01/31/2008
Montel Williams Fired for Refusing to Gab About Heath Ledger?
The folks at DailyKos have pointed out an interesting situation surrounding Montel Williams and FOX's decision not to renew his talk show, "The Montel Williams Show", which has been running for 17 years. The network's decision comes just four days after Williams basically read the hosts of FOX and Friends for their coverage of the HEath Ledger story. It looks like Williams was punished for pointing out how many troops had died in Iraq while network news obsessed over the death of Ledger.
Kos writes: "For just over three minutes on Saturday morning, TV talk show host Montel Williams owned the hosts of Fox and Friends. A former Marine and Naval officer, Montel lectured the stunned hosts on the stupidity of spending air time on the death of Heath Ledger, rather than covering the war in Iraq. It was a spectacle rarely seen on live cable television, as Montel exposed and condemned both tabloid 'news' shows and much of American culture for what they have each become: shallow and greedy."
Watch the body language of the host on the far right as he slowly tenses up (sorry I don't know his name) as Montel's discussion goes on and on, and he's finally cut off.
Kos reports that Williams did not return after the break and Variety reported four days later that FOX stations "opted not to renew" his show.
Coincidence or not?
Montel Williams Loses Job after Defending Troops on Fox News [tr]
Sphere: Related ContentPosted 8:53 AM EST by Andy in Heath Ledger, Iraq, Montel Williams, News | Permalink
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Montel is 100% correct! Fox News has become stupid bullshit on the weekends (not that it's much better on weekdays).
Posted by: shane | Jan 31, 2008 9:29:43 AM
There's something a bit ironic about the fact that, two posts below this praise for Williams and his anti-tabloid stance, is a post from you about Britney Spears being re-committed to hospital.
Posted by: Streller | Jan 31, 2008 9:47:11 AM
You might have a point, Streller, if this blog were a mainstream news organization and not one that focuses on pop culture *and* politics, *and* plenty of other things. I don't see your point. There's no oversaturation here.
Posted by: trip | Jan 31, 2008 9:58:57 AM
Streller, you're a bit off there: Towleroad is a mix of news & celebritainment and Andy is pretty good at bringing us the things that matter. Fox, on the other hand, shamelessly tout themselves as the flagbearers for the "right-thinking Right" and yet they spew tabloid rot at us 24/7.
Posted by: Krypenthorff III | Jan 31, 2008 9:59:45 AM
Can I get you a glass of perrier to help you swallow that foot inside your mouth, Streller?
Way to Trip!
Posted by: gabe | Jan 31, 2008 10:03:14 AM
Montel has no place to take some sort of moral high ground, since his own show regularly features the fraud "psychic" Sylvia Browne, who preys on vulnerable families with missing children.
Hey Montel, how many people die in Iraq while you spend hours showcasing a fraud who tells people their kidnapped children are dead, only to have the kids show up alive and well after?
Posted by: dpnash | Jan 31, 2008 10:10:17 AM
could it be that Montel already knew he wasn't being renewed...
Posted by: A.J. | Jan 31, 2008 10:19:04 AM
People are totally right about the joke Sylvia Browne, and he talks about what he wants on his show. But Montel is a good guy and should'nt be let go. That loser John Gibson should.
Posted by: kaylene shelton | Jan 31, 2008 10:23:21 AM
Good for Montel
Posted by: Jimmyboyo | Jan 31, 2008 10:24:18 AM
This is another example of how petty Fox "News" is. That channel is a joke.
Posted by: Tintin Malfoy | Jan 31, 2008 10:52:10 AM
Actually, it should be pointed out that Montel was actually quite polite to the FOX Hosts, who were in turn, polite to Mr. Williams. I was expecting something else. In all honesty, I'm a classic news junkie and a regular watcher of all 3 major news networks (CNN, FOX, and MSNBC). All 3 were guilty of "too much coverage" on the Ledger death, but the worst was not FOX, it was CNN. At times I felt as if they were trying to create even more news and chaos instead of simply reporting on the tragic death of a popular celebrity. And yes, I'm speaking primarily of about Anderson Cooper.
Posted by: Gartrip | Jan 31, 2008 10:56:00 AM
montel has big cojones for taking on the faux news scumbags and the continuing cavalcade of smoke and mirror diversions of the celebrity culture: anything to keep our minds off the grim reality of the iraq conflict and what is happening to this country but there would be no celebrity culture if there wasn't a market for it so maybe inquiring minds just don't want to know.
Posted by: the queen | Jan 31, 2008 11:29:13 AM
Fox and Friends! There's a name!
Boil 'em in oil!
I hate Fox, Murdoch and all associates!
Posted by: john | Jan 31, 2008 11:37:30 AM
Yes, because Montel has Sylvia Brown on his show, his point regarding soldiers and media coverage of their deaths is null and void.
When did people become unable to juggle two or more thoughts in their head in at the same time?
Posted by: Marco | Jan 31, 2008 11:45:46 AM
Because it is a right-wing Republican propaganda network and has no integrity as a legitimate source of news, I don't watch Fox News so I only imagine how bad its reporting on the Heath Ledger's death was.
