Phil Donahue, the host who changed the face of U.S. television with a decades-long talk show that often focused on sensitive social and political issues, has died at age 88, NBC’s “Today” show reported, citing a statement from his family. Donahue died Sunday surrounded by his family after an illness.
Who was Phil Donahue?
The presenter brought about a revolution in 1970, at a time when daytime television offered its predominantly female audience soap operas, game shows and homemaking shows. His own show touched on topics once considered “taboo” for television, such as abortion, the sexual revolution and race relations.
With his boyish charm, unbridled energy and thick, white hair, Donahue became known for asking his guests “aggressive” questions but also for giving the in-studio audience a chance to have their say.
The show’s success paved the way for other “midday” talk shows, such as Oprah Winfrey’s, whose show eventually surpassed Donahue’s in the ratings.
“If it weren’t for Phil Donahue, there would never be an Oprah show,” Winfrey herself said.
Some of the many daily shows that have stepped into Donahue’s concept became known for their yellowness and, never once, for incidents of violence. Shows like Jerry Springer, Geraldo Rivera, Sally Jesse Raphael and others were his “illegitimate children,” Donahue said, adding that he “loved them all.”
As daytime talk shows proliferated and became increasingly violent and vulgar, the popularity of Donahue’s program declined. After 26 years of continuous airing and thousands of shows, the show was finally canceled in 1996.
At its peak, however, in 1979, People magazine called it “a national forum for America’s housewives.”
“I think they like the themes that the show touches on and enjoy being emotionally and intellectually involved in what’s going on. There are no prizes and nobody is screaming, we are promoting an honest exchange of ideas,” Donahue had said. Typically, each hour-long episode was devoted to a theme.
Donahue often spoke about his Roman Catholic origins, yet he was one of the first presenters to address the sexual abuse of children by Roman Catholic priests. He first broached the subject in a 1988 episode and later gave victims a chance to tell their story.
After his show was cancelled, he hosted a show on MSNBC (2002-3) and directed a documentary, Body of War (2006), which criticized the US invasion of Iraq through the story of an American soldier who became paralyzed.
In addition to “hot” social issues, Donahue occasionally devoted shows to “lighter” ones and interviewed famous guests such as Jerry Lewis and Marilyn Manson. In a cross-dressing episode she appeared dressed in a skirt. His show won nine Emmy Awards.
Donahue was married twice and had four sons and one daughter from his first marriage.
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