Kamala Harris Once Dated Talk Show Host Montel Williams & Fans Freak Over Old Photos

It has come to America's attention that the new vice president-elect, Kamala Harris, had a famous ex: Montel Williams! The former talk show host even spoke out about their relationship.

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November 13, 2020 7:11PM EST
Kamala Harris, Montel Williams
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United States Senator Kamala Harris (Democrat of California) speaks during a television interview at the United States Capitol in Washington D.C., U.S., on Wednesday, June 24, 2020. Credit: Stefani Reynolds / CNP. 24 Jun 2020 Pictured: United States Senator Kamala Harris (Democrat of California) speaks during a television interview at the United States Capitol in Washington D.C., U.S., on Wednesday, June 24, 2020. Credit: Stefani Reynolds / CNP. Photo credit: Stefani Reynolds - CNP / MEGA TheMegaAgency.com +1 888 505 6342 (Mega Agency TagID: MEGA683531_004.jpg) [Photo via Mega Agency]
July 28, 2022 New York, NY, USA - American Vice President Kamala Harris deplanes at New York's LaGuardia Airport.The Vice President is greeted by NYS Lt. Governor, Antonio Delgado. She is in New York City to announce new private and public sector efforts to align tens of billions in investments in underserved communities. This will include the formation of a new Economic Opportunity Coalition (EOC) to address economic disparities and accelerate economic opportunity in communities of color and other underserved communities. VP Harris Visits New York City, New York, New York, USA - 28 Jul 2022
US Vice President Kamala Harris (C) during her meeting with Polish and US soldiers at the 1st Airlift Base in Warsaw, Poland, 11 March 2022. The visit of the US vice president is a demonstration of the United States' support for NATO's eastern flank allies in the face of the Russian invasion in Ukraine. US Vice Psocieresident Kamala Harris visits Poland, Warsaw - 11 Mar 2022
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Now that Kamala Harris has secured the position of U.S. vice president-elect, fans’ attentions have turned away from the election and towards other areas: like her dating life. On Nov. 13 — five days after the election results were announced — photos of Joe Biden’s VP running mate with famed talk show host Montel Williams at the 2001 Race to Erase MS event in Los Angeles went viral on Twitter! 

Kamala Harris, Montel Williams
Kamala Harris (left) will become the first woman — and first Black and Asian American woman as well — to be vice president of the United States. She dated Montel Williams (right) about two decades ago. (Photo Credit: AP)

In the throwback photos seen here, Kamala looked gorgeous in a satin champagne dress in the photos taken nearly two decades ago. Montel also pulled off a fashionable look in a very late ’90s/early 2000’s ensemble: black leather pants and an unbuttoned dress shirt that put the spotlight on his silver cross necklace.

This was long before Kamala was even a senator of California; at the time, she worked for the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office. “The Fact that Kamala Dated Montel and it seems like no one remembers lol,” one fan tweeted, who had shared the old charity event photos. The pictures also showed the former couple with Montel’s daughter Ashley Williams, who is now 36 years old. Another fan tweeted, “Montel was it in the 90s. Kamala looks amazing.”

This was no secret, though. Montel himself confirmed that they dated in Aug. 2019, although he didn’t sound too impressed with the public’s preoccupation with his ex’s past partners. “@KamalaHarris and I briefly dated about 20 years ago when we were both single. So what?,” the talk show host tweeted at the time. He continued, “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?”

Montel then retweeted the above message on the same day his throwback photos with Kamala resurfaced, writing, “It’s not new and it’s not news. I’m focused on something that actually matters – bringing a 29 year old Marine, @freetrevorreed home. If you want to help, follow @freetrevorreed.” Before Montel hosted The Montel Williams Talk Show between 1991-2008, he enlisted in the U.S. Marines right after graduating from high school in 1974. 

Other fans shared Montel’s mindset. “We remember we just focused on her career, her politics and her character. It’s shameful when a women accomplishes something and it leads us to discuss who she’s had in our bed… focus we have a black VP FEMALE let’s focus on her future not some man,” one such fan wrote.

Kamala went on to marry lawyer Doug Emhoff in 2014. Meanwhile, Montel has been married to his third wife, Tara Fowler, since 2007!