But I did see The Insider and Entertainment Tonight on the Thursday following the death, on my local CBS station, and I have to say that and the coverage there was pretty revolting, even in the context of these shows being about the entertainment industry and gossip. They relentlessly dwelled on speculation about Heath's mental state, and the possibilities of suicide and substance abuse. They trotted out more than one mental health professional -- neither of whom knew Heath or said they had spoken to anyone who knew him -- to state that he disturbing nature of many of the roles he played could have played a part in what could have been an intentional suicide or a drug overdose. They repeatedly talked about his naked body being found, and about the rolled up bill that was to be tested for residue of illegal drugs. They showed clips of the troubled Ennis in Brokeback, and the suicidal Sonny from Monster's Ball -- not of Cassanova or Skip from Lords of Dogtown. I could go on and on about how lurid the coverage was.
None of this is to excuse Fox's coverage, which I'm sure was far more lurid, but I think the problem with media loving to feed the public's appetite for this crap goes far beyond Fox News.
And I've done some reflection about my own reading habits on line, and I feel good about deleting several bookmarks from my web browser.
Posted by: Michael J | Jan 31, 2008 12:04:23 PM
Marco, I think the point was more that people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
Montel could take one of his popular Sylvia Brown episodes and devote it to the troops but he doesn't cause those episodes are popular (why, I don't know) and popularity keeps his show on the air... well, until now.
I think he was fired more because he didn't do as he was told, regardless of the issue. You don't mess with the Fox Conglomerate apparently...
Posted by: junior | Jan 31, 2008 12:07:39 PM
FUCK FOX!!!! They have no credibility whatsoever anymore. Actually never HAD any credibility in the first place.
Posted by: Mike | Jan 31, 2008 1:12:46 PM
As much as I can't stand Montel Williams (the man), I will have to give a (mild)pass to Montel Willams (the show). Yes he does have that despicable charlatan Sylvia Brown, who couldn't predict her next dress size let alone someone else's future. But she is not on his show day after day after day. And he does have human interest stories on his show (including Iraq families), regardless of what a smug asshole he is.
Posted by: soulbrotha | Jan 31, 2008 1:58:05 PM
He was still on?
Posted by: anon (gmail.com) | Jan 31, 2008 6:06:24 PM
I'm not 100 percent sure Fox studios owns Montel's talk show, but if they do, that's a completely separate division from Fox News Channel. I know the folks at Fox Broadcasting loathe the FNC crowd and I'm sure the studios folks do too. They're two completely separate divisions. This is the same miscalculation as when FBC bleeped Sally Field and the crazies said it was because of her anti-war stance and the relationship with Fox news. WRONG! It was the "god damned" that got her bleeped. Nothing else. People love to spin conspiracy theories, but most of the time they're just not a reflection of reality.
Posted by: RJ | Jan 31, 2008 7:53:33 PM
I don't watch Fox, but then I really don't watch any network cable or broadcast. I have heard of Montel but couldn't tell you what he actually does for a living.
What this says to me is that he already knoew his show wasn't being picked up by the network(they usually know these things months in advance of renewal times) and decided **what the hell**.....and to be honest, I agree with him. Ledger was a good actor that was only going to get better, but the networks and gossip shows and mags picked this story up and tried to create a God and it worked to some extent.
The week before another young, talented and genuinely troubled star died, Brad Renfro, and it barely made the news. Can someone explain to me why? Maybe because he didn't star in a gay icon film? Just like the soldiers who have died this month.
Back a year or so ago, the Liberal/lefty news groups were talking endlssly about every soldier who died, they even did daily counts, but as soon as they decided it wasn't bringing in any viewers, they all have stopped it.
It's not just Fox, it's all of them.
Posted by: Joshua | Jan 31, 2008 8:49:09 PM
Fox has it backwards. They support the war, not the troops.
Posted by: nic | Feb 1, 2008 1:00:02 AM
Fox news, is nothing more then proof of the corporate take over of America. They are Bush's month, and the poor "sheeple" that believes what is said on TV, are fools.
Wake up America, before it is to late. We have lost this country to big business who think we are thier puppets.
Posted by: Fckfox | Feb 2, 2008 4:05:29 PM
I have never liked Mr. Williams ( I'm black I can say that ) he's a hypocrite who plays the devils advocate for the attention it'll get him, that said, the "Heath" thing was a tad over done, I mean I didn't even know who he was.
but when Anna Nicole died, that very same week Barbara Mc Nair died, who was she ..exactly...she was a women whom was a pioneer in show business, Anna Nicle was a goldigger, who got more coverage, the goldigger or the pioneer? Montell you answer this one.
Posted by: mike | Feb 4, 2008 1:00:07 PM
Wow Montel, That was great! And you were able to peak the intrest of the listeners without-girls boobs hanging out all over the place, thongs on the beach or Gold diggers (Gollywood). You have a powerful opnion that just requires simplicity! I love that. Keeping it simple is easier understood, when watching. And I thank you for that. With all 3 host on this channel going crazy trying to direct your attention otherwise it was almost comical! I thought maybe they had planned this just to increase their ratings. Anyway enough said. Thankyou Montel
Posted by: linda | Feb 5, 2008 10:39:08 AM