Wendy Williams Receives Backlash For ‘Insensitive’ Comments On TikTok Star Swavy’s Death

Wendy Williams is being heavily criticized on social media after her talk show discussion of the murder of a 19-year-old TikToker went viral.

Matima Miller, who’s known on TikTok and Instagram as Swavy, was shot in Delaware earlier this week in what his family is calling a “senseless act of gun violence.” The teenager was transported to a local hospital before succumbing to his injuries. His family made a statement confirming that Swavy had passed and that, while they couldn’t reveal much about the shooting “due to legality,” they were hoping for “justice.”

His family added, “This is just the beginning, we will forever keep his name alive and continue his legacy! The impact he had on others remains unmatched.”

Swavy had millions of followers on both Instagram and TikTok, where he entertained viewers with public dance routines.

Williams addressed the TikToker’s death in a segment of The Wendy Williams Show called “Hot Topic.” The 56-year-old started by showing Swavy’s picture and commented that she had “no idea” who he was. “I have no idea who this is,” she said. “Neither does one person in this building.”

The television personality then asked her audience to clap if they recognized the content creator. Williams then dryly added that he had more followers than her before a producer stepped in to remind her that she had more followers on Instagram. She told her viewers, “He’s a TikTok star, and he’s got more followers than me: 2.5 million.”

She dismissed her producer by commenting, “Well, as my son Kevin would say, no one uses Instagram anymore. As far as TikTok, I don’t use that at all. I don’t know what that is, I don’t want to be involved.” She then blankly explained the details surrounding the teen’s murder.

She finished the segment with: “Swavy is now dead. Ah, all those followers. Yeah, that’s really tragic, only 19 years old,” before moving on with the show.

Twitter users were quick to edit the clip and post it all over the social media platform, criticizing Williams’ callousness in discussing Swavy’s death.

https://twitter.com/AlexTMcNair/status/1412945070802841607?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1412945070802841607%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.buzzfeednews.com%2Farticle%2Fadeonibada%2Fwendy-williams-show-hot-topics-tiktok-swavy

Some parodied Williams’ insensitivity.

*wendy williams showing up at the white house after leaving ford's theatre*

“okay, clap if you’ve heard of abraham lincoln.”

— (: (@smallsnokillin) July 9, 2021

https://twitter.com/KYLEPLEASESTFU/status/1413510080855609346?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1413510080855609346%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.buzzfeednews.com%2Farticle%2Fadeonibada%2Fwendy-williams-show-hot-topics-tiktok-swavy

Others criticized the talk show host directly.

I know Wendy Williams is mad disrespectful and often unhinged historically, but that was…. She should really get on the phone with that young man’s family and apologize like yesterday!

— Jericho Brown (@jerichobrown) July 9, 2021

I'll admit I wasn't familiar with Swavy before watching this. That being said, this young man was murdered and all she cared about was him having more followers on TikTok. This was classless by Wendy Williams. There's a lot of hate going on within her.

— LaDarius Brown (@ladarius_brown) July 9, 2021