Piaras Kelly PR – Public Relations in Ireland

Hear about the homeless guy with the golden voice? How YouTube transformed one man’s fortunes? That man is Ted Williams.

Williams’ story just goes to show how the media gloss over societal issues. In the space of a fortnight, Williams went from overnight Internet sensation, to media darling, to rehab.

Not to say I told you so, but Williams story highlights the causes behind homelessness and how we can’t just snap our fingers and make the world a happier place. The Internet brought Williams to our attention, but the media should have taken a more responsible approach to making him a star.

I’m not going to delve into Williams’ personal story, but suffice to say there was always a strong chance that he might fall back into bad habits. A modern day King Kong, Williams has been thrust into the spotlight and expected to perform, giving everyone a feel good moment.

Hopefully the media will revisit Williams in a year’s time to see how his story has unfolded and I sincerely hope that he has overcome his problems. Let’s not forget the core issues have not gone away. As Dan Rodricks of the Baltimore Sun points out:

So, as demonstrated by all the rooting for Mr. Williams, we like to believe in the ideal of second chances. But most of the thousands of ex-offenders out there have a frustratingly tough go finding work even in good times.