I can't remember if this topic has been addressed in awhile, but it may be interesting.

The 1980s saw quite a bit talk shows taking hold, such as Oprah, Sally Jesse Raphael, Phil Donahue and Geraldo Rivera, to name a few.

While the '80s shows were more informative and sympathetic, the '90s turned this around into total cheese. Soon everyone was getting a talk show and very few were full of any substance.

What do you recall about these shows that seemed to pull us in no matter what?

I used to watch alot of the short-lived talk-shows in the 90s ..

The Pat Sajak Show
The Marsha Warfield Show
The Chevy Chase Show
The Mike and Matty Show
The Martin Short Show

I watched Ricki Lake in between my classes as well as the Jerry Springer show.

I watch/watched probably all of them at one time or another. ;)

Despite the often-noisy/crazy/silly nature of the show, I always liked Jerry Springer the best, especially in the earlier, pre-2000 days when it was more varied. Love it or hate it, you've got to admit it's funny and entertaining. Plus, I like Jerry, he's an interesting guy, including his past (hey, what other TV host used to be Liberal mayor of Cincinnati?). :D

We watched all them at least one time or another, as well. I thought the few that were really oddball choices for talk show hosts were:

Gordon (Gordy)
Carnie Wilson
Mark Whalberg
and Starr Jones.

There certainly was a surfeit of talk shows in the early-to-mid-90s. I think one season, there were like twelve new talk shows that debuted, most of them dying quick deaths. It seems after Donahue retired, the shows became sleazy and sensationalistic. Shows like Ricki Lake were fun for a while but Jerry Springer pretty much tainted the entire barrel of apples with his blend of degenerate mayhem. Other shows like Jenny Jones had controversy, but it seems like everyone burned out on them, with only a handful remaining. Looks like Oprah has maintained her high standards to remain the undisputed Queen of Talk!

I used to watch alot of the short-lived talk-shows in the 90s ..

The Pat Sajak Show
The Marsha Warfield Show
The Chevy Chase Show
The Mike and Matty Show
The Martin Short Show


And don't forget Whoopi Goldberg's short lived talk show? And what about Lauren Hutton's talk show?

Queen Latifah had a talk show, as well.

Queen Latifah had a talk show, as well.


Oh yeah, wasn't it called "Forgive or Forget"?

Used to watch:

Maury
Martin Short show
Rosie O'Donnell show
Donny and Marie
Leeza (Leeza Gibbons)
Sally

don't forget the mommies talk show and that ricki lake producer charles perez had show and remember the forgeatbble*sp show roalnda?

don't forget the mommies talk show and that ricki lake producer charles perez had show and remember the forgeatbble*sp show roalnda?


I do rememeber Rolanda (can't remember the spelling, either). And the Mommies took over from Mike and Matty.

How about The Gordon Elliot Show?  I used to watch him sometimes.  If I remember correctly, he was also the host of the short-lived 1990 version of "To Tell the Truth".  Now he is doing commercials for Campbell's Soup

I didn't really care for talk shows very much in the 1990's. The only daytime talk shows I watch nowadays are "Live With Regis & Kelly" and "The View" (both of which were on in the 90s, but with different titles and/or personnel). Shows where people make total fools of themselves are not my cup of tea.


I watched Ricki Lake in between my classes as well as the Jerry Springer show.

Ricki Lake most recently hosted a CBS miniseries entitled "Gameshow Marathon", where celebs played classic game shows for charities and lucky viewers. I remember when she was a talk show host; in fact, she was about my age when her show premiered.

I still watch Jerry Springer.  They stopped cutting out the fighting, so it's fun to watch again!

Anyone remember Richard Bey??? That was the funniest talk show of the 90's.... The guests did all these crazy things to each other like food fights and stuff..

I still watch Jerry Springer.  They stopped cutting out the fighting, so it's fun to watch again!


This is weird, but I might be one of the few who doesn't like all the fights. Especially with the fighting bell sound effect going off all the time now. Heck, it makes the 1998ish heyday of the show look tame. ;D

Don't get me wrong, the fights are funny on occasion (and hey, that was a big part of what got the show its attention in the first place), but I hate when an entire segment is filled with bleeps and people who wouldn't sit down, lol.

I think I always preferred the crazy/entertaining stories in general. Jerry is an underrated host too - I love his "in the moment" quips and easygoing personality, though he's an intelligent, caring guy too. Also, the audience is always funny in the Q&A.

