AOL TV: "10 TV Talk Shows We Wish Hadn't Bit the Dust"

[JamesG]

10. The Mike Douglas Show (1961-1982)

With its art-funk setting and constant stream of actors, musicians, politicians and other notables, The Mike Douglas Show personified the swinging '70s in talk.

A nightclub singer after World War II, Douglas dove into the talk scene in Cleveland in 1961; his modest, live show went into national syndication two years later.

Moving to Philadelphia, The Mike Douglas Show became the in-spot for TV chat, with everyone from Richard Nixon to the Rolling Stones to Barbra Streisand making appearances.


In addition to being a superb conversationalist, Douglas revolutionized the concept of the co-host, booking one for each week throughout his many years on the air.

His most famous -- and highest rated -- co-hosts were John Lennon and Yoko Ono.

Retiring from TV in 1982, Douglas died in 2006.





9. The Jenny Jones Show (1991-2003)

Though she came off like a prim, proper suburban mom, former actress-comic Jones was anything but.

Debuting two weeks before The Jerry Springer Show in 1991, she helped usher in tabloid-talk -- the raunchier the topic, the better. Out-of-wedlock babies and paternity tests, wayward teens, the obese, the obtuse -- Jones had a knack for seeming as shocked as her viewers.


Always testing boundaries, the show finally went too far:

On a March 6, 1995 episode about same-sex secret crushes, Scott Amedure, a gay man, confessed to a straight man, Jonathan Schmitz, that he had a crush on him.

A few days later the emotionally unstable Schmitz murdered Amedure. After a legal tussle, a Michigan appeals court ruled Jones was not liable for Amedure's death.

While the show never really reclaimed its mojo, Jones remained on the air until 2003.





8. The Merv Griffin Show (1962-1986)

For more than 25 years, on two different networks and then in syndication, The Merv Griffin Show was like having access to a Hollywood lounge.

A gifted entrepreneur and producer, Griffin was responsible for creating both Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! but excelled as a talk-show host. He was affable, charming and intelligent; his talk show operated on a whole other level, as relaxing and entertaining in its time as a good scotch and a great cigar.


In his prime, Griffin was the only person thought remotely capable of competing against Johnny Carson on the The Tonight Show, which he tried to do unsuccessfully.

Also problematic were Griffin's forays into politics: After booking many guests known to be against the Vietnam War, segments of his audience revolted.

In 1986, Griffin left the talk-show scene, but deftly managed his billion-dollar media empire until his death in 2007.





7. The Dick Cavett Show (1968-1986)

To quote Shakespeare, Dick Cavett's talk show was "caviar to the general." Erudite, probing, great at wordplay, Cavett held many jobs -- magician, copy boy, talent coordinator -- before ABC gave him a daytime gig in 1968, then a primetime slot in 1969.

The Dick Cavett Show always landed guests sure to make a splash, such as legendary film stars Bette Davis and Katharine Hepburn and -- in an era of harsh racial politics -- Georgia's pro-segregation governor Lester Maddox.


And at a time when many talk shows avoided booking rock musicians, his show featured some of the performers from Woodstock.

Over 40-plus years, The Dick Cavett Show enjoyed many incarnations on various networks, but it's Cavett's original interviews, broadcast through Jan. 1, 1975, that are now considered landmarks of the genre.

At 73, Cavett still hosts, acts and writes.





6. The Arsenio Hall Show (1989-1994)

Despite being on air just five years (a sprint compared to his enduring colleagues), Hall's self-titled show made a huge impact.

In 1987, the rising actor-comedian unexpectedly received a 13-week subbing assignment from Fox after Joan Rivers was dismissed from The Late Show -- their attempt to dethrone Johnny Carson.

Two years later, Hall returned to Fox with a talk show like no other, with an urban, liberal, edgy tone, and an audience eager to chant "Woof! Woof! Woof!" (or "Woo! Woo! Woo") on cue.


Aside from frequent visits by the likes of rapper MC Hammer, Hall's most famous guest was an Arkansas governor named Bill Clinton, who was running for president. Clinton blew a saxophone -- and the ratings -- away.

Hall's recent appearances on George Lopez's talk show help keep him in the limelight.





5. The Sally Jessy Raphaël Show (1983-2002)

Unlike the many talk-show hosts coming out of stand-up comedy or acting, Sally Jessy Raphael -- formerly Sally Angeline Lowenthal -- came to the genre after journalism training.

She got her first talk gig in radio, opting against politics as a discussion point in favor of softer-sell subjects like relationship issues.

