Editing Montel Williams (section)

=== Spokesperson ===
Williams was a national spokesman of the Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA), a patient-assistance program clearinghouse that helps low-income patients apply for free or reduced-price prescription drugs. On November 30, 2007, while in [[Savannah, Georgia]], to promote PPA, he threatened reporters following an earlier interview at which Courtney Scott, a 17-year-old high school intern reporter for the'' [[Savannah Morning News]]'', had asked him whether restriction of pharmaceutical profits would discourage research and development of new drugs. Angered by the question, Williams retorted, "I'm trying to figure out exactly why you are here and what the interview is about," and subsequently terminated that videotaped interview; Williams later ran into Scott in his hotel and approached her, reportedly 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".<ref>[https://www.today.com/popculture/montel-threatens-blow-teen-reporter-wbna22070901 Montel Threatens to 'Blow Up' Teen Reporter]  MSNBC.com, December 2, 2007</ref>

Williams's public-relations representatives later apologized for his hostile outburst in an issued statement: "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".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.today.com/popculture/montel-threatens-blow-teen-reporter-wbna22070901 |title=Montel threatens to 'blow up' teen reporter&nbsp;– Entertainment&nbsp;– Celebrities&nbsp;– TODAY.com |publisher=Today.com |date=February 12, 2007 |access-date=July 22, 2011 }}</ref> In 2010 Williams became chief spokesman for the Poker Training Network,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pokertrainingnetwork.com/ |title=Small Business Opportunity &#124; Make Money with Poker |publisher=Poker Training Network |access-date=July 22, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715102002/http://www.pokertrainingnetwork.com/ |archive-date=July 15, 2011 }}</ref> now [[Card Geniuses]], a [[Multi-level marketing|MLM]]-based poker instruction and playing website.

==== Payday loan controversy ====
Williams was a paid [[spokesperson]] for MoneyMutual, a [[lead generation|lead generator]] for a [[payday loan|payday lending service]].<ref name=Grindrod>{{cite news|last=Grindrod|first=John|title=Payday Lenders: Safety Nets or Loan Sharks|url=http://www.limaohio.com/opinion/columns/john_grindrod/article_c1618a24-a6da-11e2-9850-001a4bcf6878.html|access-date=May 9, 2013|newspaper=The Lima News|date=April 16, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140528051930/http://www.limaohio.com/opinion/columns/john_grindrod/article_c1618a24-a6da-11e2-9850-001a4bcf6878.html|archive-date=May 28, 2014}}</ref> In early 2015, a controversy around this position erupted when an education activist, André-Tascha Lammé, accused Williams on [[Twitter]] of supporting a company that harms African-American consumers.<ref name="TIMEpayday">{{cite news |last1=Davidson |first1=Jacob |date=February 28, 2015 |title=Montel Williams Got Called Out On Twitter For Endorsing Payday Loans—And He Didn't Handle It Well |work=Money.com |url=https://money.com/montel-williams-payday-loans-twitter/ |url-status=live |access-date=June 23, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220307155448/https://money.com/montel-williams-payday-loans-twitter/ |archive-date=March 7, 2022}}</ref> Williams denied the allegations, stating that Lammé was fundamentally incorrect in his assessment of the loans and their terms.<ref name=Consumerist>{{cite web|last1=Kieler|first1=Asley|title=Montel Williams Defends Hawking Payday Loan Generator Money Mutual|url=http://consumerist.com/2015/03/02/montel-williams-defends-hawking-payday-loan-generator-money-mutual/|publisher=Consumerist|access-date=June 23, 2015|date=March 2, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150624173030/http://consumerist.com/2015/03/02/montel-williams-defends-hawking-payday-loan-generator-money-mutual/|archive-date=June 24, 2015}}</ref> The [[New York State Department of Financial Services]] then investigated the claims, and [[Benjamin Lawsky]] issued a statement on March 10 that it "made no finding of a violation of law by Mr. Williams".<ref name=NBCfines>{{cite news|last1=Popken|first1=Ben|title=Montel Williams-Backed Payday Loan Advertiser Fined $2.1 Million|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/business/consumer/payday-lender-backed-montel-williams-fined-2-1-million-n321401|access-date=June 23, 2015|work=NBC News|date=March 2, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150623215628/https://www.nbcnews.com/business/consumer/payday-lender-backed-montel-williams-fined-2-1-million-n321401|archive-date=June 23, 2015}}</ref> He added that the department had found that "Using Mr. Williams's reputation as a trusted celebrity endorser, MoneyMutual marketed loans to struggling consumers with sky-high interest rates – sometimes in excess of 1,300 percent".<ref name=NBCfines /> SellingSource, the [[parent company]], was fined $2.1 million and ordered to stop advertising to New Yorkers.<ref name=NBCfines /><ref name=Bloomberg>{{cite news|last1=Faux|first1=Zeke|title=Montel Williams Payday Loan Advertiser Fined $2.1 Million|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-03-10/montel-williams-payday-loan-advertiser-fined-2-1-million|access-date=June 23, 2015|work=Bloomberg News|date=March 10, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150623220221/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-03-10/montel-williams-payday-loan-advertiser-fined-2-1-million|archive-date=June 23, 2015}}</ref>