‘Inventor Of The Talk Show’: Sally Jesse Raphael On Phil Donahue And His Contribution To Talk Shows

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As a woman who grew up watching daytime television in the 70s and 80s, I can vividly remember the impact Phil Donahue had on our living rooms. His fearless approach to tackling “taboo” topics like religion, homosexuality, and abortion was revolutionary for its time. He truly was the inventor of the talk show, paving the way for hosts like Sally Jesse Raphael, Oprah Winfrey, Jerry Springer, Maury Povich, and many more.

Remarkably, legendary talk-show personality Sally Jesse Raphael shared heartfelt reflections following the demise of Phil Donahue at the age of 88 on August 18th. She spoke admiringly of how boldly he tackled “sensitive” subjects on his program through innovative conversations.

In a chat with People magazine, the seasoned host remarked that Donahue revolutionized daytime TV by catering to women viewers at home. Essentially, she acknowledged Donahue as the pioneer of the talk show format.

The host of the Sally show explains that he was the one who initially developed the idea for a talk show, and Sally followed suit afterward. After her, influential figures such as Oprah Winfrey, Jerry Springer, Maury Povich, Geraldo Rivera, and many others joined in. She commented, “We all emerged from Phil Donahue.”

Raphael noted that Donahue bravely discussed subjects considered off-limits at the time, such as religion, homosexuality, and abortion. In fact, he was the sole voice to tackle these subjects, and he did so during the 1960s, making him a pioneer in this area since no other person had previously addressed these topics in quite the same way.

The seasoned emcee emphasized that he actively involved the studio audience in the discussion by soliciting their opinions on the subject and also bridging the gap between the audience and the show through phone conversations. Raphael pointed out that Donahue recognized the predominantly female nature of his audience, allowing him to communicate effectively as an Irishman.

She went on to explain that women were quite familiar with Donahue at that time, and it was rather uncommon in that period for men to have such a connection with them. However, Raphael points out an exception – the men during this era generally didn’t care much for women. Yet, she pondered over the respect and leadership the late host displayed towards women, which was clearly visible on the show.

I myself remember vividly the time when the host of The Phil Donahue Show encountered his second wife, Marlo Thomas. It was during a promotion of her movie Thieves on his show. There was an immediate spark between us, and we eventually tied the knot in 1980.

Upon Donahue’s passing, his family issued a statement, initially reported on August 19 by Today. In this statement, they shared that he died at home, surrounded by loved ones. This group included his wife of 44 years, Thomas, as well as his sister, children, grandchildren, and cherished pet, Charlie the golden retriever.

1. It was stated that he passed away tranquilly following a prolonged sickness. Contributions were requested to either St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or the Phil Donahue/Notre Dame Scholarship Fund.

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2024-08-20 16:38