Jerry Springer has passed away at age 79, of pancreatic cancer. Whether you liked Jerry or not, he was quite iconic – as were his competitors.
I was lucky enough to sit down with him for an interview (see below) in 2019, to talk about his new “Judge Jerry” show.
Daytime talk shows of the ’90s were tabloid shows, full of drama and confrontations! The ’90s brought us some of the most entertaining daytime talk shows, from the eccentric, like The Jerry Springer Show – to tabloid talk shows like Geraldo – to the big red glasses of Sally Jesse Raphael.
“Jerry, Jerry, Jerry!”
The tabloid shows ran the gamut and included some big names in the business who went on to have tremendous fame beyond the hosting circuit, along with others who wound down their on-screen careers once the decade was over.
There are a few that stand out as being the best daytime talk shows of the ’90s. What made most of them so entertaining was that they were very much a product of their time, with content that was highly offensive and completely out of left field by today’s standards.
But not all talk shows focused on the salacious, and the evil, and the scandals. Some were genuinely informative and even interviewed important figures on relevant topics. Phil Donahue and Oprah Winfrey eventually took their shows in a more serious, and informative direction. Many that followed them tried to do the same thing. It was a popular format for many years.
Daytime talk shows definitely evolved, but the original style, and format was one of a kind – at least at the time.
Here is the interview I did with Jerry Springer back in 2019
Here are what are probably considered to be some of the best daytime talk shows of the ’90s. Not all of them are completely shocking, but they were definitely all intriguing.
Other Top Talk Shows From The 90s
Geraldo (1987 - 1998)
Hosted by journalist Geraldo Rivera, the tabloid talk show was one of the very first to be dubbed as “trash TV,” and based on the content of the show, it’s easy to understand why. The vetting process for Geraldo’s guests was nonexistent, as he interviewed plenty of questionable figures.
In 1988 an episode featured the KKK, Black activists, and Jewish activists all in one space. It was one of the biggest brawls in talk show history, resulting in audience members and crew members getting involved in the scuffle. Rivera escaped with a busted nose after a chair was thrown at his face.
The Montel Williams Show (1991 - 2008)
It aired for an impressive 17 seasons and 4,325 episodes! The Montel Williams Show was pretty much the same as others during the 90’s, focusing on tabloid topics. However, Williams geared things toward a more inspirational angle rather than the controversial.
The Jenny Jones Show (1991 - 2003)
Back in the ’90s, the name Jenny Jones was synonymous with the words “daytime talk show.” The tabloid talk show and one of the best daytime talk shows of the ’90s was produced by Quincy Jones and aired for an impressive 12 seasons, from 1991 through to 2003. The Jenny Jones Show saw the biggest syndicated launch in talk show history. While it started out fairly tame, the series got weirder as it went on.
Disclaimer: I was on this show. If you want to see a very young Carla Rea, watch this. And this.
Donahue (1967 - 1996)
A staple in the daytime talk show rotation and one of the best daytime talk shows of the ’90s, Phil Donahue led this show for decades and was one of the best talk show hosts, before the series ended in the late ’90s. It was listed among the 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time by TV Guide, Donahue covered more serious topics than others at the time. His first guest, for example, was a famous atheist who discussed her beliefs, or lack thereof.
As the tabloid talk show format began to take over in the ’90s, Donahue started covering deeper topics. Ultimately, the show came to an end after an impressive run, but not before solidifying its spot in pop culture history.
The Jerry Springer Show (1991 - 2018)
The Jerry Springer Show is by far the most recognizable names, one of the most popular daytime talk shows, and one of the best daytime talk shows of the ’90s, thanks to its unrivaled outrageous content. Easily one of the most controversial syndicated shows there was, The Jerry Springer Show was so popular over its 27-year run that it spawned three spinoffs. But Jerry Springer wasn’t always a tabloid talk show.
The series originally t focused on political issues, but poor ratings in season 1 were behind its drastic change. The mid-90s is when the series made a turnaround and started focusing on salacious topics like incest and adultery, leading to some of the most famous Jerry Springer fights and brawls that the series became known for.
