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In Reply to: Re: Montel Williams Show 2/6 on Abuse in TF posted by Billie on February 06, 2007 at 09:57:51:
Caryn, Davida and Amy did an amazing job of getting their points across under what must have been difficult circumstances.
In Montel's brief intro to the program he reversed the typical warning to viewers that the program may not be suitable for children, stating instead that parents should watch it with their children. I think he said that because of what happened during the taping of the program. About half-way through the show, as Montel was explaining the video clip he was about to show of Family children strip-teasing, a large group of people in the audience stood and began leaving. It turned out it was a high school class there with their teachers. The teachers became concerned about what may appear on the video clip, muttered something about the school board, apologized and began herding his students out before the clip was shown.
Montel became very upset, saying that of course they had the right to leave, but arguing that the video clips were edited appropriately for daytime tv and that the message of the program was an important one for people of that age to hear. He pointed out that the subject was entirely appropriate for those students because too many survivors of sexual abuse suffer in silence, not knowing where to turn for help.
He was almost in tears as he apologized to his 3 guests, acknowledging their courage in coming forward to share their stories publicly in order to help others who may have suffered similarly, whether in a cult or not.
At the end of the program, Montel became quite intense, though well-intentioned, as he pushed them, especially Davida, to accept the help he was offering them via the cult exit counsellors he interviewed briefly near the end of the program. It would be very interesting to know how the 3 women felt in that situation, under bright lights and glaring cameras, answering very personal questions that have no easy answers in a very limited time.
It would also be interesting to know how those teens felt being so overly protected by their teachers. I thought I saw at least one teen, who was seated near the front, shake her head in disappointment that she was being forced leave.
