Golden Voice Ted Williams Heads to Rehab
LOS ANGELES - The formerly homeless man with a Golden Voice, Ted Williams, has decided to enter a private rehabilitation facility following a one-on-one conversation with Dr. Phil.
According to the show, the decision was made due in part to Williams' strange behavior over the past several days, which culminated in a physical altercation with one of his daughters at a Hollywood hotel. He was briefly detained by police and later released.
Williams' ex-wife Patricia and five family members also appear on Thursday's episode to share their version of the incident and why they feel Williams is ill-equipped to handle his sudden fame. Although Williams had claimed that he was sober for more than two years, he admitted to Dr. Phil that was not the case. He he has been drinking daily.
A trip to Hollywood for appearances on "Dr. Phil" and "Entertainment Tonight" got off to a rough start for overnight internet sensation Williams. A disturbance report was made after Williams and his daughter got into a heated argument Monday at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel & Spa.
"It was minor. Both parties were angry but there were no signs of visible abuse," Los Angeles police Officer Catherine Massey said Tuesday. She said the two "were brought in, calmed down, talked to and released" and she did not know the nature of the argument.
Williams and his daughter were held at the Hollywood police station for less than an hour and they were not arrested, Massey said.
She declined to name Williams' daughter, but a statement from "Entertainment Tonight" identified her as Janey Williams.
(Scroll down to watch Williams on "The Early Show" last week)
Ted Williams told ET in a Tuesday night show that it was a family gathering that got out of control.
"I wanted to bring it to a close by just saying 'shut the hell up and let me talk to your mother.' When that was said out of my mouth my daughter exploded, just erupted into this jump up in my face type of thing, fists started flying, none of which were mine, none of which were mine, but it could have escalated to the point where it could have gotten really ugly. So in the process of doing that, I got scratched on my face," he told ET.
Janey Williams told ET she was angry because her father, a recovering alcoholic and drug addict, had resumed drinking.
"He has consumed at least a bottle of Gray Goose a night. That's not including the Coronas he ordered, that's not including the Budweisers he ordered, the other alcohol, the wines. He drinks heavily," she said.
Ted Williams denied to ET that he had been drinking.
It was not known whether the two returned to the hotel next to the Hollywood Boulevard home of the Academy Awards presentation.
"Due to guest privacy laws, we don't share details of our guests or their stays," said Dan Shaughnessy, director of sales and marketing for the Renaissance.
Williams flew into town to tape appearances on TV's "Dr. Phil" show and "Entertainment Tonight."
"Entertainment Tonight" covered his meeting with voiceover actors at a Screen Actors Guild Foundation sound studio who offered to help Williams become a guild member voiceover artist, according to a show statement.
The two-part "Dr. Phil" episode was taped over the weekend to air Tuesday and Wednesday. On the Wednesday segment, Williams meets with his ex-wife, Patricia, and five of his nine children, according to a statement from the show.
"In this emotional reunion, Williams talks openly with his family about the man he is today, the influences that threaten his sobriety and what his children can expect from him in the future. His children respond in a very raw and candid manner," the statement said.
"Everyone is pulling for Ted, but his 15 minutes are going to be over and then he'll be left to manage a life filled with temptation," host Phil McGraw said. "We're going to try and help him prepare for that because it would be a real tragedy if he did not make the most of this extraordinary second chance."
Williams, 53, trained to be a radio announcer but found his life derailed by drugs and alcohol in the 1990s. He has served time in prison for theft and forgery and has been cited with numerous misdemeanors, including drug abuse.
Williams became famous almost overnight after The Columbus Dispatch newspaper posted a Web video of him last week. Viewers were enthralled to hear a deep, honeyed professional voice coming from the shabbily dressed man.
Since then, he has done a TV commercial for Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, appeared on various news shows, recorded voiceover promos for cable news and was offered an announcing job with the Cleveland Cavaliers basketball team.
Although he says he has been clean for more than two years, the recovering addict has acknowledged that it has been challenging dealing with sudden fame.
"I wanted a nerve pill yesterday, to be honest with you," he told CBS on Friday.
"If Ted is ever going to get better, he's got to be honest with himself and admit he's addicted to drugs and alcohol," said Dr. Phil. "I've told him it's not going to be easy and it's going to take a lot of hard work. It might be a long journey for him, but this is a big step in the right direction."
To watch the Williams' emotional mother-and-son reunion, click on the video player below:
Doral Chenoweth, the Columbus Dispatch reporter who discovered Ted Williams on the side of the road in Ohio, also spoke with Wragge and Hill Friday:
More "Early Show" videos, of interviews of Julia on Thursday and Ted on Wednesday:
Video: Ted Williams' Mom on His Sudden Fame
Video: Ted Williams' New "Golden" Life
AP According to the show, the decision was made due in part to Williams' strange behavior over the past several days, which culminated in a physical altercation with one of his daughters at a Hollywood hotel. He was briefly detained by police and later released.
Williams' ex-wife Patricia and five family members also appear on Thursday's episode to share their version of the incident and why they feel Williams is ill-equipped to handle his sudden fame. Although Williams had claimed that he was sober for more than two years, he admitted to Dr. Phil that was not the case. He he has been drinking daily.
A trip to Hollywood for appearances on "Dr. Phil" and "Entertainment Tonight" got off to a rough start for overnight internet sensation Williams. A disturbance report was made after Williams and his daughter got into a heated argument Monday at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel & Spa.
"It was minor. Both parties were angry but there were no signs of visible abuse," Los Angeles police Officer Catherine Massey said Tuesday. She said the two "were brought in, calmed down, talked to and released" and she did not know the nature of the argument.