Phil Donahue became a fan, and Raphael was given the chance to host the TV show that became known as Sally, which ran in syndication from 1983 to 2002.


Looking calm, if schoolmarmish, in colossal red glasses, Raphael headed in the same tabloid-trash direction as her 1990s talk-show competitors, but she never seemed truly at home with scandal and sensationalism.

After leaving TV, she stayed on the radio for a time.

Today, she offers a downloadable podcast at her website, sallyjr.com.





4. Ricki Lake (1993-2004)

After starring in the 1988 John Waters film Hairspray, no one would have guessed Ricki Lake would detour into TV talk. But with the launch of Ricki Lake in 1993, that's just what happened.

Younger than most talk-show hosts, Lake's fresh, approachable attitude put a new spin on the bottom-of-the-barrel topics then dominating the genre.

True, there were just as many recalcitrant baby daddies, questionable makeovers and sassiness as on any other show, but Lake never came off as a parental figure, more like one of the kids.


This provided her with enormous cache and, until she ended the show in 2004, impressive ratings.

Lake, whose documentary about home birth, The Business of Being Born, caused a 2008 stir, hosted season 3 of the charmless reality TV show Charm School in 2009.





3. The Montel Williams Show (1991-2008)

Though Williams' program debuted the same day as The Jerry Springer Show -- Sept. 30, 1991 -- they were far different ventures.

Whereas Springer's show perfected lowest-common-denominator trashiness, the former U.S. marine displayed limited tolerance for nonsense, growing less enchanted with the tabloid format and more attracted to personal stories of triumph over disease or other obstacles.

Williams himself broke new ground by revealing his 1999 diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.


There were slip-ups: His regular booking of Sylvia Browne, a psychic whose foresight powers have been pilloried by the media, was a lot point.

there were rough political moments, such as when Williams began sharing his view on the war in Iraq.

But, for the most part, Williams walked the line between deep and shallow with effortless grace.

The Montel Williams Show went off the air in 2008.





2. The Phil Donahue Show (1967-1996)

The extraordinary run of The Phil Donahue Show started in Dayton, Ohio, in 1967, moving to syndication in 1970.

In many ways, it was the daytime Donahue, not the nighttime Carson, who re-imagined what a talk show could aspire to -- then he set the gold standard by achieving it.

Liberal, emotional and sometimes a touch self-righteous, his gift wasn't just how he interacted with guests -- which included the famous, infamous and the unknown -- but how he involved the audience, literally running from one member of the audience to another in order to give as many as possible a chance to talk to his guests.


Though Donahue's energy never flagged, a steamroller named Oprah Winfrey overtook him in the ratings, ending Donahue's reign in 1996.

Now 75, he occasionally produces films and enjoys life with actress Marlo Thomas, who he married in 1980.





1. The Rosie O'Donnell Show (1996-2002)

For six seasons, O'Donnell's program was a rollicking hot spot for TV talk.

A stand-up comic who had fast-tracked to fame through such films as A League of Their Own and Sleepless in Seattle, her I'm-just-like-you persona made her daytime slot seem like a welcome coffee break.

Broadcasting from New York, the Long Island native wore her love of Broadway proudly; hardly a week passed by without theater actors or musical numbers being featured.


An unabashed, unapologetic fan, O'Donnell openly invited such superstars as Tom Cruise and Barbra Streisand to come on her show, which they finally did (separately).

Still, even as her Emmys piled up -- she won for outstanding talk-show host five times -- she began pushing back on her "queen of nice" status, controversially debating actor Tom Selleck on gun control.

O'Donnell's departure from TV talk in 2002 preceded her coming out as a lesbian and various other nibbles in the political and cultural arenas.

She's sorely missed.

http://insidetv.aol.com/2010/01/23/1...-bit-the-dust/

[Retro4Life]

Really surprised to see Jenny Jones on this list. Her show was one of the most exploitative, trashy and lowest common denominator offerings I've ever seen.

I never liked Arsenio Hall or Rikki Lake, either. Donahue used to be a great show until it became nothing but a political podium for Phil's beliefs (which he's entitled to but he never presented much balance). The same can be said of Rosie's show.

Sally Jesse? Meh. Too much sanctimoniousness for me, and exploitation of real life sorrow.

I really miss Bob Costas' old talk show, "Later". Tom Snyders' "Tomorrow" was great too, and Midwest natives might remember Irv Kupcinet's old show which I also enjoyed.

[MickeyMac]

Mike Douglas, Merv Griffith, and Dick Cavett YESSSSSSSSSSSSS


Real talk show hosts unlike these currents idiots we have (ahem David Lettermen, Jay Leno, and Conan O'Brian).