The Sally Jessy Raphael Show (1983 - 2002)
The Sally Jesse Raphael Show started in the early ’80s and ran right through to the early 2000s, and is one of the best daytime talk shows of the ’90s. It eventually changed to just Sally, after the show had acquired recognition and a loyal group of viewers, it was one of the first daytime talk shows to feature a female host, one of the best talk show hosts from the US, and audience participation. Sally really set the stage for how talk shows work today and even predates The Oprah Winfrey Show by three years.
Sally Jessy Raphael and her signature oversized red glasses discussed a wide range of topics touching on everything from extreme religious beliefs to teen pregnancies, along with lighter topics, like hypnotism and funny gags. While the tabloid talk show genre was fading in popularity by the early 2000’s, Sally was one of the most enduring, and ran several decades.
The Maury Povich Show (1991 - 1023)
YOU ARE NOT THE FATHER!!! Just Maury, now. the tabloid talk show is one of only a few that was still going strong until he decided to call it quits this year. Throughout its 32 seasons, the show has invited guests and experts to talk about a wide variety of topics, from teenage pregnancy and paternity to obesity, bullying, phobias, and more. Paternity disputes, in particular, have become a mainstay on the show, with people yelling the now famous phrase “You are NOT the father,” often spoken when Povich opens the envelope revealing DNA results.
While one of the best daytime talk shows of the ’90s has not been without its share of criticism, often for exploiting serious issues for entertainment value, it’s precisely the salacious, guilty pleasure that fans love so much.
The Queen Latifah Show (1999 - 2001, 2013 - 2015)
Fans of the long-time actor and rapper might forget that in addition to Queen Latifah’s movies and chart-topping music, the versatile talent had her own talk show for a brief period of time in the ’90s. It was arguably one of the best daytime talk shows of the ’90s. Airing for one season from 1999 to 2001 followed by a revamped second season in 2013, the show didn’t last as long as others from the decade, but it remains one of the higher-rated.
Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith were its executive producers, Latifah interviewed various guests, including both celebrities and others with human interest stories, and discussed pop culture topics. Despite its stinted longevity, The Queen Latifah Show was nominated for two awards during its run, the NAACP Image Award For Outstanding Talk Series.
The Ricki Lake Show (1993 - 2004)
Anyone who grew up in the ’90s will recognize the chant “Rick-i, Rick-I, Rick-i,” which fans of the charismatic talk show host repeated every time she came on stage to start the show. Like the others, the show featured controversial topics with different guests discussing a specific issue in every episode. One of the best daytime talk shows of the ’90s, the series won a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Talk Show Host and was nominated for a second Emmy and a People’s Choice award.
Designed to attract a younger audience versus the older stay-at-home mom-type crowd the other shows targeted, there was audience interaction and reactions to everything from neglectful parents to discrimination and family drama. The Ricki Lake Show returned in 2012 and aired for one more season.
The Rosie O'Donnell Show (1996 - 2002)
Before she was a co-host of The View and after catching Hollywood’s attention on Star Search in the ’80s, The Rosie O’Donnell Show was huge! It was one of the best daytime talk shows of the ’90s. Airing for six seasons, the show covered a variety of topics, from Broadway and families to charities and more.
Each episode saw Rosie interview a different guest and interact with her audience. Many also often included short Broadway performances. The series was also a win for LGBTQ+ representation in television, and took home five Emmys over its six-season run.
The Oprah Winfrey Show (1986 - 2011)
The Oprah Winfrey Show was one of the most influential daytime talk shows of it’s time! Probably the best daytime talk show of the ’90s, headed by one of the most influential TV personalities. It’s also one of the longest-running talk shows of all time. Winfrey became so popular that the show eventually became known just as Oprah. She discussed a variety of topics in each episode, often welcoming guests to discuss difficult topics in a way that wasn’t being approached by other daytime talk shows.
She focused on everything from self-improvement to philanthropy (including, eventually, her own), medical and mental health advice from experts like Dr. Oz and Dr. Phil, whose careers her show helped launch, and more. Ranked by TV Guide as one of the 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time, it’s no surprise Oprah is a fan favorite daytime talk show.
