Chris Wragge, Marysol Castro, Jeff Glor, Erica Hill
CBS The Early Show
02-09-2011
ERICA HILL: Beautiful shot of Wollman Rink there in just the southern part of Central Park, some people up early practicing their triplets.
CHRIS WRAGGE: And salchow.
ERICA HILL: There you go.
CHRIS WRAGGE: Love those.
ERICA HILL: On a Wednesday morning. Welcome back to THE EARLY SHOW. If you`re thinking that maybe this year for Valentine`s Day you`re going to send some flowers to someone you love. Don`t order them until you see our special report this morning.
CHRIS WRAGGE: Yeah. Consumer correspondent Susan Koeppen ordered hundreds of flowers online and by phone to see if you get what you`re actually paying for. And you are going to be very surprised by what she found out.
ERICA HILL: I always worried about that. (INDISTINCT) Koepps get to the bottom of it for us which we appreciate.
CHRIS WRAGGE: Yeah (INDISTINCT) ERICA HILL: Before that, though, the golden voiced Ted Williams is back with us in our EARLY SHOW studios this morning for his first interview since leaving rehab. And before we do speak with him we wanted to take a look back at the odyssey of the man who went from homeless to household name in an instant.
(Begin VT) TED WILLIAMS (Columbus Post Dispatch; Man with the Golden Voice): Hey.
MAN #1 (Columbus Post Dispatch): Say something with that great radio voice.
TED WILLIAMS: When you`re listening to nothing but the best of oldies-- ERICA HILL: The discovery of Ted Williams began look a classic tale of redemption.
TED WILLIAMS: God bless you. Thank you.
ERICA HILL: This YouTube clip of the man with the golden voice became an internet sensation after being posted by a local reporter, eventually logging more than twenty million hits. Lifting the homeless Williams from the cold streets of Columbus, Ohio-- SETH DOANE: You were sleeping in here?
TED WILLIAMS: Yeah, I`d sleep right over in here.
ERICA HILL: --into the bright lights of instant stardom-- CHRIS WRAGGE: And-- and People can`t get enough of you right now.
ERICA HILL: --including his first exclusive TV appearance on THE EARLY SHOW.
TED WILLIAMS: Now I`m more appreciative of life. I`m not taking it for granted.
ERICA HILL: That interview led to countless more appearances.
MAN #2: With our miracle man ted.
TED WILLIAMS: Good morning.
ERICA HILL: And a pile of job offers and at least one paycheck.
TED WILLIAMS: Kraft home-style Macaroni and cheese.
ERICA HILL: But the one about time radio announcer had a troubled past-- MAN #3: You drank yourself into a problem.
TED WILLIAMS: I sure did.
ERICA HILL: --which came to light almost as quickly as his rise to fame: an addiction to alcohol and drugs along with repeated arrests for crimes, including theft and forgery.
TED WILLIAMS: Hi, mommy.
ERICA HILL: A reunion with his mother, whom he hadn`t seen in ten years revealed strained relationship with his entire family.
TED MOTHER: Please don`t do this, okay.
TED WILLIAMS: I`m not, mamma, I`m not.
ERICA HILL: Just one week after bursting into the spotlight, the glare of attention seemed to be too much for Williams.
DR. PHIL (CBS Television Distribution/Peteski Productions): Why is it going to be different this time?
ERICA HILL: After appearing on the Dr. Phil Show Williams agreed to enter a Texas rehab center for ninety days.
DR. PHIL: You blow this?
TED WILLIAMS: I blow this I die.
ERICA HILL: Yet, after just two weeks of treatment he dropped out, prompting concern that Williams` second chance could disappear as quickly as it surfaced.
TED WILLIAMS (Courtesy: Alfred Battle): My (INDISTINCT).
ERICA HILL: In this new video, licensed from Williams` manager he`s seen undergoing extensive dental surgery for a smile to match his golden voice.
MAN #4: Good luck.
TED WILLIAMS: Oh, I`m sure. We made a second chance.
ERICA HILL: All part of a makeover you can see on the outside--a new wardrobe, a cleaned-up look. But is it a serious step towards sobriety and steady employment as Williams promises, or perhaps a finely calculated move engineered by his manager?
TED WILLIAMS: You can try that one if you want.
ERICA HILL: Job offers are still on the table. But can Williams avoid the temptations of his troubled past to follow them?
(End VT) ERICA HILL: And joining us exclusively in the studio this morning is Ted Williams. Ted, good morning.
TED WILLIAMS: Good morning. Good morning.
CHRIS WRAGGE: Good to see you again, Ted. We`re going to talk these last couple of weeks for you coming up here over the next couple of minutes.
