Ted Williams detained by police; will be grilled by Dr. Phil tonight

Well, here’s the drawback to windfall celebrity status: every time someone calls the cops on you, it makes the news. Ted Williams, who until recently was homeless and panhandling in Columbus, Ohio, and is now the darling of the media due to his “golden” radio voice, was detained by police on Monday night after a shouting match with one of his daughters at a Hollywood hotel.

“LAPD responded to a disturbance call at the Renaissance Hotel at about 9 p.m. [Monday] night,” police spokesman Bruce Borihanh tells The Hollywood Reporter. “An investigation was conducted and two individuals were transferred to the Hollywood station. No one was arrested or booked for any crime in relation to this incident. After a short investigation, police determined no crime was committed by either party… Nobody wanted to press charges.”

Williams has nine children, five of which are being raised by his former wife, Patricia Kirtley. In a brief profile on Rant Rave on Saturday, it was revealed that Kirtley raised the children alone while Williams was struggling with drug addiction and homelessness.

Patricia Kirtley and Ted Williams had 4 daughters and she also raised a son he fathered with another woman. She now resides in Ohio and has 16 grandchildren. Her eldest daughter was 7 when Ted left. Another remarkable thing about Patricia, she is partially blind. Patricia and Ted ended their marriage 23 years ago. Patricia never received one dime in child support.

While he was struggling with a drug addiction, she had to go on welfare. She eventually attended school and became a licensed blind vendor to support her children. Most of the past 23 years, Ted have been missing in action. He is a stranger to his own children and grandchildren.

Although it is good to see Ted Williams get back on his feet, the real honors should go to this struggling mother and grandmother. She is the real hero.

Williams apparently will address those very issues tonight with professional TV busybody Dr. Phil, who will make a few questions by the LAPD seem like a relaxing foot massage. From the short promo clip I saw on his web site, it looks like Williams will talk about his ex-wife and kids, most of whom he has not seen in several years. You know it’s a special episode because Williams is shown in a leather chair in Dr. Phil’s den, which has rich wood highlights. Not everyone gets to sit in Dr. Phil’s den.

Whatever your thoughts on Williams, it’s impossible to look at that photo of him above in Dr. Phil’s clutches and not think, “Poor bastard.”

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Golden-Voiced Ted Williams Detained by Police in Hollywood [Hollywood Reporter]
Golden Voice Ted Williams Abandoned Ex-Wife [Rant Rave]
From Homeless to Hollywood [Dr. Phil.com]