<p>I sincerely want Ted Williams to stay sober and thrive. I’m like Natalie Woods in Miracle on 34th Street, I want to believe but I gotta see it happen (sez I an addict in recovery).</p>
<p>I have confirmed through Kraft Foods’ PR firm that Ted has been hired to do the Kraft Macaroni and Cheese televison commercial voice over to start to run this Sunday during the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl. I hope Kraft cares enough about Ted the person to demand he stay clean and sober. I have decided to buy a case of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese and donate it to a homeless shelter. Anyboby else on board?</p>
<p>Good luck Ted! And God be with you and give you strength.</p>
<p>I love that idea, 07Dad, and I’m on board. DH, DD and I have done some volunteer work at a local food bank and, as amazed as I am at how much food comes in through donations, I’m just as amazed that it’s never enough. The Ted Williams story is a feel good story … I, too, hope he stays clean and sober.</p>
<p>It is great marketing to show responsible corporate stewardship and a williness to fund what it takes to make things happen. It turns out that Kraft literally puts its money where its (PR) mouth is.</p>
<p>Thank goodness these efforts by corporate and non-profit organizations and ones like it specifically aimed at homeless war veterans exist. Could you imagine if you had a S who returned say from Iraq and at some point he was a homeless vet and needed help and there was no source of help? BTW–there are 9000 homeless vets of Iraq and Afganistan already (with more to come) <a href=“HuffPost - Breaking News, U.S. and World News | HuffPost”>HuffPost - Breaking News, U.S. and World News | HuffPost;
<p>God Bless companies who do good even in the name of the bottom line.</p>
<p>A local radio talk show host posted this on his website today -
[url=<a href=“http://schnittshow.com/pages/reward.html]The”>http://schnittshow.com/pages/reward.html]The</a> Schnitt Show - $50,000 Reward - Julian Assange<a href=“Disregard%20the%20link%20title,%20it%20has%20nothing%20to%20do%20with%20Julian%20Assange.%20I%20don’t%20know%20how%20to%20edit%20the%20link%20description…”>/url</a></p>
<p>There is a definite resemblance, don’tcha think? ;)</p>
<p>Well, if he doesn’t, and it affects his work, he will be back where he was. </p>
<p>The voice business is tremendously competitive, and part of the issue is that companies often prefer to hire “name” talent, which affords them a chance to hobnob with famous actors and actresses instead of with “nobodies” who happen to have a terrific voice. Ted falls into that category, but the woods are full of people with great voices who don’t have his baggage. </p>
<p>I really liked the guy’s personality on GMA, or whatever that morning show was that he was on. I hope things do work out. Its up to him.</p>
<p>Once again, I may be in the minority here.
I hope the best for Ted. I hope he can make Ohioans proud, the local newspaperman that started all this, and those of his birth state, and all those that have had addiction problems.
Where I differ, is that I don’t think it is his employers job to keep him straight. It isn’t their desires or demands that will keep him sober. I see this as up to the individual. I hope he cares enough about himself to demand of himself that he stays clean and sober.</p>
<p>Younghoss, it’s not his employer’s job to keep him straight, but it sure can help. I say bravo to any employer who offers help to a distressed employee [even if it only means just stern lectures, a la George Steinbrenner to Darryl Strawberry], rather than dump him/her and his problems without any reflection at all.</p>
<p>Actually, I don’t disagree with you, younghoss. My concern is that an addict who is in recovery for 2 years as Ted says he is will benefit from a “zero tolerance” approach from the employer who takes him on knowing of his addction and the fact that he is in recovery.</p>
<p>The only way an addict will succeed in recovery is if he now cares enough for himself to stay the course of sobriety.</p>
<p>missypie–I have my fingers crossed. The fact that he had some criminal problem as recently as May 2010 makes me a little un-easy about the 2 years in recovery. But, I wish him well.</p>
<p>I read that he has now said that he is going to get into counseling. Great. hat has to be a priority IMO. I hope there is some attorney that can assist him in the entertainment end.</p>
<p>I’m hoping that if there’s more to Ted’s background story, it’s positive, particularly regarding family. The scene with his 90-year old mother was touching (clearly she’s still got all her marbles, praise be). She reportedly told him yesterday ‘don’t dissapoint me with your newfound good fortune.’</p>
<p>What gave me pause was a report that Ted has 4 children, daughters who have been raised by a disabled ex-wife. I know that drugs can disrupt an addict’s normal care and concern for his/her children. If Ted’s connection to the children has been impaired, he needs to work on repairing it, or at least earnestly try. I know some things cannot be repaired and at present none of us know the full extent of Ted’s past problems. He may be blameless but nevertheless re-establishing family ties may be of great help to him, if all are willing.</p>
<p>And I strongly agree with you, Lake W in post 12 where you say “bravo” to an employer who helps a distressed employee. That is, I agree (no reference to Ted) if an employee willingly comes to the employer to be helped. I do not like the idea of a worker getting in trouble for booze or drugs AND THEN saying “I’m disabled, I must get employer paid help”.
Some may think I’m too hard, But I don’t like the idea of becoming disabled only after a person gets in trouble. I’ve seen that at the workplace.</p>
<p>I really feel for the guy and wish him a giant life change. I just worry about two things:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>He will be eaten up and spit out. He is a temporary phenom/media hype of the day and when it wears off where will he be? Or worse, when the media needs a new spin to keep the story alive, it is likely to be turned against him (we’ll hear he’s an imposter, things aren’t quite what they seem, his skeletons have come out of the closet). I can just see that now. I am hoping he gets a great firm to represent him and parlay this 15 minutes of fame to fight off the future spins of the story and to launch his career into something longlasting and durable. </p></li>
<li><p>As others have said, I hope that he can stay clean. My guess is he isn’t really there yet. I have yet to meet a true recovering addict who would say something like “clean two years” as he has done. All the ones I’ve known and met live by THE DAY, as each day is a unique struggle and accomplishment they wear with honor. They would never say “2 years” but instead, the actual reality, which would be “17 days” or “421 days”.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I share your fears Starbright. Sadly, I am anticipating that the crowd of admirers in the media will promptly become a school of pirhannas when the slightest inconsistency or additional negative aspect about his life becomes revealed. It may be a photograph of Ted having a cocktail with celebrities, or a report that he neglected his wife and children and doesn’t want to reconnect with them. Whatever. I do wish him well and hope that America realizes that his past will always be with him.</p>
<p>I may be a softie, but I really like this story, and hope they don’t chew him up and spit him out. He has(per this mornings talk shows) had many job offers across country, with housing (as in a house) offered as part of the deal. </p>
<p>As for the number of days he has been clean and sober, I am kinda guessing he hasnt been attending AA or NA regularly, and I doubt he has a calendar. I am rooting for him.</p>
<p>I sent my DS back to college with a 15-pack of Kraft Mac and Cheese. Does that count? He eats enough of that stuff to provide Kraft’s first quarter profits!!</p>
