Daily Commentary Thursday, January 6th, 2010 A Nice Broadcasting Story

Ex-wife: 'Golden voice' no help with kids
REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio, Jan. 7 (UPI) -- Ted Williams, a Homeless Ohio man whose "golden voice" has given him a second chance, did little to help raise his Children, his ex-wife says. Patricia Kirtley told the New York Daily News she raised their four daughters and even had her sisters take in children he had with another woman. "We survived," Kirtley, who is partially blind, said Thursday in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. "My children are survivors. They know if we get a little bit that God provides we make it...

Radio industry voices approval, frustration at Ted Williams story
There is no doubt that Ted Williams has an amazing voice. It's a voice that only belongs behind a microphone announcing a Basketball game, voicing an Infomercial, reading the news or reminiscing with us on our favorite oldies station. And who doesn't love a story about someone getting a second chance at life? It's inspiring to know that when we might need that second chance or if we are looking for one right now, there's hope. To see the outpouring of jobs, opportunities and ...

Homeless man with the Golden voice gets a second chance in life
- Jennifer of Cubachi I think this is one of the best stories of why the Internet is so great. A reporter publishes an article and video of a Homeless man with an incredible voice for radio, yet it down on his luck. The man is now receiving job offers and a "second chance in life." ...

'Golden-Voice' Man Credit's God for Redemption
The Ohio Homeless man with a golden voice explained Friday how a YouTube video transformed his life, bringing in multiple job offers for announcing work. Just days ago, footage shot by The Columbus Dispatch showcased Ted Williams' voice and made him an overnight sensation. It even led to a reunion with his 90-year-old mother Julia Williams. Watch the video here . In an interview with ABC News' "Good Morning America" Friday, mother and son recognized God as the source of Williams' redemption....

Ted Williams' Reunion With His Mother Delayed By Networks (VIDEO)
The reunion of golden-voiced Homeless man Ted Williams and the mother he had not seen for ten years was delayed by behind-the-scenes network wrangling over who would film the event. NBC and CBS were engaged in a fierce war over Williams, whose story has captivated people since a video of him using his smooth baritone while asking for money went viral earlier in the week. CBS had scored the first interview with Williams (via satellite Wednesday), but then NBC managed to get him on a flight from...

Advice To Golden-Voiced Ted Williams: Listen To Your Mom
What is this? Ted Williams, the Homeless man with the golden voice who's gone from the streets of Columbus, Ohio, to nationwide fame this week because of a Columbus Dispatch video, made another appearance on NBC's Today Show this morning — this time with his 90-year-old mother Julia. As we've reported, they were reunited yesterday (after 10 years apart, not 20 as previously thought). Today, they talked about his years of Drug Abuse, petty crime and Homelessness and the shame they brought o...

Advice To Golden-Voiced Ted Williams: Listen To Your Mom
What is this? Ted Williams, the Homeless man with the golden voice who's gone from the streets of Columbus, Ohio, to nationwide fame this week because of a Columbus Dispatch video, made another appearance on NBC's Today Show this morning — this time with his 90-year-old mother Julia. As we've reported, they were reunited yesterday (after 10 years apart, not 20 as previously thought). Today, they talked about his years of Drug Abuse, petty crime and Homelessness and the shame they brought o...

Since When are Deadbeat Dads Pop Culture Icons?
By now you've all see the story of the Homeless guy with the great voice, Ted Williams, as he's been making the rounds on television. But for years we've been told what worthless lowlifes deadbeat fathers are. So why all of a sudden the change in attitude? Don't get me wrong, I'm all for giving people a second or third chance, but let's not overlook the fact the guy is a deadbeat who's left a trail of misery and a broken family. So before we all get all misty-eyed over his shot at redemption, ...

Mother and Son Reunion "Like a Dream"
Like this Story? Share it: (CBS) (NEW YORK) -- From Homeless to famous in just a few days. And reunited with his mother. Ted Williams, the man with the velvet voice, and his mom, Julia Williams, finally got to lay eyes on each other after more than a decade apart yesterday afternoon, and hug and hug, and cry. "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!" Ted said as he approached her. It was all caught by "Early Show" cameras. Both sat down with "Early Show" co-anchors Erica Hill and Chris Wragge today. Seeing Ted ...

Bronx Residents Also Angry About Homeless Invasion
jtshockley's flickr Residents in the Highbridge neighborhood of The Bronx are angry after officials unilaterally converted a shelter for Homeless families into a facility housing only men. Similar to concerns from UWS residents yesterday, Highbridge locals say that the new influx of Homeless people are making their neighborhood much more dangerous. " They're out here at all hours of the night, creeping around and you don't know what they're going to do. They're always either smoking, drinking ...

UWS Residents Fight Against Inevitable Homeless Invasion
Upper West Side residents are up in arms over the forthcoming Homeless invasion of Manhattan, and they're not just going to sit complacently and watch their change and their sidewalks disappear. Concerned residents packed into a meeting last night at Community Board 7 to Protest a planned Homeless facility on West 94th Street, which they believe could be the tipping point that turns the Upper West Side into San Francisco. " It feels like a recurring nightmare to many of us. You're trying to co...

Heavy floods leave at least 35 dead in Brazil
SAO PAULO - Authorities in Brazil say four people from the same family have died in a mudslide in the interior of Sao Paulo state, and civil defense officials say heavy Flooding have killed at least 35 people and forced more than 30,000 out of their homes across the country. Officials in the city of Jundiai said Thursday the four people, including two girls, died when their house collapsed because of a mudslide triggered by downpours. The worst hit state is Minas Gerais, where civil defens...

