The fall, and rise, and fall again of a homeless man

10 viral sensations on life after internet fame

"Well, when I walked in that door and all these microphones and cameras were thrust into my face, and just couldn’t believe it."

~Ted Williams:

I only thought I was getting a job at the local radio station. I knew nothing about viral internet sensations or anything, so when I went down the following day, I saw all types of satellite trucks, news cameras, it was just phenomenal. But I didn’t think any of that was pertaining to me, because when you see CNN, ABC, NBC, all these trucks, you know something’s big. Well, when I walked in that door and all these microphones and cameras were thrust into my face, and just couldn’t believe it. I was an emotional wreck. “Uh, hi, would you like to come on the Today show?” “Hi, this is ABC.” Everybody was fighting for exclusives. It was ridiculous. I mean, who wouldn’t enjoy all this quick adulation? But it became invasive. I was like, “Oh, God, you gotta know my mother? My children? My girlfriend?” We sold my story to NBC for an exclusive, but I’d given out my mother’s address, and CBS This Morning went and found her. Took her away and sequestered her in a hotel in Manhattan so they could have the 17-year reunion of me and my mom. They finally called and said, “Ted, we’re going to take you to see your mother,” and that excited me, but I had no idea there were going to be 35 cameras there. 

My platform is simple. First, I want to change the way the power structure deals with homeless military veterans. After all of their years of service, and them protecting the freedoms of Americans, they come back only to become discouraged and disenchanted. They can’t find housing, they can’t find nothing. Secondly, homeless Americans, period—I want to eradicate that. We have more space dedicated to golf courses than we have land appropriated to build housing for homeless Americans. I think we need to shut down some of those country clubs and use that land for helping the homeless. Then I want to definitely challenge states’ handling of Fair Housing laws. And I’m tired of them outsourcing our jobs. We’ve got sweatshops in Thailand, China—you name it, you’ve got little kids manufacturing name-brand things there. Nike! I’m not bashing Nike, don’t get me wrong, but bring those jobs back to America.