Ted Williams Reunites With Mom, but Not Before Some Morning Show Drama

By Marc Schneider Posted Jan 7th 2011 08:30AM

Kleenex is going to have a very good day. Ted Williams, the homeless man with a golden voice, was finally reunited with his mother Thursday in a supremely emotional exchange that was delayed because of two feuding morning shows and their cutthroat quest to capture the moment.

In the end, The Columbus Dispatch, which introduced Williams to the world, was the first outlet to post video showing the moment when he and his mother, Julia Williams, reunited for the first time in 10 years.

"Hi, Mommy! Hi, Mommy! Hi, Mommy!" repeated Williams as he approached and embraced Julia in a New York City hotel. "I told you I was coming this year. I don't look my best, but I'm home."

Williams, wearing the same Army jacket he had on in the Dispatch's original roadside video, clutches his 90-year-old mom as she rejoices, "My prodigal son has come home."

When she tells him, "Please don't disappoint me," he responds, "I'm not, Mom, I'm not. I'm through with it all. Mother, I love you so much."

The reunion should have happened earlier, but conflicts between NBC and CBS held things up.

A 'Today' producer told the Dispatch that Williams and his mom had been booked for NBC interviews on Thursday, but CBS swooped in and intercepted her.

"They held her up so we couldn't do the reunion," said the producer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. They claim that CBS wanted no contact between mother and son until their morning shows had concluded.

A CBS spokeswoman called that account "a complete fabrication."

"When NBC learned of our intentions to bring Julia to the airport (Wednesday night) to meet her son, they told us that they would not let them reunite even if it meant keeping Ted and Julia apart for days and that the reunion had to happen live on their show -- and that's exactly what they did. They snuck him off the plane into a van and away from the airport in order to avoid his mother."

CBS brought Julia Williams to La Guardia Airport on Wednesday night, but Ted "was whisked away by another media outlet" before the two could meet eyes.

"I was waiting for you to get off that plane," Julia told her son during their meeting Thursday.

Ted aired his concern about his mother's safety during the media swarm. "I thought they kidnapped you. I thought these people thought this whole experience was worth some money to them."

He then tells her how certain individuals, possibly news and TV producers, began contacting him to extract information on her.

"People in Columbus were saying, 'What's your mother's name? Where does she live? We wanna go pick her up. We wanna do this, that or the other.' And I was scared because anybody could have come in and said, 'I'm from whatever and ride with us,' and take you away. And then when that woman wouldn't let me speak..." Williams' statement ends there, and the raw footage from the Dispatch then cuts to another part of the conversation.

Williams has stuck with NBC for his appearances since coming to New York, having made a memorable debut on 'Today' and later doing voice-over work for MSNBC and Kraft Foods (a Mac & Cheese commercial). He capped off his busy day of work with an appearance on 'Late Night With Jimmy Fallon.'

Williams, a Brooklyn native, became an online sensation just this week when The Columbus Dispatch posted a video of him demonstrating his voice-over skills by the side of the road.

Tags: Ted Williams

Comments

(412)

Friday 07 January

By katydid579

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Dan: You notice faux "news" isn't even following up on this story because it is positive and hopeful. faux "news" doesn't do that kind of story, they can only spread the messages of hate, rage, fear, gloom and doom. For THOSE stories they ARE #1.

By Robert

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Excellent observation! I, too, wish him the very best!!

By Belinda Crawford

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I think that we should all think positive about the entire situation, sometimes it is not the amount of money, status or peer pressure that causes one to end up on a train to doom, god himself places us in situations to make us strong and realize that he is all things and with him one does not need anything else. I feel inspired by the story and hope that others feel the same way, and the message is trust in GOD all the time!!!

By gichaya

Hmmmm, I was raised to respect people, especially my elders. But, I have to get this off my chest. Ted's mom is a selfish old woman. She is acting like this is about her. I understand that she wants the best for her son, but she is a selfish old bag. Everything that she has said has been about HER and how SHE felt. Not one word about him living on streets or having a drug problem. Her concern was that he embarrased HER. First thing she to him was, "don't disappoint me".

