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 jerry

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This is why I hate the media! They bring a story like this to light, but then tear it down when they go digging into the past to find any little dirt that they can. They and their followers have already condemed the man even before he can take advantage of the opportunity to prove himself. Dumb bastards!

By Christine

that's what they do best!

By Old dave

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DBs? Quit bragging them up.

By johnson

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Great! Now keep your job and get a woman!

I hope this man can make his life better and not get swept up in the media hype! All the 'media sharks' need to leave this man alone and let him get on with his life! He promises that he will stay clean, lets hope he does.....if the media leaves him alone.....don't drive him to the brink of insanity! You did your part....NOW BACK OFF!

By sekretshopper

God bless them both. What an opportunity for Ted. I wish him nothing but the best. I'm surprised the MSM has paid any attention to this story considering Ted's obvious gratitude to God.

By Pim

My God, its a Betty White look-alike also...

By Mike

It would be nice if those who hire him put a guardian angel by his side for a time until he gets his bearings straight. I fell he's still in a very fragile state.

By Ian

I there are few good people around him. This is going to be hard but not impossible as long as the guys not being used right now. I'm pulling for him.

By Billymac

Say what you want , his voice is awesome .This story is a great one .It truly proves why the USA is the land of opportunity .I hope he has a story book future because he has been through it all.I hope he lives a long clean productive life , god bless you.

By mpainterlady

I think he is full of it and hopeing his mother is not full of it

By Robert

If your GOD is so powerful, why did this man go through all that he has? God this and God that. You people make me sick.

By Melissa

Robert, if you had an OUNCE of intelligence, which you obviously do not have based on your statement. If YOU read the bible or even learned anything about God you would know that GOD GIVES US CHOICES, HE DOES NOT MAKE THEM FOR US.. IF WE AS HUMAN BEINGS CHOOSE THE PATH THAT IS WRONG IT ISN'T ANYONE'S FAULT BUT OUR OWN. Grow up and stop blaming your problems on God and start correcting the mistakes YOU MADE AND THE CHOICES THAT YOU MADE!!

By Frances

It's hard to explain to someone who doesn't have faith that God has a lot to do with what happens in our lives. Good and bad things happen to us and the bad things usually happen because of a certain road that we have chosen to take. Going through the bad things in life (and I have been through many) make us appreciate the good things and I thank God all the time for everything in my life. I appreciate life much more now at the age of 67 than I ever have. Suffering through bad times makes us stronger and having faith is a blessing and helps us to go through these bad times in life and survive.

By Roeman

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No, Robert, people (atheists?) like you make the world sick. Sick with your negative God-hater mentality, sick with your insensitivity, sick with your desires to tear down anything good or wholesome that is related to God. Or Jehovah, or Allah, or Buddha, or whatever you choose to call your Higher Power. I feel sorry for those empty people out there who have no faith in their lives. I hope you aren't one of them. God bless you anyhow.

By j

DISGRACEFUL, that this guy has 9 KIDS!!!!!!!!! He should of spent more time working and less time having sex. this is whats wrong with the welfare system. These people sit home and have sex or do drugs. Make the people on welfare do Government work sweeping streets,raking leaves,shoveling snow,etc I bet then they will get off welfare.

By Vince

"Should have". "Should of" makes no sense.

By Keith

Your an idiot. You can't be more than 2 because life should have taught you more no matter what age you are.

By MELISSA

Really, who are you to judge ANYONE? How do you know that he will not try and make it right now that he is able to? Do you know him personally to JUDGE HIM or anyone else that does not sit on top of a pedastal and have everything handed to them on a silver spoon? I am so tired of people like you that are so damn miserable in their own lives that YOU ALWAYS SEEM TO FIND THE NEGATIVE IN EVERYTHING GOOD THAT HAPPENS TO OTHERS. This man will have to deal with his own guilt and mistakes, it is not for you to worry about. Get off your high horse and start looking at things in a more positive light, you may not be so miserable in your own life..

By penco17

I think it was 7...so what?

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