Wendy Williams Shocks Fans, Says R. Kelly Shouldn't Go to Prison for Alleged Sexual Allegations

3835 March 08, 2019 | by Mary Scott

Less than a week after making a return to her show, Wendy Williams is reclaiming her Queen of controversy title after saying R. Kelly should not go to jail for the alleged sexual allegations he’s facing.

On Wednesday’s episode of her eponymous talk show, Williams dove right into the R. Kelly controversy for her “Hot Topics” segment, discussing the recent explosive interview the singer had with CBS’s Gayle King.

“It was riveting TV,” Williams said of the now-viral interview before adding that he shouldn’t have done it. “At this point, R. Kelly's got nothing to lose," she added. "He's a sick man."

UNPOPULAR OPINION

Williams, who returned to her show on Monday after being away for medical reasons, further shared her opinion on the matter, insisting that jail is not where Kelly should be.

"The thing about R. Kelly is that I went from finding him hella guilty to guilty and feeling really sorry for him. …To Guilty and wanting him to get help. His help is not behind bars. I don't know where his help is. And there needs to be help for the victims, including the victim’s parents."

“This is not just Robert Kelly,” continued the former radio personality. “This is a whole stable of people that he had involved, and it’s not just R. Kelly. This is going on around our country. …This is terrible.”

Williams’ comments about Kelly not going to jail left fans shocked, and they made their reactions known on social media.

KELLY'S INTERVIEW & CRIMINAL CHARGES

Earlier this week, the R&B singer sat down to his first interview since getting charged on February 22 with 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse towards four women. Three of those women were minors at the time the alleged abuse took place between 1998 and 2010.

The charges also come in the wake of an explosive Lifetime docuseries, “Surviving R. Kelly,” which features several women recounting the alleged physical and sexual abuse they suffered at his hands.

LASHING OUT & SECOND ARREST

The docuseries, along with the influence of the #MeToo movement, sparked renewed interest in Kelly’s alleged sexual escapades that go as far back as 2008 when he was on trial for child pornography charges, and 1994 when he married the late Aaliyah, then 15.

Kelly’s interview with King saw the “Happy People” lashing out directly at viewers as he claimed the charges and allegations against him are false.

“That's stupid! Use your common sense. Forget the blogs, forget how you feel about me. Hate me if you want to, love me if you want. But just use your common sense.”

About the same time Williams was discussing the R. Kelly scandal on her show, the singer was arrested again for failing to pay over $160,000 in child support to his ex-wife, Drea Kelly, with whom he shares three kids, Joann, 21, Jay, 19, and Robert, 17.