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Poe Apologizes For Story But Does Not Admit To Lying

Less than a week ago, Timothy Poe brought America to tears with his story.

Now, Poe is the one in tears.

In an interview released last night by WFAA-TV, a local news channel for Dallas/Fort Worth, Poe apologized for what his story. Poe had his fiancee, Carrie Morris, by his side throughout the interview. Despite apologizing, Poe did not admit to lying.

I mean, as far as everything I said, I believe it wholeheartedly myself. But I feel like I’m going crazy.

It appears that Poe might soon be claiming insanity caused by service in the military. He said:

I don’t know. I’m thinking, why have I for the last, over two years, believed things have happend to me and they might not have? . . . I don’t feel like I’ve lied. That’s what’s driving me crazy, because I truly thought things have happened to me.

Throughout the interview, Poe still had the stutter that he said he developed as a result of a brain injury while in Afghanistan, a story he is still sticking to. However, this may be fabricated as well. In the first post about Timothy Poe, I mentioned a golf tournament for injured soldiers he participated in a few months ago. However, WFAA-TV also interviewed Donna Cranston, the founder for Defenders of Freedom, an organization that helps wounded and injured troops financially. Cranston claimed that Poe is a liar:

I believe he’s a liar, and I hate to say that. I know we’re not supposed to call people liars, but I believe he’s a liar.    I’m not angry for me, but angry that he would slap the brothers and sisters that he served alongside in the face like he has done.

Poe had several bills paid by Defenders of Freedom and also received gas and restaurant gift cards. During an interview she conducted (which can be heard in the video I’ve posted at the end of this post), Poe had no identifiable stutter.

Well, I’m glad that Poe has admitted to some things, but I’m still waiting for the words “I lied” to come out of his mouth. Will that ever happen? Who knows. He did say he will be getting help at a VA hospital though, so that’s one step closer.

A big question swirling around the Internet is . . . Will he participate in America’s Got Talent competition?

According to a Fox News report, he won’t. Anthony Anderson, Jr., manager of Stolen Valor, a Facebook community, told FOX11.com:

I have been told by a very reliable source that Mr. Poe gets eliminated anyways, and very soon, and that is possibly why NBC hasn’t pushed the subject.

Let’s hope this is true, and that NBC will look more carefully into contestant’s back stories in the future. Stolen Valor is a group that “out[s] people who falsely claim military service and/or claim unuthorized medals.” Anderson revealed some of the things they found out:

We have found out that (Poe) only served one month in Afghanistan, and left due to an ear infection.

Fox News also reported that the photo he used for the show was not of him, but Staff Sgt. Norman Bone. TMZ said that Bone is “livid about the misuse of his photoraph, and is consulting the Army legal department to explore his options.” Apparently, Poe apologized for this and blames the show for “pressuring him to produce photographs quickly.”

I must have sent the wrong pictures from my hard drive to ‘AGT’. (Show producers) kept pushing me and pushing me saying ‘You need to put these out. You need to put these out.’ Well I had deleted a lot of photographs because  because I wanted nothing to remind me of things that had happened to the past.

A rep from the company behind AGT, Freemantle, has issued an apology statement from Bone and removed the photo from circulation.

Part of me feels bad for this guy. If he truly is suffering from brain damage that has caused him to not be able to discern reality from fiction, then I hope he can find the help he needs. He did serve in the military for several years, and maybe he is suffering from PTSD. On the other hand, it’s hard to believe anything that comes out of his mouth. He seems to put the blame on everyone but himself. Maybe he is just a pathological liar. Either way, hopefully he can resolve his issues and find peace with the situation (and hope that those he has deceived can forgive him.)

Here is news report from WFAA-TV. The raw, unedited interview can be watched here.

June 9, 2012 I Written By

Katie Clark is a journalism student at Brigham Young University in her senior year. She is originally from Littleton, Colorado, and hopes to move back there after graduation. Reality television is her favorite to watch, and has enjoyed writing about America's Got Talent and A Chance to Dance. She is a stay-at-home-mom who enjoys writing (especially blogs), cooking and sewing (while spending far too much time on Pinterest finding inspiration) and being outside with her husband and son.

Timothy Poe: American Hero or Fraud Trying to Find Fame?

One of my favorite parts of America’s Got Talent is the plethora of inspiring back stories that contestants bring along with their talent. Tonight, one of the most touching stories this season, in my opinion, was told. It was that of Timothy Poe.

When Timothy was first introduced, he has a pretty obvious stutter. He soon explained that he had served in the military for 14 years, until he was hit by a grenade and, as a result, had brain damage. One of the most lasting effects from the blast was a stutter. Before his accident, he wasn’t very musical. It wasn’t until his speech therapist suggested he sing in the shower that he discovered a love for singing. Here is his audition and story (grab some tissues. Everyone at my house was tearing up by the end):

Was he the best singer? Not by any means. But what I felt his voice had was a lot of spirit, and it’s incredible that he can sing without the stutter. I think this is the typical “rising from the ashes and overcoming” stories.

But, before you get to attached, keep reading.

As I’ve been trying to find a little bit more about him, I discovered that there is a little bit of controversy going on about Poe in comment boards. Apparently, he may not be the man he claimed to be on the show. I discovered these comments  on another website:

I was Timothy Poe’s sergeant in Afghanistan. The story he is telling is a LIE!! He was never injured over there. Instead he was medevaced back to the states because of a hearing problem he attributed to a training accident while we were still in the U.S. He never even left the base in the few weeks he was over there! Timothy Poe is a FRAUD!

and another:

Timothy Poe is a fraud. He did not hurt his back in Iraq or any other country abroad. His lies tonight were a slap in the face of all soldiers that fight for our country. To the soldiers who do, thank you for fighting for my country. To you, Tim Poe, you should be ashamed of yourself. Faking a lisp so people will feel sorry for you? Your fiancee and children should be embarrassed of you. You are a disgusting human being. The truth will come out. I wish AGT checked background [sic] stories so he would never have been put on tv.

Quite the accusations, huh? If he truly is a fraud, I agree with the second commenter — that’s a slap in the face to all those soldiers out there righting for America. When he was doing his after-interview, my sister commented that he didn’t appear to have his stutter anymore. If his story is true, it’s pretty terrible that people are accusing him of lying. I found this article about a charity golf game he recently participated in that helps injured veterans get back into the work force. He tells a similar story in the article.

I’m not sure what to say. I like to believe that someone would go on TV and completely lie, especially a story like this, but I’m not sure why anyone would try and spread lies about someone who was injured while the service, if he indeed was. I’m guessing we’ll find out soon enough the truth. Any readers out there know the real story? I’d love to find out the real story!

June 5, 2012 I Written By

Katie Clark is a journalism student at Brigham Young University in her senior year. She is originally from Littleton, Colorado, and hopes to move back there after graduation. Reality television is her favorite to watch, and has enjoyed writing about America's Got Talent and A Chance to Dance. She is a stay-at-home-mom who enjoys writing (especially blogs), cooking and sewing (while spending far too much time on Pinterest finding inspiration) and being outside with her husband and son.

The Water Man on Germany’s Got Talent

While we mostly cover America’s Got Talent on this site, it’s always fun to see some of the best talent that’s being done on other nations version of America’s Got Talent. Here’s an example of that talent on Germany’s Got Talent: The Water Man!

It’s a little slow to get going and only slightly impressive, but then I just had to say, WHAT?

Will we see anything this crazy on America’s Got Talent 2011?

November 12, 2010 I Written By