The homeless guy with the "golden radio" voice triumphs...
... or so it seems. ...

Not to sound like a grump, but...
The story of the you-can't-make-this-up-named Ted Williams, the Homeless man with the golden pipes who has in just a few days gone from the street to media darlinghood, is a lovely one. But the insanity surrounding the multiple offers and the relentless media self-congratulation on giving a hidden gem the exposure warranted by a media that loves a resonant voice disguises the larger problem of Homelessness in this country. Mr. Williams, for all his golden voice, has a backstory that fits what mo...

Empty homes rules tightened 'to protect civil liberties'
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 6 January 2011 23.00 GMT The government is to tighten up the rules that allow councils to seize empty homes, claiming the current system, introduced under Labour, infringes Civil Liberties. Eric Pickles, the communities secretary, said he was protecting the "fundamental human right" to property, citing cases where people have had their homes seized when visiting sick relatives abroad for extended periods. But charities claimed the move would deter councils from reclaimi...

Naperville businesses seek action against homeless protester
A Naperville psychologist and others have asked the Naperville City Council to do more about what they say is continued harassment from Protester and squatter Scott Huber. Kathy Borchardt, a clinical child psychologist who is suing Huber after a 2010 confrontation that resulted in disorderly conduct and criminal trespassing charges against him, said she was frustrated more has not been done to stop Huber's infringement on business owner's rights. Read more HERE on TribLocal. ...

Homeless man new voice of Kraft Mac & Cheese
Chicago Breaking Business. And he reunited with his mom today, after 20 years. A happy ending:) ...

So Much Unseen
Before Ted Williams hit the viral big time I had the original YouTube video linked on my Facebook page, for I hoped the evolution starkly demonstrated how easy it is to apparently see and classify a Homeless person as unemployable yet be completely blind to their talents and potential. For some reason Epistemology has been branded a “ten dollar word” of intellectual nerds, but it’s simply the process of answering the question how do you know what you know? Many times the answer induces mil

Selective Compassion and the Pathologies of Inequality
© Columbia Broadcasting System Ted Williams kisses his mom, Julia Williams, on The Early Show "We believe in second chances and second opportunities," declared the senior vice president for marketing from the Cleveland Cavaliers. This pronouncement accompanied the offer of an announcing job to Ted Williams, the Homeless man whose "golden" voice and impoverished visage went viral on a YouTube video. Beyond his elevation by the media to visible and viable economic status, Williams became a ...

Golden Voice Ted Williams Interviewed on 'Today Show'
If this clip gets removed the NBC video is at the link: "Ted Williams, the Homeless man with the golden voice, does 'Today' show." Also at Althouse. Previously : "Golden Voice — UPDATED!! Ted Williams Lands Job With Cleveland Cavaliers!" Related : "'Hi Mommy': The emotional reunion between 'Golden Voice' beggar and his 92-year-old mother after ten years." ...

Aftershock; Haiti, Hardship, Help & Hope
After Shock I wrote recently again about the neverending suffering of Haiti, and the remarkable resiliency of the people and the Children who live in conditions unimaginable to the rest of us: The question is always “what can we do?” and the answer always feels a little hopeless; yes, by all means, we can and should send help to relief agencies. We should keep the people of Haiti, especially the children, in our prayers. Reading stories like this, what can we do but keep them humbl...

Video: Ted Williams - Homeless Man with the Golden Voice:
A real feel good story. After his video went viral Ted Williams, a Homeless man from Cleveland, OH was hired on by WNCI. From the Streets to the Airwaves. Email This BlogThis! Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Google Buzz Please Support COMMON CENTS by doing your Christmas Shopping here. Thank You!! Watermark template. Powered by Blogger. ...

Andy Borowitz: My Idea of a Heartwarming Story
NEW YORK (The Borowitz Report) - If you'll pardon me for being serious for a moment, here's my idea of a heartwarming story: A Homeless man with no special talent gets our compassion anyway. The Ted Williams story is, of course, riveting and hopeful. But the nation's fascination with it has nothing to do with our capacity for empathy and everything to do with our Addiction to instant celebrity. The coverage has also been shockingly patronizing. People have been amazed to learn that a Homeless ...

Was John Wheeler murdered, or did he seek shelter in that Dumpster?
A PROMINENT Philadelphia crime sleuth is speculating that the region's high-profile Murder mystery - the shocking discovery of ex-Pentagon official John "Jack" Wheeler III in a Wilmington landfill - might not be a Murder at all. William Fleisher, an ex-cop who co-founded Philadelphia's murder-solving Vidocq Society, said that the discovery of eyewitnesses and Surveillance video of a disoriented Wheeler before he died suggests that the 66-year-old man had suffered a head or brain injury...

Forget the Homeless Radio Guy, Actual Hero Is His Ex-Wife
Photo: Today Show/NBC While the rest of the world cooed and melted over the story of Ted Williams's unexpected ascent from Homeless man with a talent for radio to Viral Video sensation and Cleveland Cavaliers announcer, we also sobbed gently into our keyboard remained unmoved. Sure this was an uplifting instance of rare second chances and dreams coming true, but what about other Homeless people who aren't blessed with a golden voice? Where is the Internet on that, huh? Now tha...