Who is Montel Williams, talk show host and ex-boyfriend of Kamala Harris?

Since Kamala Harris clinched enough votes to secure the Democratic nomination for the 2024 Presidential election, an intense scrutiny of the Vice President’s personal and family life has followed. Recently, both Harris and her former boyfriend — and a notable figure in his own right — Montel Williams, have received significant attention online for their former relationship.

Here’s everything we know about their relationship — and what Williams thinks of his former girlfriend’s presidential bid.

Who is Montel Williams?

Montel Williams (born 1956) is an actor and TV host, best known for his tabloid talk show, The Montel Williams Show (1991-2008). Williams also has several acting credits to his name, such as JAG, All My Children, and My Name is Earl.

The Montel Williams Show covered real-life, controversial topics with non-public figures — in a similar style to The Jerry Springer Show or Maury — as well as true crime stories. Unlike other talk shows of its genre, Montel Williams’ show explored spirituality, invoking clairvoyants, psychics, and ghost hunters.

The TV personality and actor is also an activist for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) research and awareness, having been diagnosed in 1999. Williams is also a proponent for the use of medical cannabis to treat the illness and similar conditions.

Montel Williams’ relationship with Kamala Harris, explained

Williams and Harris dated at the turn of the millennium, making their debut appearance as a couple on the red carpet together for the Eighth Annual Race to Erase Multiple Sclerosis in 2001 — shortly after the TV host was diagnosed with the condition. It is not known when the two broke up, but the relationship seemed to have been short-lived, as there are few photos of the two together. Harris married Doug Emhoff in 2014, having met the fellow lawyer on a blind date the previous year. Williams married flight attendant Tara Fowler in 2007.

When asked about his relationship with Harris during her first presidential bid in the 2020 Election, Williams tweeted in 2019 “Kamala Harris and I briefly dated about 20 years ago when we were both single. So what? I have great respect for Sen. Harris.”

“I have to wonder if the same stories about her dating history would have been written if she were a male candidate?” Williams added, seeming to shut down any further questions on the matter.

The talk show host, however, stopped short of endorsing his ex-girlfriend this year, where Harris has recently been confirmed as the uncontested Democratic nominee, after Biden’s. “I’d love to see [Wes Moore, Governor of Maryland] leading the ticket or otherwise on my ballot and I’m ready to campaign,” Williams tweeted on July 22nd, 2024.