TED WILLIAMS: Sure.
CHRIS WRAGGE: But with all of this instant celebrity that was basically thrust upon you real quick, what did you find was the biggest challenge for you?
TED WILLIAMS: Trying to keep up and feel all these possibilities of all of these job offers, and everything was just coming so fast, you know, and-- and-- and my manager, Alfred Battle, was getting-- taking as many calls as he could at the time. But it was just the challenge of just trying to keep a level head and--and --and possibly come to one decision.
ERICA HILL: Mm-Hm.
TED WILLIAMS: But there were so many to-- ERICA HILL: In everybody has been so focused on that and, of course, it brought you so much attention and a lot of good wishes.
TED WILLIAMS: Mm.
ERICA HILL: A lot of questions, though, too. There was concern initially you may relapse. And you ended up in rehab again. You left after just two weeks. Why did you leave so soon?
TED WILLIAMS: Actually that was probably a very rushed decision at that point.
ERICA HILL: Going in to rehab was a rush decision?
TED WILLIAMS: Going there. Yeah. It was too much, too fast. And I was just not really focused on what I should be doing. And then-- and I love Doctor Phil, let me just say that.
ERICA HILL: Mm-Hm.
TED WILLIAMS: I love him. His concerns and-- and his caring will not go in vain. You know, I am definitely going to carry on. But I felt scripted. I was doing live phone-ins from rehab. You know, and I haven`t known anyone to-- I`ve done that before. You know, you`re calling in, hi, Ted, how`s everything going? And instead, I`m-- I`m supposed to be in various classes.
ERICA HILL: Mm-Hm.
TED WILLIAMS: The people at Origins, where he sent me was a fine, fine facility, you know. And so I-- I was told by some people in the voiceover community in Los Angeles that they have a-- a living-- a clean living sober house there. That`s where I`m living now. And I could work and do some voiceovers in-- in California.
ERICA HILL: And-- and then are you-- it sounds like you`re saying, too, in that facility you`re able to better focus on your rehab for you, not for the millions of people who want to know about it.
TED WILLIAMS: Exactly, exactly. And the weight of the world was on my shoulders.
CHRIS WRAGGE: Mm.
TED WILLIAMS: I think I was just telling you a little while ago I was walking in airports, you know, Ted, we`re rooting for you, you know. Hey, Ted, don`t let us down.
CHRIS WRAGGE: What do you sense that you got added responsibility now?
Because you did. You-- you achieved the popularity that most people could only wish for in a very quick period of time. And people are rooting for you. And I think there`s also a portion of people that think, oh, he`s not going to make it. So-- TED WILLIAMS: No, I have a lot of people that are believing in me. And I think they`re believing in me by way of prayers. And-- and basically, this time around I want to focus on the Second Chance Foundation that we`ve established in Columbus, Ohio. And in light of the smearing campaign that they did with my manager or whatever, he is truly an example of second chance. And that`s why he was picked for me to call, the first person when the Dave and Jimmy Show in Columbus, Ohio, called me. And he was the first person I picked up because for over twenty-five years, he has been a successful concert promoter.
CHRIS WRAGGE: But can you understand why people-- why there is a concern for people that are in your inner circle-- TED WILLIAMS: Mm-Hm.
CHRIS WRAGGE: --because of the problems that you have had in the past? Can you-- can you understand that?
TED WILLIAMS: I understand-- CHRIS WRAGGE: Why people want to-- want to see you in rehab, and getting clean, and having all these opportunities that you have come to fruition?
TED WILLIAMS: And-- and that`s why I`m-- like I said I`m-- I`m in this, living in clean and sober living environment. I can work but I have to come back and report and random drops are made and-- CHRIS WRAGGE: Yeah.
ERICA HILL: Mm-Hm.
TED WILLIAMS: --you know, but I`m in the voiceover community.
ERICA HILL: You told us initially sitting here on this couch that you were concerned about a relapse, that it was a day-to-day thing for you. Your mother sat next to you-- TED WILLIAMS: Yeah.
ERICA HILL: --and boy, she really captured a lot of hearts across this country, too.
TED WILLIAMS: Oh, yes.
ERICA HILL: She is an incredible lady.
TED WILLIAMS: Yes.
ERICA HILL: She was concerned that all of this was going to go away a little too quickly and that it could actually push you into some sort of a relapse.
TED WILLIAMS: Well, you know, she had mentioned to me as well, she said just take it slowly, you know, just-- that sort of some of her advice through life, you know. And-- and she would always say you`re not going to finish what you started and things of that nature.
ERICA HILL: What was her reaction to-- to when you decided to leave rehab and-- and take this different route, you just saw her last night?
