We’ve all been talking about Ted Williams, the homeless man with the “golden voice” who was thrust into the spotlight recently. He’s an interesting story, as he really was down and out, losing his way in life and living on the streets, who gets a second chance in life to become what he had always wanted: a radio announcer or voiceover artist. Who doesn’t like a feel good story? I certainly do. This story, unfortunately, is rife with worries and concerns about how Ted Williams, who is estranged from his family, will handle the fame and manage the new riches he acquires.
We are all looking to see how he does. What does he need to do to protect himself? It’s my opinion that the first thing he needs to do is ensure that he creates a positive support system around him. Without that as his foundation, he’s destined to return to all of his own habits and behaviors, and throw away this opportunity.
It’s difficult for those people to cope with celebrity who have been in the spotlight for most of their lives. For this man, who lacks effective coping skills, and has a history of substance use, it’s going to be even harder.
As of the time that I wrote this blog entry, Ted Williams had already had an altercation with his daughter, leading to a run-in with the police. After appearing on Dr. Phil, he admitted that he had not been clean and sober as he reported and Dr. Phil arranged for him to go to rehab. I hope that he takes this, now third, chance, and really turns it around. Because, it would really be nice to see the feel-good story stay a feel-good story, right?
Here’s the clip from Backstage at The Early Show from Saturday:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/01/08/earlyshow/saturday/main7225654.shtml?tag=mncol;lst;3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1FfcVIzyr0
