Posted on 01/13/2011 7:01:19 PM PST by LesDowrey
Ted Williams was the feel good story for the New Year – a down-on-his-luck, homeless man whose elegant announcer’s voice, discovered in a viral video clip, gave him a second shot at midlife success.
Not only did he have multiple job offers, but Kraft took him on as a macaroni and cheese spokesman and a mortgage company offered to pay for a house.
But now, with the announcement that despite his claims of being clean and sober for two years, he has not mastered the drug and alcohol problem that put him on the street, he becomes just the latest celebrity – if newly minted – to enter a private rehab facility in Los Angeles.
(Excerpt) Read more at csmonitor.com ...
I encourage you to rethink my original post here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2655425/posts
Ted, don’t let your Mother or your self down! You can get clean!
Going into rehab is hardly “returning to his drug habit.”
Addiction is a lifelong struggle.
Some of the poor and downtrodden are there because of bad luck, illness, disability, or a single bad decision. However, I would say that 95% of the downtrodden are there because they have worked very hard at the difficult task of self destruction. Ted Williams is one of that 95%.
You were right.
Now, heed some advice.
I’ve been on this forum for a while and there are many such issues.
Pick and choose wisely.
Didn’t he also have issues with a daughter who called police, something about anger management?
Ted Williams’ head must be rolling over in its freezer.
You were guilty of thinking clearly and not being swayed by the emotion of the crowd.
Which reminds me that once upon a time National Review had a regular column entitled “the gimlet eye”. At least I think they did, it’s been such a long time since NR was worth reading. I gave up on it when the adults left years ago.
The movie version down on their "luck" struggling genius, entrepreneur, chess champion, classical musical savant or saint is a joke at best and a dangerous and deadly mistake at worst.
I've taken my four kids to "see" homeless people at food lines, charity offices and under the bridge. My girls are appropriately scared and realize that when you've seen the same sob story and the inevitable return to crack, booze, pot, glue or whatever... instead of a job, well the bloom is off the rose and they see these parasites for what they are.
It was a yawner to me and reminded me of story about a boy unable to communicate with the world but able to play classical music on the piano after hearing the composition once. He had a voice, probably weathered by cigarettes, booze and drugs. So what. I wish him well, and I hope he beats his demons, but I wouldn't bet my life or any money on it.
You “mis-underestimate” what ad agencies are willing to put up with. If Williams’ voice is that golden, they’ll put a shadow on him if need be.
Ted Williams’ head must be rolling over in its freezer.
Now that’s funny
20 Years in recovery from chemical dependency and the most vile people I come across are the ones rooting for the addict to return to his addiction.
It’s sad you would choose to personally attack me over reading the article I linked to. There’s a huge difference between rooting for someone’s failure and being realistic and understanding that a contrived media fairy tale is not going to end well. If Ted Williams had chosen on his own to change like you did, instead of being thrust into the limelight and taken advantage of by the media, he might be better off than he is now. In one week this guy went from having the world handed to him to getting back on the bottle, getting arrested, and heading to rehab. You should know better that to truly change you have to choose to change...not get a hand-out.
I am the founder of the Goodness and Light coalition. Care to share lists?
I was taken in by the Ted williams story, I must admit. But like the old adage “if it seems too good to be true, it probably isn’t”. I even felt guilty thinking his story was just too pat, “movie of the week” on Lifetime channel. He went from swigging $15 per bottle vodka to Grey Goose. Now he’ll “disappear” back into the black hole he created. Sad.
That's not true - I posted on your first ever post on this site two days ago and didn't disagree with you
Calm down and read more here and post comments on other threads that you don't originate and you'll do OK to break out of your FR Newbie shell.
Shove it you self righteous ass.
The most successful are those who have tried and failed repeatedly, until they finally won the prize.
I doubt if you're so sad Les. Given your contrived victimhood over your first posting and your declared/strawman victory found in this one I'd bet you feel a smug satisfaction about now.
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