Wendy Williams Donates $15,000 to Dr. Dre Accuser, Dee Barnes, After She Reveals She's Homeless

Publish date: 2024-04-26

Despite going through personal challenges, Wendy Williams has reached out a generous helping hand to hip-hop journalist Dee Barnes, the same woman who accused rapper Dr. Dre of physical assault many years ago.

About a month ago, Barnes launched a GoFundMe campaign to keep herself from getting evicted, but little did she know that her appearance on last Thursday’s edition of “The Wendy Williams Show” would offer an unexpected financial boost.

EVERYTHING IT TAKES

Opening up to Williams about her situation, the former “Pump It Up!” host revealed that she took up a lot of gigs to deal with her financial crisis:

“I wanted to put it out there because I knew it was going to get out there eventually. I had several jobs I couldn’t keep. I couldn’t keep the rent up. There was stuff that I was trying to do on the side, freelancing that wasn’t coming through.”

A PERSISTENT PROBLEM

Barnes added that her GoFundMe goal of $5,000 was not realized until she got some much-needed publicity from a hip-hop website, in addition to Williams’ advocacy on her behalf.

Even at that, the former “Body & Soul” member sadly revealed that she and her youngest daughter still do not have a home of their own.

That was when Williams pulled the big surprise: a generous donation in partnership with HotelPlanner.com.

“They have this service where they help people find temporary and long-term housing,” announced the talk show host. “So to help you and your daughter, Dee, get back on your feet, they and we are giving you $15,000 towards a place to live.”

MORE GOOD NEWS FOR BARNES

But Williams wasn’t done yet. She also offered Barnes a publishing and movie production deal on the spot.

“I would like to publish your book and then have you back on the show once it’s published and then I would also like to produce the movie. I would like to produce the movie of the book.”

AN UGLY PAST

During the show, Barnes also took a painful trip down memory lane to 1990 when Dr. Dre physically assaulted her at a party.

Barnes sued the rapper in 1991; he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor battery, and the lawsuit was eventually settled out of court.

“He picked me up and lifted me off the ground, by my hair; slammed me up against a brick wall, several times, boom, boom, boom,” recalled the veteran journalist, but she soon got uncomfortable reliving the experience, and when Williams asked if she was sexually assaulted, Barnes said:

“I’m not comfortable talking about everything right now.”

WILLIAMS' PERSONAL TROUBLES

Williams reaching out to Barnes is even more commendable at this time considering that the talk show host herself is in the process of divorcing her husband of over 20 years, Kevin Hunter.

Williams has since been referring to starting a new life with their 18-year-old son Kevin Jr. and making more time for social engagements.

Addressing the divorce in a statement, Hunter appeared to confirm the infidelity allegations, taking "full accountability" and admitting he was “not proud of my recent actions.”

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