Wendy Williams apologized on January 15 for comments she made a week earlier about Joaquin Phoenix looking like he was born with a cleft lip. After the 55-year-old tweeted her apology and pledged to donate money to the cause, Cher slammed her. The “Believe” singer said the apology wasn’t enough and that Wendy ought to be fired.
It all started when Wendy was discussing Joaquin’s Golden Globes win during her January 7 episode. She called the 55-year-old “oddly attractive.”
“He played that Johnny Cash. It wasn’t Reese [Witherspoon] who kept me, it was him,” she said, mentioning his Oscar-nominated role in Walk the Line.
“He knows how to transform, when he shaves [his beard] off, the way he looks at you,” she continued, gushing over the Joker star, who’s the frontrunner to win the best actor Oscar. “And he’s got the good nose that dips way down, like he’s happy with it and so am I.”
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But that’s when Wendy got into trouble. She said, “When he shaves off his mustache he’s got a hairline fracture. He’s got one of those — what do you call it — cleft lip, cleft palate.” She pulled up her own lip to demonstrate. “He’s got this,” she said, adding, “I find it to be very attractive.”
Photo credit: INSTARImages
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Joaquin has said that the scar on his lip is not from having a cleft lip or palate, but was a nonsurgical scar he was born with. Many have speculated that he was born with “microform cleft,” a minor form that doesn’t require surgery.
Photo credit: INSTARImages
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Canadian football player Adam Bighill was one of many who criticized Wendy’s remarks. He was born with cleft, as was his infant son, Beau. Adam, 31, tweeted at Wendy many times over the following week asking her to apologize.
Photo credit: INSTARImages
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On Wednesday, he revealed that Beau was having his cleft surgery. He tweeted, “Today is Beau’s big day. He is getting his lip repaired today in Winnipeg by the fantastic Dr. Ross. Thanks to everyone who has reached out, and in advance, thanks for any of your well wishes for Beau. He is so loved!” He also included a photo of his son in his arms.
Photo credit: INSTARImages
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Wendy
tweeted at him, “.@Bighill44 We’re thinking about Beau today as he is in surgery. I want to apologize to the cleft community and in Beau’s honor, our show is donating to @operationsmile and @AmerCleftPalate and encourage our Wendy Watchers to learn more and help support the cleft community.”
Photo credit: INSTARImages
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He retweeted it and thanked her for her apology and donation, but not everyone was happy. A few hours later Cher, 73, tweeted angrily about the situation.
Photo credit: The Wendy Williams Show / YouTube
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Cher also sent another
tweet with a screenshot of Wendy that said, “DOES AN APOLOGY MAKE UP FOR THIS.”
Photo credit: INSTARImages
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According to the CDC, one in every 1,600 babies born in the United States has a cleft lip and cleft palate. One in every 2,800 is born with a cleft lip and not a cleft palate.
Photo credit: INSTARImages
But that’s when Wendy got into trouble. She said, “When he shaves off his mustache he’s got a hairline fracture. He’s got one of those — what do you call it — cleft lip, cleft palate.” She pulled up her own lip to demonstrate. “He’s got this,” she said, adding, “I find it to be very attractive.”
Photo credit: INSTARImages
Joaquin has said that the scar on his lip is not from having a cleft lip or palate, but was a nonsurgical scar he was born with. Many have speculated that he was born with “microform cleft,” a minor form that doesn’t require surgery.
Photo credit: INSTARImages
Canadian football player Adam Bighill was one of many who criticized Wendy’s remarks. He was born with cleft, as was his infant son, Beau. Adam, 31, tweeted at Wendy many times over the following week asking her to apologize.
Photo credit: INSTARImages
On Wednesday, he revealed that Beau was having his cleft surgery. He tweeted, “Today is Beau’s big day. He is getting his lip repaired today in Winnipeg by the fantastic Dr. Ross. Thanks to everyone who has reached out, and in advance, thanks for any of your well wishes for Beau. He is so loved!” He also included a photo of his son in his arms.
Photo credit: INSTARImages
Wendy
tweeted at him, “.@Bighill44 We’re thinking about Beau today as he is in surgery. I want to apologize to the cleft community and in Beau’s honor, our show is donating to @operationsmile and @AmerCleftPalate and encourage our Wendy Watchers to learn more and help support the cleft community.”
Photo credit: INSTARImages
He retweeted it and thanked her for her apology and donation, but not everyone was happy. A few hours later Cher, 73, tweeted angrily about the situation.
Photo credit: The Wendy Williams Show / YouTube
She wrote in part, “If your mom saw what you did she’d be ashamed. … [You] should [be] fired.” In response to a fan who tweeted photos of children with cleft, she wrote, “These are the [people] @wendywilliams is making fun of. Joaquin Phoenix was a Child [and] we don’t know what he had to go through. He is one of the great actors of our time, magnetic [and more than handsome‼️ She will be judged for this forever.”
Cher also sent another
tweet with a screenshot of Wendy that said, “DOES AN APOLOGY MAKE UP FOR THIS.”
Photo credit: INSTARImages
According to the CDC, one in every 1,600 babies born in the United States has a cleft lip and cleft palate. One in every 2,800 is born with a cleft lip and not a cleft palate.
Photo credit: INSTARImages