[Lakeboy]

I miss Jenny Jones and Rikki Lake. Those were the days!!!

[JamesG]

Did anyone else like The Morton Downey Jr. Show?
I think he was one of the best at trash tv.

[Impressions]

Should have had Oprah on the list, since its ending soon.

[Retro4Life]

Originally Posted by JamesG

Did anyone else like The Morton Downey Jr. Show?
I think he was one of the best at trash tv.

No. I liked Springer when it was on in my area, oddly enough. But he just kind of was the "ringmaster" for all the insanity. Downey really got mean and incendiary with his language and opinions. He seemed to take the stuff seriously, though I've heard that was largely an act. If it was, he hid it well!

[Marvo301]

Originally Posted by MickeyMac

Mike Douglas, Merv Griffith, and Dick Cavett YESSSSSSSSSSSSS


Real talk show hosts unlike these currents idiots we have (ahem David Lettermen, Jay Leno, and Conan O'Brian).

I agree with you Mickey. Mike, Merv, and Dick were masters at interviewing their guests. Unlike today's hosts who are just looking for the next punchline.

[JamesG]

Originally Posted by Retro4Life

No. I liked Springer when it was on in my area, oddly enough. But he just kind of was the "ringmaster" for all the insanity. Downey really got mean and incendiary with his language and opinions. He seemed to take the stuff seriously, though I've heard that was largely an act. If it was, he hid it well!

He definitely "exagerrated" on the show. Perhaps it was to get to the crowd and "be controversial".

I still say he was the best at trash tv.

[JT]

Aw, I miss Ricki, Jenny, Sally, and Montel. Them, along with Jerry and Maury, made up a pretty kickass group of trashy talk shows in the late 90s. Fab times to be a kid.

[JamesG]

Originally Posted by JT

Aw, I miss Ricki, Jenny, Sally, and Montel. Them, along with Jerry and Maury, made up a pretty kickass group of trashy talk shows in the late 90s. Fab times to be a kid.

There's another one I used to watch in the late 90s, remember Forgive or Forget with Mother Love? It didn't last that long.

I always did my homework in the afternoon when this came on.
I don't know why but I was interested in this; I wanted to see if the people would come out or not behind the door.


I lost interest when they replaced Mother Love with Robin Givens.

[floyd2006]

Originally Posted by MickeyMac

Mike Douglas, Merv Griffith, and Dick Cavett YESSSSSSSSSSSSS


Real talk show hosts unlike these currents idiots we have (ahem David Lettermen, Jay Leno, and Conan O'Brian).

Well thats your opinion, I guess.

Where's Geraldo Rivera on the list?

[70s show watcher]

Originally Posted by JamesG

There's another one I used to watch in the late 90s, remember Forgive or Forget with Mother Love? It didn't last that long.

I always did my homework in the afternoon when this came on.
I don't know why but I was interested in this; I wanted to see if the people would come out or not behind the door.


I lost interest when they replaced Mother Love with Robin Givens.

i liked forgive or forget too

[Schmoopie]

Wow, Jenny Jones? I'm shocked that it's on the list. Ricki Lake too. I hated both of those. I don't remember much about the Merv Griffin and Mike Douglas shows, but they were great. Arsenio Hall? Didn't like that one either. I'm VERY glad that Montel is gone. Hated it! I'm not a big talk show person, as you might have noticed.

The ones I did like? Well Merve Griffin and Mike Douglas would be on the list, but I really liked Rosie ODonnel's show. She used to have guests on there and it wasn't just talking about whatever project they had coming up. Tom Hanks was on and most of the time they sang cartoon theme songs. Hard to get Tom Hanks singing "Superchicken" out of my mind! She and Patrick Dempsy tossed a frisbee around and I loved when she would shoot those koosh balls into the audience. That was back when she was tolerable and had a good personality. The View obviously ruined her. Loved when Tom Cruise finally made an appearance. She called him "my Tommy". And then when Barbara Streisand came on, Rosie was crying so much (out of happiness, obviously) that Barbara was trying to console her. Then Barbara's husband came on and those two were the only ones on the show for the entire hour.

By the way, thanks to Kramer,The Merv Griffin Show was resurrected! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mxhs-O_9BLc

[Jude The Obscure]

Mike Douglas was a class act.....and it also ran for 90 minutes for awhile as well.

Rosie was fun.......until the day she debated Tom Selleck. From then on, my view changed of her and it never got back to the point I thought she was fun anymore.