This is weird, but I might be one of the few who doesn't like all the fights. Especially with the fighting bell sound effect going off all the time now. Heck, it makes the 1998ish heyday of the show look tame. ;D

Don't get me wrong, the fights are funny on occasion (and hey, that was a big part of what got the show its attention in the first place), but I hate when an entire segment is filled with bleeps and people who wouldn't sit down, lol.

I think I always preferred the crazy/entertaining stories in general. Jerry is an underrated host too - I love his "in the moment" quips and easygoing personality, though he's an intelligent, caring guy too. Also, the audience is always funny in the Q&A.




Oh the fighting is the only reason I watch.  I think it's the only reason anyone watches.  You're certainly not going to learn anything (except maybe what not to wear when you're 250 lbs. overweight), and it has zero redeeming value.


My favorite episodes are when he has the KKK and members of the NAACP on.  Jerry always has this look of incredubility on his face when reps from each group start going at it.  It's like......what did you expect?!

This is weird, but I might be one of the few who doesn't like all the fights. Especially with the fighting bell sound effect going off all the time now. Heck, it makes the 1998ish heyday of the show look tame. ;D

Don't get me wrong, the fights are funny on occasion (and hey, that was a big part of what got the show its attention in the first place), but I hate when an entire segment is filled with bleeps and people who wouldn't sit down, lol.

I think I always preferred the crazy/entertaining stories in general. Jerry is an underrated host too - I love his "in the moment" quips and easygoing personality, though he's an intelligent, caring guy too. Also, the audience is always funny in the Q&A.


I enjoy watching Jerry Springer for a laugh (when it was on), but I do think it continues to reinforce negative stereotypes about certain groups - working class Blacks, Rednecks/'Trailer-trash', Hispanics.etc, Fat people. Why are there so few white, Middle class guests on the show? There are as many weird and wonderful people in the suburbs and the white picket fences as there are in the backstreets of Brooklyn.

Oh the fighting is the only reason I watch.  I think it's the only reason anyone watches.  You're certainly not going to learn anything (except maybe what not to wear when you're 250 lbs. overweight), and it has zero redeeming value.


My favorite episodes are when he has the KKK and members of the NAACP on.  Jerry always has this look of incredubility on his face when reps from each group start going at it.  It's like......what did you expect?!


Yeah, Jerry's token 'And the lesson for today...' segment at the end is quit e funny (not in a LOL sort of way), as the show is basically trashy entertainment.

Why are there so few white, Middle class guests on the show? There are as many weird and wonderful people in the suburbs and the white picket fences as there are in the backstreets of Brooklyn.



Because the show is staged.  It's all scripted and fake.  People call in asking to be on the show and the most ridiculous, outlandish, out-there people get on.  They pick the best of the worst.  If none of those "best" are white middle-class people, then so be it.

Because the show is staged.  It's all scripted and fake.  People call in asking to be on the show and the most ridiculous, outlandish, out-there people get on.  They pick the best of the worst.  If none of those "best" are white middle-class people, then so be it.


If it was staged surely they can just hire actors, lol. Even then it's still over-representing certain groups and under-representing others.

If it was staged surely they can just hire actors, lol. Even then it's still over-representing certain groups and under-representing others.



No, the people aren't staged, but the fighting and most of the dialogue is.  All you have to do is watch it to see that. 



Like I said, they take only the most obscene and ridiculous stories.  I've seen plenty of white people on the show who weren't "rednecks".

This is weird, but I might be one of the few who doesn't like all the fights. Especially with the fighting bell sound effect going off all the time now. Heck, it makes the 1998ish heyday of the show look tame. ;D

I'm probably another one of the "few" who doesn't like 'em, either. In fact, I don't like to see people fighting. I'm not down with that. ::)



Don't get me wrong, the fights are funny on occasion (and hey, that was a big part of what got the show its attention in the first place), but I hate when an entire segment is filled with bleeps and people who wouldn't sit down, lol.

I think I always preferred the crazy/entertaining stories in general. Jerry is an underrated host too - I love his "in the moment" quips and easygoing personality, though he's an intelligent, caring guy too. Also, the audience is always funny in the Q&A.

I'm sure they've got some humour...but it's not something that I can bear to watch. Not even for three seconds.