TED WILLIAMS: Oh, lord. She thought I was getting ready to get back on the street with a sign.
CHRIS WRAGGE: Yeah.
TED WILLIAMS: You know she thought, lord, what did he do now? You know, because it came and ended. Now that`s another situation that I couldn`t understand the second I left out of there. It was all over the-- the websites. It was, you know, Ted Williams leaves.
ERICA HILL: Mm-Hm.
CHRIS WRAGGE: But you can probably understand why people would jump to those conclusions.
TED WILLIAMS: Yes. Yes.
CHRIS WRAGGE: What do you do now to tell the-- the-- the countless offers that you had? Some of those companies have pulled back a little bit.
TED WILLIAMS: Yes.
CHRIS WRAGGE: They`re little hesitant to do business with you. What do you tell them to-- to reassure them and-- and to assure-- TED WILLIAMS: Well, now there is some of-- some of these offers have come back to the table under the provisions that I do continue to live in a-- in a sober environment and-- and-- and-- and strive for sobriety and they want to come back onboard with the many opportunities.
CHRIS WRAGGE: Well, how important is it for you to make sure that you do stay sober now? I mean it`s-- it`s all about you. I mean all comes back to you.
TED WILLIAMS: This is it. The altercations that the-- the gray goose of Doctor Phil uncovered and all of that, that`s behind me.
ERICA HILL: You`re talking about that people may not be familiar with that.
But there-- TED WILLIAMS: No, I`m sorry.
ERICA HILL: --was altercation with your-- with your daughter because you reunited with a num-- a number not just your mother, but your children.
TED WILLIAMS: That`s right.
ERICA HILL: --your exes in your life.
TED WILLIAMS: That`s right. And that was a little too fast as well, you know, at this point with just a little bit of notoriety-- I mean, you know, with this big whirlwind of notoriety.
CHRIS WRAGGE: Yeah.
TED WILLIAMS: And then trying to accomplish a-- a-- a based relationship with my kids. It was just-- ERICA HILL: So where does the relationship stand with your children at this point?
TED WILLIAMS: They love it. And now everybody all of our hearts are all for one. Daddy, get well, you know. And-- and I`ve had the opportunity. The lord has blessed me to be able to, you know, keep them a few bucks now now.
ERICA HILL: Yeah.
TED WILLIAMS: And be the stand-up father and an example of helping the needy.
ERICA HILL: And you-- you look a little different too-- CHRIS WRAGGE: Yeah.
ERICA HILL: --we should say.
TED WILLIAMS: Yes, I`ve nice teeth. You know, I want to thank-- CHRIS WRAGGE: You smile.
TED WILLIAMS: --Doctor Kvitko in Columbus, Ohio, who made this smile possible-- CHRIS WRAGGE: Yeah.
TED WILLIAMS: --And the-- the-- CHRIS WRAGGE: You still got the voice.
TED WILLIAMS: And when you`re watching THE EARLY SHOW-- ERICA HILL: There you go.
TED WILLIAMS: Yeah.
ERICA HILL: Did that help you, though, to have even this physical transformation? How does that help you as you are on this road to sobriety, this daily battle that you have, does that inspire you?
TED WILLIAMS: I`m-- I`m going for the get go. This-- this move around, there`s no more of these five-minute interviews and-- and-- and waving on buses. All of that is behind me. Now I want to try to really focus on the Second Chance Foundation, which I want to give back to what America has given me. God has truly blessed me. And I-- I-- he`s blessing me every second. I`m here with you guys, you know.
CHRIS WRAGGE: Right.
TED WILLIAMS: And-- and-- and I really want to thank Adrian, you know.
CHRIS WRAGGE: Yeah.
ERICA HILL: Adrian is one of our producers.
TED WILLIAMS: Yes, that`s right. I love her dearly.
CHRIS WRAGGE: Wheels in motion.
TED WILLIAMS: Yes. Yes.
CHRIS WRAGGE: All right. Thank you for everything again for coming back and talk with-- talking with us.
TED WILLIAMS: Oh, it`s my pleasure, my pleasure.
CHRIS WRAGGE: We-- like we said last time, we wish you-- we do-- we wish you the best.
TED WILLIAMS: Thank you so much. And I`ll keep you guys posted as to how everything`s going.
ERICA HILL: Please do. So many folks are pulling for you, so they want to see this workout.
TED WILLIAMS: Thank you so much-- ERICA HILL: The very best to you and your family.
TED WILLIAMS: --for this opportunity to say this.
CHRIS WRAGGE: And the Cavs need you, they`ve lost, you know.
