Wendy Williams Addresses Howard Stern's Apology: 'I Knew I Was Right'

Wendy Williams says she knew she was right all along after Howard Stern publicly apologized for their feud.

Stern admitted in a recent article that Williams' criticism of him had some merit -- and "The Wendy Williams Show" host could not have agreed more on Monday's episode.

Earlier this year, the media personalities went head to head after Williams said Stern had become "so Hollywood," which prompted him to call her a "jealous bitch" who hadn't "done anything" for media culture. But after getting wind of Stern's apology in a lengthy Hollywood Reporter profile, she accepted and reciprocated the love.

"By the way, Howard, I read the article with you on the cover of Hollywood Reporter, and I saw that you mentioned me and that you apologized," Williams said during Monday's "Hot Topics" segment. "Howard, you know what, if you never apologized to me ever in your life, you would still be one of the most influential people [in] shaping my career. You and Oprah -- that's it."

"And the idea that you apologized, and you went on the air and ripped me a new one for no damn reason because I knew I was right," she continued. "And then in this article in Hollywood Reporter, he goes on to say that he loves me -- I forgot how he put it, but it was a thick article -- that he loves me and that I might've seen something in him that maybe he didn't see, or something like that, and that he's kind of embarrassed for ripping me on the air, so he's pulled that from the archives. You will never hear that on repeat."

Williams added, "I love him. And my heart was so broken when he was fighting with me 'cause I wasn't fighting with him."

If what Williams is saying is true -- that she didn't intend to fight with Stern -- then she unintentionally started this war back in March while discussing his upcoming book, "Howard Stern Comes Again," on her show.

"Howard is so Hollywood right now. And Howard, I love you, but since you've gone Hollywood, everything you say is so predictable," she told her audience, explaining that Stern used to be one of her heroes. "Every story is going to be about, 'Oh, I love this one, and then we went on their yacht.' He's a Hollywood insider, which sucks."

"You started like me, being of the people. But at some point, you sat behind the microphone for too long, and now you are the people," she added. "It hurts."

Immediately after hearing the remarks, Stern went in on Williams on "The Howard Stern Show." See his extensive rant below, in which he attacks Williams' show, success, personality, appearance, health issues and reports about her estranged husband's alleged infidelity.

What evidence do you have that I'm Hollywood, honey? I grew up a scumbag, and I'm still treated like a scumbag. What, because I found success, now I'm Hollywood? What, 'cause I know Jimmy Kimmel? Who am I hanging out with? She doesn't know who I'm hanging out with. She doesn't know what I do in this world. She doesn't know who I'm f--ing with.

All she talks on that show is about Hollywood. That's as Hollywood as you get. If anyone in Hollywood called her to hang out, she'd [be there] in two seconds. All of that is a projection!

Here's my weekend: I go home, I write stuff for this show, I write stuff for my book and then I stare at the wall waiting for the next show. I work my ass off on this show, day in and day out, to make sure that it's good. So just shut up. Keep your opinion to yourself about me. I have struggled my entire life through thick and thin to actually get out there and do something that actually means something to people. That's such an insult to me.

What has she said that's controversial? When has she put herself on the line? What has she done actually? I don't even know. You're not the Queen of All Media. You haven't earned that title. You haven't done anything. You haven't had the career I've had. I had radio stations firing me, I had the government on my ass. I never backed down from a fight in my life. Such an edgy broadcaster. When did you ever go to war with anyone? When did you fight with the FCC? When did you have the religious right coming up your ass and people throwing you off radio stations and not knowing if you can continue you career? Have you lived my life?

[The] broad doesn't have an original thought in her goddamn head. She's busy being Howard Stern.

What have I done to this woman? Nothing. I've been gracious to her. Worry about your husband, not me. F--k you and your dumb show and your mystery illness. She disappears for two months, nobody knows why, and now she's questioning me? Thanks, honey. I never fainted on my show, either.

I'm not somebody you want to f--k with, honey. I don't want to hear your bullshit. And you're not a nice person. Nobody likes you, that's why you can't go Hollywood. People do not like her. [Her staff] was doing a dance over at 'The Wendy Williams Show' when she was out. She's a big pain in the ass. I hate to break the news to you, honey. Good thing you hurried back.

In his May 8 cover story, Stern told THR he regretted all the nasty comments he made to and about the radio personality-turned-talk show host.

"That was me at my worst. I thought she was saying that I was a piece of shit and I sucked. But as [I hear it] now, I don't see it as an offense at all," the radio vet told the publication, adding that he had officially pulled the rant from his archives. "If 'Hollywood' means that I've evolved in some way and the show has changed, then yeah, she hit the nail on the head."

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