Matt Lauer

Ted Williams is Back with a New Book “A Golden Voice”

Mon, May 14, 2012 Filed under Matt Lauer, Ted Williams, TV Shows, VIDEO

Ever wondered what happened to Ted Williams? you know, the man with the golden voice? The former radio host and homeless crack addict who became an overnight sensation when he was discovered living on the streets of Columbus, Ohio, a little more than a year ago?

Well, Ted is back. This time around, the clean and sober 54-yr-old, has cowritten a book with Brett Witter called “A Golden Voice.”

In an interview with Today’s Matt Lauer earlier today, Ted told the TV host that after emerging from his second stint in rehab, he recently celebrated his one-year anniversary of sobriety this month by walking his daughter down the aisle at her wedding on May 4. “I was able to be a part of that, something that a year and a half ago I wouldn’t have even thought about, let alone become a part of.” Check the interview below

“A Golden Voice,” details how Ted Williams went from being a popular Ohio DJ to a homeless crack addict to a YouTube sensation after 17 hard years on the streets. He related the ups and downs of his life to Matt Lauer, in the mellifluous tones of the memorable voice that gained millions of fans when it was heard via YouTube in January 2011. [MSNBC]

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George Bush Reflects on Kanye West’s ‘Racist’ Remark + Kanye West Sympathizes With George Bush [Audio]

Wed, Nov 3, 2010 Filed under AUDIO, George Bush, Kanye West, Matt Lauer, TV Shows

In his first one-on-one television interview since leaving the Oval Office, President George W. Bush sat down with Matt Lauer to promote his memoir “Decision Points.”

In his interview, Matt Lauer mentioned singer Kanye West’s unexpected deviation from the script during an NBC telethon asking for help for Katrina victims. When it was West’s turn to speak, he said, “George Bush doesn’t care about black people.”

“It was one of the most disgusting moments in my presidency… that [means] ‘he’s a racist, and I didn’t appreciate it then. I don’t appreciate it now. It’s one thing to say, ‘I don’t appreciate the way he’s handled his business.’ It’s another thing to say, ‘This man’s a racist.’ I resent it, it’s not true.” Bush said.

Today Kanye West spoke to Devi Dev of Houston’s The Box about former President Bush’s response to his 2005 remarks:

When asked how he felt about President Bush’s comments:

Well, I definitely can understand the way he feels to be accused of being a racist in any way because the same thing happened to me. I got accused of being a racist and with both situations it was a lack of compassion that America saw in that situation.

With him it was a lack of compassion with taking the time to rush down to New Orleans. With me, it was a lack of compassion cutting someone off in their moment. But none the less I think we’re quick to pull the race card in America and now I’m more open and [it's] poetic justice that I feel to have went through the same thing he went through and I really connect with him more on a humanitarian level because that next morning when he felt that, I felt that same thing too.

On whether he’s changed since the Taylor Swift Situation

I do think I’ve changed a lot. I’m more compassionate, I’m more sensitive to people’s emotions. Just understanding that it’s not about me, it’s not about just my opinion is all the time, especially when it’s someone else’s show.

Everybody…..the show felt like that. They agreed but the timing was wrong. So, I became a better person..I needed that time off because a lot of times when people become celebrities..The moment when you don’t have to do your own dishes anymore and you don’t have your own responsibilities anymore, a lot of times you lose a level of humanity. It’s a growing process. I feel like a brand new artist. I feel like respect is something that is hard to earn but easy to lose and I feel like I’m on that path to getting all of that back right now.

Listen to Kanye’s response here: