isurvived

Heard about this on the news this morning.

Ted Williams, homeless man with golden voice, on his Los Angeles arrest: My daughter hit me

CatsPajamas

When I heard about this my thought was even when you get the house / job/ dream... "stuff happens." I am not discounting that there was an altercation, but rather watching with interest to see if he is able to use his recovery tools to deal with the stuff - life on life's terms.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Many of us have stuff but (fortunately) it's not the fodder for talk shows and gossip magazines

fourmaggie

he was on Dr. PHIL today and will continue on TOMORROW( Jan.13th)...interesting...

Impurrfect

He's checking himself into rehab. I've heard various stories of the incident with his daughter, but most I read said it just got into a heated argument, they were taken to the police station, talked with, calmed down and released.

Considering he's been offered the job, the house, etc. I'm still hopeful as he has chosen rehab...not forced into it, it's his choice. I'm probably in the minority, but I still have hope.

Hugs and prayers,

Amy

tjp613

Yeah, it's clear he needs rehab....a very long, long program.

I'm still not happy at all about this whole situation. The guy hasn't done one redeeming thing in his whole life. 9 kids and abandoned them all. Even when he had a job he paid -zero- child support because the "mother never asked for it" (she was on welfare).

Sorry. I absolutely abhore deadbeat dads.

kiki5711

I agree!!

I'd say a long, long rehab and a "big" reality check!!

catlovermi

Add to this that his "romanticized story line" was only noticed because he flat out lied to the reporter in the first place. The reporter never would have picked up the story if he hadn't unblinkingly lied to her face and into the camera (special addict talent, showcased) about being two years clean/sober.

Media moguls nowadays are getting wise to the real costs of taking on "talent" with addictions. They have declared Lindsay Lohan nearly uninsurable, and Charlie Sheen's clock is about to run out, too. These types of "talent" are expensive in the long run, and media moguls are all about making money off talent, not losing money.

Sponsors will not want to align themselves with Ted Williams' "miracle story" if he has even one "relapse" after his rehab. He could be dropped like a hot potato as fast as his initial fame went viral.

The cultural problem is that his romanticized story feeds our desire for instant gratification, just as winning lottery stories do. Something in us wants to believe in the fairy tale of instant gratification, that it could happen - that magical circumstances can instantaneously transform and fix lives - rather than a long pathway of hard work. The media pushes these stories, making money off us voyeurs who follow these stories. We are strung along because we want to believe the fairy tale, and are curious to see if it will happen. And if it doesn't happen, we are just as fascinated to watch the train wreck unfold, instead.

The real truth is that, as I once read a very witty and razor-sharp-humored poster write, "people are where they are for valid reasons..."

CLMI

invisigoth

I had a feeling thigs would go wrong for this guy. One day you're bum in the street and the next you're the voice of Kraft Mac-n-cheese!? Things just happened waaay to fast for this guy. And I blame all these corporations
who were falling all over each other to make a deal with this guy when they really don't give a $hit about him they just want the good P.R. Makes me sick.

kiki5711

that's the nature of the "beast". make money off anyone, any situation, natural disaster or tragedy as quickly as possible before the public attention span of 3 seconds wears off.

pixilation

Yeah, I never fell for his act myself. I knew it was too good to be true.

Fandy

Who is footing the bill for his long rehab???

Probably Dr. Phil for exclusive rights to a follow-up story? or will he be the final episode of Oprah?

I really believed he had been clean for 2 years...i think i saw that on the Today show.

vujade

I immediately thought of Jeff VanVonderen's words (OK, yes. I think I have a crush on him). I heard him say once that for an addict, there is comfort in guaranteed failure. Feeling good doesn't feel consistent. Feeling bad feels consistent. Even when receiving compliments or praise for a job well-done, many addicts will react by sabotaging things (consciously or otherwise) because the expectation is too great and the "certainty" of failure too overwhelming. So they skip right to the failure part.

Gee...who would have seen it coming?. (Good GRIEF. I normally have a bit of a Pollyanna complex but apparently not today! LOL)

gerryP

TJP, Catlover my thoughts exactly.

