Montel Williams Threatens Newspaper Reporters

[kramer6131]

Article from Savannah Morning News by Scott Larson

Television talk-show host Montel Williams (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Montel+Williams) threatened to find and "blow up" the homes of three Savannah Morning News (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Savannah+Morning+News) reporters Friday while he was in town promoting free prescriptions for poor people.

The incident took place at the Westin Savannah Harbor (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Savannah+Harbor) after an event in Johnson Square for the Partnership for Prescription Assistance (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Partnership+for+Prescription+Assista nce)'s "Help is Here Express."

Before the event, Williams (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Montel+Williams) took exception to a question asked by Morning News high school intern Courtney Scott (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Courtney+Scott) and abruptly ended a videotaped interview.

Later, Scott (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Courtney+Scott), web content producer Joseph Cosey (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Joseph+Cosey) and intern Phillip Moore (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Phillip+Moore) went to the Westin for an unrelated assignment featuring gingerbread houses at the hotel.

Williams (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Montel+Williams) and his bodyguard were in the lobby, too.
"As we were preparing to film, Montel walked up with his bodyguard and got in Courtney Scott (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Courtney+Scott)'s face pointing his finger telling her, 'Don't look at me like that. Do you know who I am? I'm a big star, and I can look you up, find where you live and blow you up,' " Cosey said. "At this time he was pointing randomly at all of us." Moore (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Phillip+Moore) and Scott (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Courtney+Scott) corroborated the statement.

"He was really mad. He was angry at me," Scott (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Courtney+Scott) said. She is a 17-year-old senior at Jenkins High School (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Jenkins+High+School) working for the Morning News in an apprenticeship program through Savannah-Chatham public schools.
"I wasn't expecting him to come at me and go off, I was expecting him to say, 'No hard feelings from before.' I'm not sure if he meant 'blow me up' and ruin my career or really blow us up, but it was threatening."

Late Friday, Williams (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Montel+Williams) released a statement through a representative of his television program. "I apologize for the misunderstanding," the statement read. "I mistakenly thought the reporter and photographer in question were at the hotel to confront me about some earlier comments. I was wrong and I apologize for my overreaction." He was not made available for further questions.

Williams (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Montel+Williams) has been a spokesman for the Partnership for Prescription Assistance (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Partnership+for+Prescription+Assista nce). The organization claims to have helped 4.5 million people get prescriptions for free or nearly free.
Williams (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Montel+Williams) has been in television for more than 20 years. He has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and takes a large amount of pharmaceuticals himself.


Interview cut short
Before the rally in Johnson Square, Williams (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Montel+Williams) stood for an interview with Scott (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Courtney+Scott). With her second question she asked, "Do you think pharmaceutical companies would be discouraged from research and development if their profits were restricted?" It was a question she came up with after discussing the issue with her Advanced Placement English teacher.
Williams (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Montel+Williams) bristled. "I'm trying to figure out exactly why you are here and what the interview is about," he replied.

He asked if she suffered from any illness, to which she answered no.
"I'm here as a patient advocate talking about the fact that medications available today are saving people's lives, that's what saving mine and after that, this interview is done." He snapped his fingers, said thanks and walked away.

"That's an absolutely fair question to someone who represents the pharmaceutical industry," said Savannah Morning News (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Savannah+Morning+News) Executive Editor Susan Catron (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Susan+Catron).

Ken Johnson (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Ken+Johnson), senior vice president for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Pharmaceutical+Research+and+Manufact urers+of+America), said the question would have been better directed to himself because he represents the drug industry, and Williams (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Montel+Williams) is paid to raise awareness of the drug program.

Of the Westin encounter, he said Williams (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Montel+Williams) thought the reporter and photographer were trying to provoke a confrontation because of the incident at Johnson Square. "But that's not an excuse," Johnson (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Ken+Johnson) said. "It's a regrettable incident. He made a mistake and he's going to issue an apology. "Most people have no idea of the pain he suffers because of MS," Johnson (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Ken+Johnson) said. "But even on bad days bad behavior is not acceptable."
Johnson (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Ken+Johnson) said the event wasn't one-sided and claimed Cosey (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Joseph+Cosey) had been rude to him when he offered to answer questions. Scott (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Courtney+Scott) disputed that. Cosey (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Joseph+Cosey), she said, was concerned and upset at how Williams (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Montel+Williams) treated her, and just wanted to leave Johnson Square.

Scott (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Courtney+Scott) said she will accept Williams (http://savannahnow.com/content/related?topic=Montel+Williams)' apology on one condition.
"I won't accept the apology unless he does it on his show in front of everyone," she said, "because he embarrassed me in front of a crowd."

[2:30]

Montel Williams is an a**hole. Ask anyone who's ever worked on his show - especially any of the female producers.

He's a big star? Yawn.

[Laughing Angel]

I did a satellite interview with him once, and he was as mean, nasty and rude an individual as you could imagine. An A-1 jerk on and off the air.

Oh, and since when did he become "a big star"?

[!]

He's a big star if by that he means "daytime TV hack watched by millions of unemployed people, with nothing else to do, around the country."

I believe it is illegal to make terroristic threats like saying one will "blow up" someone's home, is it not?

[Randy Steinman]

Here's the Link (http://new.savannahnow.com/node/408151) to this morning's updated article in Savannah Now.

[Sans-a-belt]

Going after a high school kid? He must not have had his morning toke yet.

[Bureau Chief]

I love the way they try to use his MS as an excuse...ya I bet he takes "large amounts of pharmaceuticals". Hes yesterdays news. I agree with !, no one with any brain cells watch him or any of the carbon copies of the Springer show. Only a matter of time before he ends up on late night tv selling kitchen appliances. I hope that this incident causes his employers to have second thoughts on his future employment. I hate a bully more than anything. And yes that was terroristic threats and is illegal no matter what the situation. I hope the reporter files a huge lawsuit. The drug pusher industry would likely pay her off just to make it all disappear. Hell she may never have to work again if she works it right!

[Clubbeat]

Going after a high school kid? He must not have had his morning toke yet.

Which is too bad cause I hear that you can get some god ganja in Savannah.

He was stupid for reacting the way he did towards that person regardless if she was a HS intern, or a professional journalists. Shame on him for doing so!

[ISTHISTHINGON?]

At least someone is asking decent questions. Montel surely was used to silly "how does your mission make the world a better place" type snowjobs. Kudo's to the kid! (and I've never had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Big Shot, though I've heard similar horror stories from my colleagues)

[that's life]

Hmmm... Montel loves news.


And "medical marijuana"


Enough said.

[that's life]

Looking back on this post, the funniest thing about it is Kramer posting about Montel's "blow-up."

Wayyyyyyy too much for me :moon:

[LittleBabyPuppy]

I'm surprised Montel didn't blame his disease. It's a miracle he's alive and can still walk/talk like a decent human being..

[Roy Hobbs]

I'd be more intimidated if he threatened to run me over with the Poor Prescriptions bus.
http://www.urbanmin.org/media/newsimages/PPAbus.jpg