TED WILLIAMS: Oh, yeah. Maybe I can bring them some luck.
ERICA HILL: Thanks Ted. I appreciate you coming in this morning.
TED WILLIAMS: Thank you so much.
CHRIS WRAGGE: Good to see you.
TED WILLIAMS: All right.
ERICA HILL: It is just about forty minutes past the hour. We want to get you a check of your weather at this point.
CHRIS WRAGGE: So let`s take a look at what`s going on outside your window.
(LOCAL WEATHER BREAK) ERICA HILL: Just ahead, our new hero, the granny who fought off a gang of bank robbers with only her handbag. She`s talking.
CHRIS WRAGGE: We`re going to hear why super granny as she`s being called in the British Press, showed no fear, no fear whatsoever. This is THE EARLY SHOW here on CBS.
(ANNOUNCEMENTS) CHRIS WRAGGE: Welcome back. We showed you this video yesterday. Everyone loves this video-- ERICA HILL: Yeah.
CHRIS WRAGGE: --because if there`s a robbery-- ERICA HILL: I want granny.
CHRIS WRAGGE: --you need-- you need a seventy-one-year-old woman wielding a purse and a red jacket. Look at her making a beeline down the street. She saw this crime in progress and seventy-one-year-old Ann Timson decided to take matters into her own hands and start, well, just beating down these four perps. And one of the guys fell down, actually, and then was corralled by people on the street. So she-- look at her.
ERICA HILL: She is not giving up. She said-- she said she was even more upset. She sees the robbery and then she was upset they thought they could get away and no one stepped in to help her. And this is a granny who means business.
CHRIS WRAGGE: Yes.
MARYSOL CASTRO: She actually sits on her local residence board-- board to tackle crime.
CHRIS WRAGGE: Yeah.
MARYSOL CASTRO: But more importantly she`s a bingo caller. Don`t mess with the bingo caller. I`m telling you.
CHRIS WRAGGE: Marysol, you bring up a very good point there.
JEFF GLOR: If you`re calling bingo, you can swing a purse.
ERICA HILL: Mm-Hm.
MARYSOL CASTRO: Exactly.
JEFF GLOR: I mean let`s be-- I-- I do love some of these quotes by the way.
I landed several blows against one lad. She says I was amazed, they all seemed mesmerized.
ERICA HILL: Yeah.
JEFF GLOR: And they really are I think they`re so stunned.
MARYSOL CASTRO: Sure.
JEFF GLOR: I mean this big bad burglars as we talked about and they were defenseless against her.
CHRIS WRAGGE: And this is one thing. It`s one thing if you`re standing there. Let`s-- let`s-- let`s say she`s just standing on the corner waiting to cross the street, there happens to be this robbery taking place.
ERICA HILL: Mm-Hm.
CHRIS WRAGGE: She and-- and I think it`s the funniest part of the video, runs towards them.
ERICA HILL: Yeah.
CHRIS WRAGGE: I mean she is on a-- she`s a full-on sprint towards these young men-- JEFF GLOR: Awesome.
CHRIS WRAGGE: --not all young men, one of them is thirty-nine but-- ERICA HILL: It seems, though, that people who know her aren`t necessarily that shocked by her actions-- CHRIS WRAGGE: I know.
ERICA HILL: --because they would, you know, they would call her, too, if they were in trouble.
MARYSOL CASTRO: I want her on my team if I, you know-- JEFF GLOR: Yeah. She should join the team.
MARYSOL CASTRO: --in a dark alley.
JEFF GLOR: We should-- we should have her on the show really. Cool. "I`m not a hero, but somebody had to do something." CHRIS WRAGGE: And luckily, Ann was there.
ERICA HILL: One more thing to say.
JEFF GLOR: Love it.
MARYSOL CASTRO: Supergran.
ERICA HILL: Supergran.
ERICA HILL: B-47. No.
MARYSOL CASTRO: Bingo.
JEFF GLOR: Oh. I just got that.
CHRIS WRAGGE: We`ll be right back. You`re watching THE EARLY SHOW on CBS. I missed it, too.
MARYSOL CASTRO: I got it.
ERICA HILL: Thank you.
(ANNOUNCEMENTS) CHRIS WRAGGE: Okay, so coming up with Valentine`s Day right around the corner, you order a dozen roses in a lovely arrangement. So what do you get? Do you get that? Or do you get that?
ERICA HILL: This is the big question when you order online or even over the phone. You never really know what shows up if you`re not there to greet it until you put Susan Koeppen on the case. Our consumer correspondent tells you what your money is really buying on THE EARLY SHOW.
(ANNOUNCEMENTS) END
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This is not a legal transcript for purposes of litigation.
