A U.S. appeals court has reversed a $7 million judgment previously awarded to Kevin Hunter in his lawsuit against the producers of The Wendy Williams Show, sending the case back to a lower court for further review.
Hunter, who was once married to TV host Wendy Williams, had sued the show’s production company, Debmar-Mercury, and producers Ira Bernstein and Mort Marcus, alleging discrimination based on his marital status. He claimed he was wrongfully removed from his position as executive producer after his divorce from Williams in 2019.
In his complaint, Hunter argued that his dismissal was unjust and based solely on his personal relationship with Williams, despite his significant contributions to the show, including popular segments like “Hot Topics” and “Shoe Cam,” as well as involvement in marketing and guest bookings.
However, the producers filed a motion to dismiss the case, contending that New York law does not recognize discrimination based on the identity of a spouse. The Second Circuit Court supported this view, explaining that “marital status” protection under state law refers broadly to being married, single, or divorcedโnot to whom someone is or was married.
The appeals court concluded that Hunter did not prove he was discriminated against due to his general marital status. Consequently, the court overturned the previous ruling and remanded the case for additional proceedings, giving Hunter an opportunity to respond to the legal boundaries defined by the appellate decision.
