Montel Williams sure knows how to rile up the masses.
Over the weekend, the dramatic ex-daytime talk show host did just that when he lashed out at the tea party and then tried to act like they were the dumb ones who didn’t quite understand what he was saying.
Is he trying out for a role on a soap opera?
The tweet that sparked the hateful spout of outrage came on Friday evening:
After 48 hours of venom — and even death threats against Montel and his family — he pressed on and wouldn’t apologize. At times he tried to distract followers with other emotional topics like adequate healthcare for vets and Multiple Sclerosis sufferers. As a military veteran and someone with MS, he falls easily into both categories.
He also fueled the fire with this:
He wasn’t kidding about death threats. “Oh and thanks to the nutjobs [sic] who both didn’t read my tweet and felt compelled to send death threats to my family.”
At least one journalist didn’t judge him. Twitchy‘s William Amos wrote, “Honestly Montel, I learned not to label you. You stand for what you believe in. That is the mistake many make with you.”
That of course went over with flying fucking colors. Montel replied, “And that’s why we like you 😉 as opposed to the hundreds of reporters who still don’t get me.”
As for those death threats, Montel eased any worries his sympathizers might have had. “Fortunately I have security and they deal with it,” he wrote.
He also had this ingenious idea for press: “Lunatic alert! I am seriously considering going on MSNBC and having them run my Twitter feed these past 36 hours.”
To Montel’s credit — because who doesn’t at least respect a guy who stands by his convictions, no matter how messed up or obviously trying to incite people they are — he stood by his original tea party tweet and reminded people about his blackness.
“Let’s put this to bed,” he wrote. “The tweet is explained below. I’m no fan of POTUS and last I checked I’M BLACK. Relax people.”
He explained himself on Facebook (this is a portion, I don’t want my readers falling asleep):
“A word on last night’s drama… Read my tweet – to be offended you must accept its second sentence and believe the tea party owns tea it can run out of and that its a party, like a wedding, one attends. My point was to make a point, and I tweeted dozens of times I’d one day do so. The point was we’ve lost the ability to listen to understand and instead chose to listen to react yet wonder why we are divided. The responses, having not read the tweet’s second sentence, proved my point. Do I think all TP folks are racist? Of course not. Do I think some absolutely are, I do. So too do I think some democrats, some Green Party members, some Republicans, some fish are. That’s reality.”
And he acknowledged the shitstorm he knew he may cause:
“Clearly I knew this would cause some chaos, and I’d do it again because we need to learn to read to understand and not react – note the use of “we” – it was done on purpose.”
He also provided this delightful explanation on Facebook. He called it “tough love.”
“I’m taking back my social. Gone are the days when I’m going to allow ignorant ideological rigidity authored by those too clueless to realize they are the problem.
The 90% of you who behave like adults on my social can stop reading now.
To the 10% so angry at the world, to avoid another hissy fit from the uber right who can’t resist setting themselves up to be trolled by the equally unproductive and hysterical uber left, I’m going to lay this out like I would to a 5 year old because that’s clearly what the last 3 days have shown you need – I actually am so sick of your nonesense that drowns out the 90% i actually care about. (It’s written as a disclaimer because your persecution complex requires that:
1) Conservatives are not being singled out. For those of u with an over developed persecution complex, overwhelming majority of my followers are conservative – thus by targeting 10% I am NOT, repeat NOT lumping you all together.
2) Tea Party is not being singled out.
3) CHRISTIANS are not being singled out.
4) No one is being singled out on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion or political persuasion whatsoever.
Now that we are clear I am not going to offend the tender sensibilities of any of you, I’m serious – don’t like it, don’t bother telling me, block me. The name on the page is Montel Williams and I get to do that.
Consider this tough love to the fringes in favor of the 90% whose participation inspires me daily.”