WENDY’S GOT THE HEAT

Tiresome, simple-minded autobiography from the New York radio personality.

Reared in middle-class Wayside, New Jersey, Williams knew from childhood that radio was her destiny. While a freshman at Northeastern, she approached the campus radio station and was soon reading the news on air. An internship at Boston’s number-one radio station led to a job offer in St. Croix. After only eight months on the island, Williams broke into the Washington, D.C., AM market. As her career was taking off, however, she developed a lengthy cocaine addiction. Despite the drugs and involvements with less-than-stellar men, Williams continued to achieve, eventually making it into the FM hip-hop market in New York City. She married, went through a messy divorce, and then met future husband Kevin, also involved in the business. They struggled to have a child, but right after the birth of their son, Williams discovered that Kevin was cheating on her. A quick trip to a private detective and the wronged wife realized that “ultimately speaking,” she won. Following this revelation is a transcript of a conversation with her husband describing the affair and its resolution, and the whole thing wraps up with author’s relationship rules and career advice—all of it embarrassingly simplistic. Instead of juicy insider gossip, Williams focuses strictly on herself. (She includes a brief mention of Salt N Pepa—but only because they invited her to replace their deejay, who was leaving to get married.) Despite her advice to readers that “there is no excuse for not being able to speak well,” Williams (or her coauthor) has chosen to write her narrative in the most casual of street slang. On competition from other deejays: “Bitches and niggas every day are practicing to do my shit.” On loyalty: “Don’t insist on it and then be a shady motherfucker.”

No bling-bling, no flava.