RIP Phil Donahue

[MU82]

Phil Donahue, whose pioneering daytime talk show launched an indelible television genre that brought success to Oprah Winfrey, Montel Williams, Ellen DeGeneres and many others, has died. He was 88.

https://apnews.com/article/phil-donahue-dead-337b3630524a576407c1119f590d1dd4

Dubbed “the king of daytime talk,” Donahue was the first to incorporate audience participation in a talk show, typically during a full hour with a single guest.

“Just one guest per show? No band?” he remembered being routinely asked in his 1979 memoir, “Donahue, My Own Story.”

The format set “The Phil Donahue Show” apart from other interview shows of the 1960s and made it a trendsetter in daytime television, where it was particularly popular with female audiences.

[Herman Cain]

Excellent Chronology and Details of Phil in this article:
https://people.com/phil-donahue-dead-at-88-7496429

[real chili 83]

ND sucks.

[Skatastrophy]

"Regarding his religion, Donahue had stated: "I will always be a Catholic. But I want my church to join the human race and finally walk away from this antisexual theology". He also said that he is not "a very good Catholic", and that he did not think it was necessary to have his first marriage annulled."

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I always think of this SNL skit from the 80's with Phil Hartman when Phil Donahue's name is mentioned.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RC-GgwmfVM

[Jay Bee]

Grandma loved that dude. I didn’t realize how young he was back then.

Adam Ray as Dr Phil >>> Phil donahue tho

[Lennys Tap]

I always think of this SNL skit from the 80's with Phil Hartman when Phil Donahue's name is mentioned.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RC-GgwmfVM

Phil Hartman was a comedic genius. His Bill Clinton was priceless.

Phil Donahue thought he was smart. Loved it when Milton Friedman made mincemeat out of him on Phil’s own show.

[MU82]

Phil Hartman was a comedic genius. His Bill Clinton was priceless.

That time Hartman/Clinton was out for a jog with the Secret Service and he stopped at McDonald's and was taking fries from people ... too funny!

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

"Regarding his religion, Donahue had stated: "I will always be a Catholic. But I want my church to join the human race and finally walk away from this antisexual theology". He also said that he is not "a very good Catholic", and that he did not think it was necessary to have his first marriage annulled."

"I think Shaka should listen to my basketball thoughts even though I don't donate to the program or purchase season tickets."

[muwarrior69]

https://www.stjude.org/inspire/series/legacy/st-jude-remembers-phil-donahue-husband-of-marlo-thomas-and-legendary-talk-show-host.html

My cousin's oldest daughter was diagnosed with brain cancer and was treated at St. Jude's. Even though Kyla died at age 11 my cousin still does charity work for St. Jude's. When I was a kid 5 out of 5 kids died of cancer. Today it is 1 out of 5 and my family knows all too well that one is one too many.

If you would like to donate there isn't a more worthy cause.

https://www.stjude.org/donate/donate-to-st-jude.html?sl=donate-now&sc_dcm=58700006946881469&sc_cid=kwp&&&&&ds_rl=1285465&ds_rl=1291300&msclkid=5f140c216c0818e2c26b6ae5ac1238ac&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=M%20-%20Brand%20BMM%20EL&utm_term=stjude.org%2Fgivehope&utm_content=PM_PR_Dig_Srch_PM_AO_US_Nat_MS_M-Ads_LF_-_-_-_SERP-BMM_Srch-B_-_-_-_Core_-_EL_-_-_Srch&gclid=5f140c216c0818e2c26b6ae5ac1238ac&gclsrc=3p.ds

[StillAWarrior]

I don't mean this in a disrespectful way, but if someone had told me two days ago that it was the 20th anniversary of Phil Donahue's death, I would have believed them. Every now and then a celebrity dies and I find myself thinking, "I didn't realize he was still alive." Honestly, I think those are often the lucky ones who manage to have have a retirement away from their prior celebrity.

[JWags85]

I don't mean this in a disrespectful way, but if someone had told me two days ago that it was the 20th anniversary of Phil Donahue's death, I would have believed them. Every now and then a celebrity dies and I find myself thinking, "I didn't realize he was still alive." Honestly, I think those are often the lucky ones who manage to have have a retirement away from their prior celebrity.

I was actually thinking about this when the thread started.  I think its a combination of lifespans increasing and thus a changing idea of "old"...which came about after some older celebrities were also "retired".  I remember Donahue in his 60s in the 90s when his show was finishing up.  It seemed old at the time.  But given how many people live till their 80s these days, you got a few decades after that.  You do the math and you're like "oh, I guess thats not so crazy"

[The Lens]

I was actually thinking about this when the thread started.  I think its a combination of lifespans increasing and thus a changing idea of "old"...which came about after some older celebrities were also "retired".  I remember Donahue in his 60s in the 90s when his show was finishing up.  It seemed old at the time.  But given how many people live till their 80s these days, you got a few decades after that.  You do the math and you're like "oh, I guess thats not so crazy"

This falls under "most of the Golden Girls were in their 50s" and now ppl in their 50s look in their 30s.

Donahue always looked older.

[Lennys Tap]

That time Hartman/Clinton was out for a jog with the Secret Service and he stopped at McDonald's and was taking fries from people ... too funny!

Comic gold.

[CTWarrior]

Comic gold.

"There's a lot of things we won't be telling Mrs. Clinton..."

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

"There's a lot of things we won't be telling Mrs. Clinton..."

That's the Phil Hartman line I was trying to remember!