Williams and his daughter were held at the Hollywood police station for less than an hour and they were not arrested, Massey said.
She declined to name Williams' daughter, but a statement from "Entertainment Tonight" identified her as Janey Williams.
(Scroll down to watch Williams on "The Early Show" last week)
Ted Williams told ET in a Tuesday night show that it was a family gathering that got out of control.
"I wanted to bring it to a close by just saying 'shut the hell up and let me talk to your mother.' When that was said out of my mouth my daughter exploded, just erupted into this jump up in my face type of thing, fists started flying, none of which were mine, none of which were mine, but it could have escalated to the point where it could have gotten really ugly. So in the process of doing that, I got scratched on my face," he told ET.
Janey Williams told ET she was angry because her father, a recovering alcoholic and drug addict, had resumed drinking.
"He has consumed at least a bottle of Gray Goose a night. That's not including the Coronas he ordered, that's not including the Budweisers he ordered, the other alcohol, the wines. He drinks heavily," she said.
Ted Williams denied to ET that he had been drinking.
It was not known whether the two returned to the hotel next to the Hollywood Boulevard home of the Academy Awards presentation.
"Due to guest privacy laws, we don't share details of our guests or their stays," said Dan Shaughnessy, director of sales and marketing for the Renaissance.
Williams flew into town to tape appearances on TV's "Dr. Phil" show and "Entertainment Tonight."
"Entertainment Tonight" covered his meeting with voiceover actors at a Screen Actors Guild Foundation sound studio who offered to help Williams become a guild member voiceover artist, according to a show statement.
The two-part "Dr. Phil" episode was taped over the weekend to air Tuesday and Wednesday. On the Wednesday segment, Williams meets with his ex-wife, Patricia, and five of his nine children, according to a statement from the show.
"In this emotional reunion, Williams talks openly with his family about the man he is today, the influences that threaten his sobriety and what his children can expect from him in the future. His children respond in a very raw and candid manner," the statement said.
"Everyone is pulling for Ted, but his 15 minutes are going to be over and then he'll be left to manage a life filled with temptation," host Phil McGraw said. "We're going to try and help him prepare for that because it would be a real tragedy if he did not make the most of this extraordinary second chance."
Williams, 53, trained to be a radio announcer but found his life derailed by drugs and alcohol in the 1990s. He has served time in prison for theft and forgery and has been cited with numerous misdemeanors, including drug abuse.
Williams became famous almost overnight after The Columbus Dispatch newspaper posted a Web video of him last week. Viewers were enthralled to hear a deep, honeyed professional voice coming from the shabbily dressed man.
Since then, he has done a TV commercial for Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, appeared on various news shows, recorded voiceover promos for cable news and was offered an announcing job with the Cleveland Cavaliers basketball team.
Although he says he has been clean for more than two years, the recovering addict has acknowledged that it has been challenging dealing with sudden fame.
"I wanted a nerve pill yesterday, to be honest with you," he told CBS on Friday.
"If Ted is ever going to get better, he's got to be honest with himself and admit he's addicted to drugs and alcohol," said Dr. Phil. "I've told him it's not going to be easy and it's going to take a lot of hard work. It might be a long journey for him, but this is a big step in the right direction."
To watch the Williams' emotional mother-and-son reunion, click on the video player below:
Doral Chenoweth, the Columbus Dispatch reporter who discovered Ted Williams on the side of the road in Ohio, also spoke with Wragge and Hill Friday:
More "Early Show" videos, of interviews of Julia on Thursday and Ted on Wednesday:
Video: Ted Williams' Mom on His Sudden Fame
Video: Ted Williams' New "Golden" Life
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SHAME ON YOU DR. PHIL.
You're brain dead.
Dr. Phil set it up for him to go directly to rehab. There was no way he was going to do that. Most people with a brain could tell that he wasn't going to go because he's still in denial. He was just making excuses to delay going. That's because he wants another drink. Dr. Phil cannot force him to go. SOOOO, instead of completely washing his hands of him, he sent that other Doctor from the rehab place, to go with him. That was so he could keep an eye on him. What else was he going to do? The idiot has said that after he goes back to Ohio for a couple of days, he will then go straight to rehab. Personally, I doubt it. He's full of crap. I think Dr. Phil is thinking the same thing. But, at least he's following through and sending that other doctor there with him, just in case.
Let's face it, the guy is a lush, and the chances are he will remain a lush. He's just damn lucky that he has someone that is looking out for him and is going to PAY for his rehab. This guy is stupid, and will no doubt through this chance away.
Again, Dr.Phil can't force him into rehab. Nor can he keep the family away if he doesn't want the family kept away. And if this idiot wanted to recovery and was making any attempt at all to recover, he would have snatched up that chance to have his rehab paid for IMMEDIATELY.
This guy hasn't a sincere bone in his body. He had a chance to get his teeth fixed and didn't even show up. We wanted to meet with Dr. Phil and didn't bother to show up. He's a freakin' loser. If it was me, I wouldn't waste 2 seconds on him.
one question a daughter that love you so much? Why would she supply alcohol to you.
Dr.Phil has this saying that goes something like this...."A good predictor of future behavior is past behavior". It's common sense, really.
The guy is a loser, and the chances of him changing are close to NIL.
I can only wish him well and hope that his rehab is successful. Going into rehab is not the problem. That's a good thing.
What he does while he is there and afterwards is what really matters.
But this is the right decision. No one believed for a moment that this man could go from homeless to sober working man once it became clear her had already blown a career in entertaining, not to mention his family life. Sad that this story took this turn. Yet utterly predictable. Too many people rushed in to capitalize on this story without doing a proper background check.