12/2/2007

in

Talk Show Host Is Sorry for his Overreation

Stacey Eisenberg

Talk show host Montel Williams apologized for an irate confrontation he had with reporters in Savannah on Friday, according to the Associated Press. Williams was there to promote a free prescription program for low-income people, and became angry with a reporter's question, thus, terminating the interview.  
  
Later, when the Savannah Morning-News reporters returned for an unrelated assignment, Williams walked up a high school student intern at the paper, Courtney Scott, and got in her face pointing his finger saying, "Don't look at me like that. Do you know who I am? I'm a big star, and I can look you up, find where you live and blow you up," said Joseph Cosey, an employee of the paper.  
  
Scott said, "I'm not sure if he meant 'blow me up' and ruin my career or really blow us up, but it was threatening."  
  
Williams later claimed, "I mistakenly thought the reporter and photographer in question were at the hotel to confront me about some earlier comments. I was wrong, and I apologize for my overreaction."  
  
Williams was at the event as a patient advocate, and has been an advocate since his own multiple sclerosis diagnosis.