It also didn't surprise me when he told Dr. Phil that he will go to rehab but he wants to back home for a few days first. Home where? he was living in a tent!

There is nothing wrong in wishing him well and hoping he will take advantage of this chance, but let's be realistic. He did nothing to earn it and will likely do nothing to keep it.

Many people who get upset with those like me (who will be surprised if any good comes from this situation) are upset, because they too are hoping for someone to just hand them everything for nothing.

Another thing I noticed while he was on Dr Phil...When Dr. P said that he could help others through his 2nd chance, pay it forward, pay taxes etc, the look on his face was 'Whut'... Wondering if he thought about the responsibility he was assuming in getting a 2nd chance. Hmmmm

gerryP

I also want to add that I feel sorry for the guy because he has been thrown into this by Corporate America for their own gain. Shame on them.

Jazzman

I remember the first video of him on the street saying he was two years sober... right. If he was two years sober he wouldn't be on the street. Homeless people get sober is to get off the street. Then as more history came out I was thinking about his ex wanting 30 years of back child support and would he pay it? Then I was thinking he's gonna blow it and ruin it for others that really do have long term sobriety and really do deserve a chance.

I don't feel sorry for him. He should feel compelled to make things right. Lots of others would love a chance to NOT blow it.

isurvived

I agree with you Jazz.

Sad thing about all of this as I watch it unfold before me on TV... I can pretty much know what the ending is. Awe heck. We all like Cinderella endings - and even more so when there is an A involved. After all, it's probably one of the most wished and prayed for outcomes by all of us who have been involved with an A.

Not to sound cold and uncaring... but these days - after successfully removing myself from involvement with an abusive A... all I can say is "I relish my recovery each and every day." Thank You God!

Justfor1

The daughter shows up now that he has some money. Did she even know he was homeless? The man has a remarkable voice & he deserves all this attention. It seems like some out there want this guy to fail. The fact that he was/is an alcoholic shouldn't even matter. He was homeless in the streets with amazing talent.

Impurrfect

Okay, I'm going to go against the grain, here. If it weren't for me hitting a rock-hard bottom, and the for the tools I learned in recovery, to earn back the trust of my family (which took a while), I would be homeless.

I'm dealing with the consequences of my addiction. I lost my profitable nursing career, and I now work at McD's. Ever try to survive on minimum wage? My credit score, NOW, is rising, but where it was, the only places I could rent (IF I made enough money) were in the hood.

I am living at home, at the age of 49, working 3-4 jobs and am back in school, thanks to grants (I never had any the OTHER 2 degrees I got). If it weren't for my dad, who works his a$$ off, at age 72 (due to HIS consequences of being an air traffic controller who went on strike and was fired by Regan, and getting cancer 2 months later, wiping out all retirement mone), who has helped me out the past several months, I would be on the street.

When I had my last job, waiting tables, I waited on homeless people. I'm open about my addiction. There were some who were homeless due to downsizing, a few had a drug problem, but there were others who were in the same position I am, they just didn't have family (yeah, maybe the family had gotten fed up with them...consequences) to take them in.

I've been homeless. There's a lot of mental adjustment to getting over that. I'm sorry, but I have hope for every A who is still breathing. Will he make it? Who knows, but I'm not going to down him for accepting help that was offered. He could have turned it down, gone straight to one of the offers he was given, but he didn't.

I'm not dismissing the concerns. My XABF went to a 2-year rehab, several others, and he died of his addiction a year ago. However, I also have an uncle who used heroin for something like 40 years, and he's clean, helping out my grandmother, and being a responsible citizen because someone, in the prison system in CA, gave him the tools to work with.

Hugs and prayers,

Amy

Learn2Live

I believe what Mr Williams said on the original video was that he HAD two years clean and hopes to get his sobriety BACK.

Justfor1

Yes he did say that, yet many people want to label this guy a fraud and claim he deceived the public. I hope he keeps his head up, gets more commercials and gets the 2 years of sobriety back. Many homeless people also suffer from mental health issues so he probably has that struggle as well.