Montel Williams Tells Media to 'Think Twice About Wasting Time' on Resurfaced Photos of Him With Kamala Harris

Back in 2019, Montel confirmed that he and Harris "briefly dated" around 20 years ago.

July 22, 2024
Unknown individuals smiling at a pop culture event
 
Image via Getty/Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection

Montel Williams is urging those with questions about a 23-year-old photo of him with Vice President Kamala Harris to "think twice about wasting time."

As you no doubt heard over the weekend, current POTUS Joe Biden, following months of questions and pressure (including from leading celeb donor George Clooney), announced that he would indeed be stepping aside and not seeking a second term. Biden, expectedly, also offered his endorsement of Harris.

"My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best decision I’ve made," Biden said on Sunday. "Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this."

Naturally, some used this news to again resurface photos and footage of Williams and Harris circa 2001. Specifically, what was making the rounds as of Monday morning can be traced back to the Eighth Annual Race to Erase Multiple Sclerosis Benefit at the Century Plaza Hotel in Century City, California in May 2001. Williams himself has said that he and Harris "briefly dated" during this period, saying back in 2019 that he had "great respect" for the future VP.

Montel Williams tweets about dating Kamala Harris 20 years ago, expressing respect and questioning if similar stories would be written about a male candidate

Williams took a similarly critical stance on the latest resurfacing of the Harris pics, promising "an unpleasant reaction" to anyone going so far as to reach out for official comment.

"I’ve said what I’m going to say about the thing that keeps trending," Williams said in an X update on Monday. "My friends in the media should think twice about wasting time on a 20+ year old picture - you will find doing so will earn an unpleasant reaction."

Later, Williams made a prediction about the volume of "creepy media requests" he expected to see flooding in.

Meanwhile, a fresh report from TMZ notes that Williams has signaled his willingness to throw his support behind Harris in the upcoming election. Amid such chatter on Monday, the daytime TV personality and Naval Academy alum pointed to his retweeting of a Harris endorsement message from Maryland Governor Wes Moore.

See more from Williams below.

Tweet from Montel Williams supporting Gov. Wes Moore for the 2024 Presidential election, including a screenshot of Moore's statement on President Biden's withdrawal
Tweets from Montel Williams and Renee Larson discussing media harassment of Montel Williams, emphasizing the inappropriateness of using old photos for media stories
Jonathan Franks tweets about handling inappropriate media questions. He shares an email from a reporter asking for comment on leadership disputes
Gov. Wes Moore tweets support for Kamala Harris as the Democratic Nominee for U.S. President. Text outlines reasons for support. Montel Williams reposts
Twitter post by Montel Williams sharing a tweet from Gov. Wes Moore endorsing Kamala Harris for President of the United States. Text with endorsement details
Montel Williams tweets about being interested in a politician who also attended the Naval Academy and whose leadership has impressed him. 7.1K likes

Monday marks the first full day of Harris’ campaign, an occasion she commemorated with a visit to headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware. One day earlier, she thanked Biden for his "extraordinary leadership" and his endorsement of her campaign moving forward.

"I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party—and unite our nation—to defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda," Harris said.

With Biden's exit, the 2024 campaign season is again changing shape, all while the Nov. 5 election date draws closer. Among those who were quick to offer their own Harris endorsements this weekend were Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Sen. Raphael Warnock, Gov. Gavin Newsom, and more.

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