Queen of All Media. Gossiper. Drag Queen. Wendy Williams has been called it all. And what does she do? The radio talk show veteran with the big, wispy blond hair, over sized breasts and perfectly-dramatic makeup, proudly labels herself the “Queen of All Media” title, laughs at the drag queen comments and keeps it going. For all the haters and “naysayers” out there, there’s just one thing stopping your judgment – her 20 year-old career.

I became a Wendy fan about 10 years ago. I was 12, getting ready for school and doing my morning listen to Philadelphia’s Power 99, when I heard a new voice come on the morning show. Being a media junkie, I was intrigued by her bold style of interviewing combined with a likable style of relating to her listeners. She then became as Wendy often says, “a friend in my mind”. She later left Philadelphia and went to another New York station, but not before capturing one more fan and many others. The success and notoriety in radio talk is not common for women, especially women of color, which makes her story an inspiration to all.

Recently, news circulated that Wendy Williams, host of syndicated radio talk show, The Wendy Williams Experience (on New York 107.5) would be getting her own talk show from production company, Debmar-Mercury . Fans can now not only rush to their radios at 2:00pm to hear Wendy, but only New Yorkers can watch her on TV for this exclusive trial run of the show. Wendy also had a spot on VH1, Wendy Williams is On Fire, where we finally got to see what the “Pink Room” looked like as she interviewed well-known singers, rappers, and popular celebrities. Wendy also is in the works on filming a movie based on incidents from her own life.

Why I call her the “real life gossip-girl” is because Wendy has made a career out of talking about others. She airs out everyone’s dirty laundry, but at the same time always reminds her listeners, “it is what it is”. When I want an earful of entertainment about the elite and the “Z-listers” of the music industry, or who’s sleeping with who, who has a new book deal, who just got slapped with a child support case or just where to get the best pair of shoes I can always go to Wendy.

Sometimes her brashness makes you cringe as you wait for the reactions from either the celebrity she is interviewing or listener she is talking to, but the “shock-jock” always keeps it real. Wendy is widely known for asking artists very personal and controversial questions(that’s we’re all dying to know), but has no qualms because she owes it to her listeners to deliver what they want to know. Past celebrities she has interviewed include Jay-Z, Mariah Carey, Karrine Steffans, Chyna Doll formerly of the WWF, Whitney Houston, Steve Wilks from the Jerry Spring show, Akon, and even presidential candidate hopeful, Barack Obama and many more over the years. As much as she is hated, she is also loved by many. She’s landed endorsement deals for Alizé and has released three books to date.

Over the years Wendy has learned to brush away comments regarding her appearance, her talent, her height or her boisterous interviewing tactics – and just be Wendy Williams, a career- conscious, outspoken, sometimes hated, but never forgotten radio show icon from Ocean Township, New Jersey.

Wendy encourages all of us to get inspired, by just being ourselves and saying what we have to say. Just be cautious to not say everything you want to say, because unlike the Queen of All Media most of us don’t get paid to talk!

Be sure to visit next Monday’s, Get Inspired blog where I’ll be naming the top influential women of 2007!