The new year's first viral video star is Ted Williams, a homeless man from Ohio, whose amazing, radio-perfect voice has awed people from around the world.
Williams was known for panhandling with a handmade sign announcing his "God-given gift of a voice." After hearing about him, The Columbus Dispatch paper stopped by one of his known panhandling haunts to record him saying voice-over phrases, like "coming up next!"
The bedraggled Williams' appearance only made his voice seem that much richer. Days later, millions have watched the video.
Now that Williams' voice has been heard, he's making appearances -- he was on Ohio radio this morning, and he'll be on NBC's "Today Show" on Thursday -- and the job prospects seem to be pouring in. Here are a few of the new possible opportunities for Williams.
The Cleveland Cavaliers: A representative of the Cavs called into "The Morning Zoo" on WNCI, a local Ohio station, this morning to offer Williams a full-time voice-over job and a house.
The NFL: No offer has been made yet, but a director of post-production from the NFL told The Columbus Dispatch, "My boss said to me: 'If you don't get him hired, you're fired.' ... I can't make any guarantees, but I'd love to get him some work."
The Ohio Credit Union League: Also on WNCI this morning, Williams was offered a $10,000 opportunity to do voice-over work for the Ohio Credit Union League, pending a background check.
MTV: Someone claiming to be from MTV called into "The Morning Zoo" to say that they'd love to work with Williams.
ESPN: According to WNCI, ESPN has expressed interest in Williams, too.
suara die sedap betul......tak sangka jadik homeless semuanyer gara gara arak and dadah.....kalau tgk cara cakap mmg nampak educated....tapi sekarang die dah dapat kerja dah after video nih tersebar...rezeki kannn.....yg tukang amek video nih pown patut diberi pujian gakkk...
The homeless man with the golden voice, Ted Williams, is reunited with his mother, Julia Williams, 90, in New York Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011.
Doral Chenoweth III/AP
COLUMBUS, OHIO—A homeless man whose silky announcing voice has catapulted him to national fame reunited Thursday with his mother, recorded a commercial for Kraft Macaroni & Cheese and agreed to do voice-over work for MSNBC.
Video posted by The Columbus Dispatch shows Ted Williams walking quickly toward his 90-year-old mother at their New York reunion. Williams says, “Hi, Mommy. Hi, Mommy,” when he sees her in a hotel for the first time in about 20 years.
Brooklyn resident Julia Williams covers her face as her son approaches, and he hugs her, saying, “I feel the same way, Mommy.”
“I’m home,” Williams says. “I told you I was coming this year. I don’t look the best, but I’m home.”
Williams, 53, was left homeless after his life was ruined by drugs and alcohol, and he was living in a tent near a highway in Columbus just days ago. He quickly became an online sensation after the Dispatch posted a clip of him demonstrating his voice-over skills while begging by the side of the road.
Williams appeared on NBC’s “Today” show Thursday morning and has been offered jobs by the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers and others.
At the reunion, he wore a camouflage jacket over clothes that he told his mother are all that he owns and said he just finished doing a commercial for Kraft Macaroni & Cheese that is to air Sunday during the Fight Hunger Bowl on ESPN.
Williams recorded voice-over promos Thursday for MSNBC’s Lean Forward campaign, and the spots were to begin running immediately, network spokeswoman Tanya Hayre said. He was being paid for the spots, Hayre said, but she declined to say how much.
Williams also taped an appearance on the NBC late-night show hosted by comedian Jimmy Fallon, who told him his voice “is golden.” Williams recounted his tale of discovery while panhandling on the streets of Columbus, joked about his fondness for “Today” host Matt Lauer and became teary-eyed when he discussed recording his first commercial for Kraft.
In the reunion video, Williams’s mother refers to him as “my prodigal son,” and when she tells him, “Please don’t disappoint me,” Williams responds, “I’m not, Mom, I’m not. I’m through with it all.”
“You always told me to pray, and I’ve been praying,” he says. “This has been a dream, a dream and a prayer.”
On the “Today” show, Williams described his previous 48 hours as “outrageous.”
“There’s no way in the world that I could have ever imagined that I would be — I mean, just have all of this just all of a sudden come into this portion of my life,” he said during a live interview in the program’s studio.
But he said he was ready to handle the second chance and the job offers he was being given and predicted that in five years he’d be working as a radio program director and living in his own apartment. He said in 2010 he found a “new sense of spirituality” that would help him deal with whatever success comes.
Williams was contacted Wednesday by the Cavaliers, who have offered him a position that could include announcing work at Quicken Loans Arena, the team’s downtown facility. Williams said the team has offered him a two-year contract and would pay his living expenses.
“They said that they’re going to give me LeBron’s old house,” Williams joked on NBC on Thursday, referring to former Cavaliers star LeBron James, who left for the Miami Heat.
It’s been a shocking turn of events for the golden-voiced Williams, who had gotten by living in shelters and occasionally with family and friends over the past few years. Williams also has been in his share of trouble. His past includes a lengthy list of arrests. He has served time in prison for theft and forgery and has been cited with numerous misdemeanours, including drug abuse.
He was most recently arrested May 14. He pleaded guilty to a first-degree misdemeanour theft charge. In court records, his address is listed as “Streets of Columbus.”
Williams acknowledged his record during the “Today” show appearance and explained that he turned to crime so he could afford his drug habit.
Upon learning of Williams’s criminal history, the Cavaliers said their offer still stands.
“We believe in second chances and second opportunities,” said Tracy Marek, the team’s senior vice-president of marketing. “The gentleman deserves an opportunity to explain certain situations. We’re not jumping to conclusions. It’s not fair.”
Williams said his life began spiralling downward in 1996, when he began drinking alcohol “pretty bad.” He used marijuana and cocaine and lost interest in his radio career. He wound up on the streets despite the best efforts of his children, seven daughters and two sons, who live in the Columbus area.
Williams said he celebrated two years of sobriety around Thanksgiving.
“I just hope,” he said, “everyone will pray for me.”
Post time 6-1-2011 11:14 AM
变色卡
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...a homeless man and now a fames man
mmg best suara dia.
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