WENDY Williams was blasted by viewers for “defending” Shia LaBeouf and calling him “charming” after FKA twigs accused him of abuse.
On Wednesday, an eight-minute segment of The Wendy Williams Show focussed on LaBeouf, his new girlfriend, Margaret Qualley – who is the daughter of actress Andie MacDowell – and twigs’ bombshell suit.
Wendy spoke about how the Hollywood actor allegedly slammed twigs – whose real name is Tahliah Barnett – into a car, tried to strangle her, and “knowingly gave her an STD,” citing court documents.
“Well, do you really believe this? This is all ‘alleged’ but I totally believe it. I have tried to give this man a chance, I have not given up, but this is the day that I’m done,” Wendy said this afternoon.
Detailing a couple of LaBeouf’s exploits, Wendy noted that “he likes his people, which is all part of his bad boy charm.”
“If he likes you, he likes you. So I figure, if we could have gotten him here, he would like us,” she added. “Because if you think we’re weird on TV, you have no idea how comfortable we could really make you in your own skin around here.”
She went on: “This poor man though, 34 years old, he’s a grown man though. when he was in his twenties, it was something else.
“You know, Andie, you have that nice woman image, that holier-than-thou kind of sort of thing – even though there are stories, well, side stories that apparently got crushed so I will keep them right down there where they are.
“Right now, what’s she’s doing, this Andie Jr [Qualley], she’s putting a stain on her own reputation.”
Afterwards, one person tweeted: “Please stop talking about Shia LaBouf..stop with the publicity..he’s crazy and an abuser…Stop giving him publicity,”
Another user said: “[Wendy] no! #MargaretQualley is an excellent young actress. No no not Shia. Andi please help your daughter see srnse [sic].”
“[Wendy] got on her TV show to support #shialabeouf abusing women because she has a crush on him Wendy Williams is the definition of toxic,” commented a third.
During the segment, Wendy admitted that she had a sparkly framed picture of LaBeouf in her office, which she “delicately removed” once Twig’s allegations came to light.
“Ok, I didn’t throw it [his picture] away, it’s behind the Tah-Dah [a card one Wendy-watcher sent her],” she admitted, after revealing that she also had a picture of Eddie Murphy hidden behind a buddha.
“People fall down and they get up but people abuse women and we don’t know if we can forgive that,” Wendy said.
Twig sued LaBeouf in December 2020 claiming that he “relentlessly abused” her physically, emotionally and mentally over their year-long relationship.
She accused the actor she met on the set of Honey Boy (2018) of sexual battery, assault and emotional distress in the Los Angeles Superior Court filing.
In an email to the New York Times, LaBeouf said: “I’m not in any position to tell anyone how my behavior made them feel.
“I have no excuses for my alcoholism or aggression, only rationalizations. I have been abusive to myself and everyone around me for years.
“I have a history of hurting the people closest to me. I’m ashamed of that history and am sorry to those I hurt. There is nothing else I can really say.”
Another ex-girlfriend Karolyn Pho alleged that he pinned her to a bed and head-butted her so hard that she bled, according to the Times.
LaBeouf said that “many of these allegations are not true,” a comment which Wendy derided on her show today but she noted his history of PTSD, drug and alcohol abuse.
Wendy displayed pictures of LaBeouf and Qualley, noting “right now all we see is him and Andy Jr out and about having a good [time].”
