went down Saturday afternoon in the Union Square area of downtown SF, according to SFPD.
Cops says they responded to call for a shooting … and when they arrived on the scene, they encountered two injured people. Video taken on the street appears to show Pearsall walkin to the ambulance.
Video of 49ers draft pick Ricky Pearsall walking to ambulance after police say he was shot near Union Square. Video from witness. @KTVU pic.twitter.com/luhulILUQ7
— Zak Sos (@ZakSNews) September 1, 2024
@ZakSNews
While investigating, it became clear one of the injured was Pearsall, and the other was the alleged burglar … who was injured while committing the alleged crime.
“This afternoon, there was an attempted robbery in Union Square involving San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall and he was shot. SFPD was on scene immediately and an arrest of the shooter was made,” SF mayor London Breed said in a statement.
“My thoughts are with Ricky and his family at this time.”
The Niners drafted Pearsall, a wide receiver, 31st overall in the NFL Draft back in April after a senior season where he caught 65 passes for 965 yards and 4 TDs for the Florida Gators.
Pearsall wasn’t expected to play a major role within the Niners offense this year … with stars like like Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk ahead of him on the depth chart.
Pearsall was also battling a shoulder injury this preseason, prior to Saturday’s shooting.
Story developing …
Lifestyle
'Wait Wait' for August 31, 2024: Live in Minnesota with Nate Berkus
!['Wait Wait' for August 31, 2024: Live in Minnesota with Nate Berkus 'Wait Wait' for August 31, 2024: Live in Minnesota with Nate Berkus](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4032x2268+0+0/resize/1400/quality/100/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fdc%2F79%2F6c7afa6242ce9a53f9c10f64e374%2Fgettyimages-1436835915.jpg)
Nate Berkus speaks onstage during the Celebrity Cruises newest and most luxurious ship, Celebrity Beyond, makes north American debut in NYC on October 25, 2022 in Bayonne, New Jersey. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for Celebrity Cruises)
Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for Celebrity Cruis/Getty Images North America
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This week’s show was recorded at the Orpheum Theater in Minneapolis with host Peter Sagal, judge and scorekeeper Bill Kurtis, Not My Job guest Nate Berkus and panelists Joyelle Nicole Johnson, Bobcat Goldthwait, and Josh Gondelman. Click the audio link above to hear the whole show.
Who’s Bill This Time
Beware of Babies; Coffee Conundrum; Even Killer Whales Need Practice
Panel Questions
The Buddy System Fails
Bluff The Listener
Our panelists tell three stories about someone saying “I told you so,” only one of which is true.
Not My Job: We quiz celebrity designer Nate Berkus on tattoos
Interior Designer Nate Berkus plays our game called “Try Some Exterior Decorating.” Three questions about tattoos.
Panel Questions
A Suspicious Promotion; Chicken Fried Television; Out Of Office/Out of Patience
Limericks
Bill Kurtis reads three news-related limericks: Pizza Face; Eau de Crayola; Caffeinated Commerce
Lightning Fill In The Blank
All the news we couldn’t fit anywhere else
Predictions
Our panelists predict what surprising thing Starbucks will add to its menu next.
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