'''Montel Brian Anthony Williams''' (born July 3, 1956) is an American television talk show host.
After graduating from high school in 1974, Williams enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in his hometown of Baltimore, Maryland, where his father, Herman Williams Jr, served as fire chief, and soon thereafter reported for duty at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island. After six months, he was meritoriously promoted twice, and in 1975, became the first black Marine selected to the Naval Academy Preparatory School. Upon graduating from the Academy's Prep School one year later, Williams received a presidential appointment to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. While at Annapolis, he studied Mandarin Chinese and graduated in 1980 with a Bachelor of Science in General Engineering and a minor in International Security Affairs. He served on board the USS Sampson during the U.S. invasion of Grenada. His awards include the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, two Navy Expeditionary Medals, two Humanitarian Service Medals, a Navy Achievement Medal, two Navy Commendation Medals and two Meritorious Service Medals. He retired after 22 years' service.
In 1991 he began hosting his own TV show, ''
The Montel Williams Show''. Williams has portrayed a Navy Seal Lieutenant in several episodes of the TV series JAG. He also played the Judge presiding over Erica Kane's (Susan Lucci) murder trial on the ABC soap opera ''All My Children'' in 2002. In 2003 he made a guest appearance on the soap, as himself, to promote an episode of his show where several of AMC's stars were scheduled to appear.
During an episode of his show that aired in May 2004, Williams revealed that he had considered committing suicide, after trying cocaine as an alternative to legal medicines. He has been suffering physical pain for a very long time due to multiple sclerosis, which was diagnosed in 1999. He supports the legalization of marijuana for people who suffer from painful terminal or incurable illnesses.
He has been nominated for three Daytime Emmy Awards: ''Outstanding Talk Show'' in 2001 and 2002, and ''Outstanding Talk Show Host'' in 2002.
Montel made a quick cameo at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards on August 31, 2006 as Plan B after Jack Black's canon was a dud, he was introduced as the godfather of daytime television.
Family
Montel has four children: Ashley and Maressa from his first marriage to Rochele See, and Montel and Wyntergrace from his second marriage to actress Grace Morley. Montel also has two sisters.