I can definitely understand why he walked out of her life. He is like a child around his mom, because he loves so much. Hopefully, her selfishness is enough to keep him for relapsing

By cjclark15

Oh, Katydid...Fox did run a positive story on this guy and then let it be, like good journalists usually do. Instead, NBC and CBS harped in on this guy like the vultures they are in a childish attempt to garner ratings. NBC and CBS stood in the way of this man's reunion with his mom to stage a show instead of providing independent and unbiased reporting of the event. But you instead call Fox 'faux'...how original. Anyway, I'm glad this guy gets a second chance and his mother finds her son once again. I wish this family the best and for the NBC and CBS news organizations to go out of business.

By Jim

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I give him a good chance of making it, needs to take it one day at a time, Mary posted a good post, his mom needs to go to Alanon, but more importantly he needs to get into AA and NA, he needs to do this for himself & not for his mom or anyone else.
I just turned 17 on 12/26, no not my age, I am 63, it is how long I have been clean & sober, Ted can do this but needs help from people who have been there & walked in his shoes, they are the only ones who can help us.

By Jennifer

This is another fine example of God working in His mysterious ways! I hope Mr. Williams and his mother have nothing but joy and happiness for the rest of their lives! Yes, Mr. Williams will still have to work hard at maintaining his sobriety, but I believe he will succeed with the help of his mother and God!

By Egghead

Wow what's up with mom? All I heard from her was, me me me me me. "Don't disappoint ME". What the hell is that to say to your child after not seeing him for years. What a selfish old biddy.

By V I V

I like him better without the haircut

By Mary

Julia Williams needs Al-Anon. She needs to rejoice in what God has done for her son Ted and be thankful for the people who God has sent to intervene for her son.
Get to a meeting Julia so that you can help your son with his sobriety not remind him of where he failed or bring up the past.
The past is the past at last.
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I can NOT change.
Courage to change the things I can
And the wisdom to know the difference.
Al-Anon Julia...find a meeting!!!

By g

@Mary.....You are so correct!

Sunday 09 January

By writerlady52

@Mary yes you are right. He wants his mothers approval so badly, she is very negative. I can see it and have lived it. He has to be strong and do what is best for him. I pray he can continue to stay clean and move forward with his life. He has a wonderful talent a beautiful voice.

By Barb

I totally agree with Mary. God sometimes works in strange ways. The sign that Ted held up got the attention he needed. Praise God!! His Mom needs to forget her feeling of humiliation in front of her friends and family because of a sign and let it be!! Be thankful for this blessing that has befallen her son and most of all we should all keep him and his family in our prayers. So many out there just like him who need a miracle in their lifes!!

By jane doe

why do you people praise god for the good things and forget about him/her for the bad ones? where was god when he GOT in trouble, and where were his 7 children when he was homeless? god has nothing to do with this.

By Aboona Joe

jane doe, not too many people -- Christians included, especially many neo-"evangelical" Christians -- really KNOW and UNDERSTAND the Word. If they -- and you, too -- did, they [and you] would understand that the "Prosperity Gospel" is NOT the Gospel and Word of God! HERE is the Word of God: "Everything works for good for those who love the Lord and seek his purpose in [everything in] their life!"

The operative word here, jane doe, is "EVERYTHING" -- meaning things so-called 'good' and things so-called 'bad'. By the way, this is Romans 8:28.

By Frankie

You are so right and they were my thoughts while watching the Today show. Julia, please go to alanon. You must not continue to bring up the past but bring positive input. Rejoice in the Lord and what has taken place.

By John S-B

Jane Doe, God was there all the time just waiting for Mr. Williams. And when he was ready God was there for him. Obviously Mr. Williams sees that.

By tracy

I am sry god has nothing to do with it

By KR

For everybody that's saying God has nothing to do with it... Ted Williams is the man who was in the situation and he says that God has something to do with it so how can you doubt him? You weren't there with him.

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