THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, May 9, 1996 TAG: 9605090046
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E2 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Larry Bonko
LENGTH: Medium: 75 lines
IT WILL BE months before it airs here on WVBT. But be advised that Phil Donahue has taped his last syndicated talk show.
So long to a classy guy who may have dipped a big toe into the pool of daytime sleaze to keep the ratings up, but never waded in hip deep.
Farewell to the guy who invented the syndicated daytime talk show, for better or worse, almost three decades ago in Dayton, Ohio.
Folks in the studio audience at WLWD-TV in Dayton watching Donahue interview atheist Madalyn Murray O'Hair on Nov. 6, 1967, thought they would see a local variety show. Instead, they got Donahue, a radio guy from WHIO who didn't think his TV show had a prayer. ``We had no big-name stars, no studio band, no desk and sofa, no hype and no great visions.''
The show had Donahue. That was enough. It stayed on 29 years, won 20 Emmys, and at its peak, was seen in more than 40 countries.
After almost 7,000 broadcasts, Donahue is out of the talk-show business. A few days ago in Manhattan he taped ``Donahue: The Final Show.'' It is expected to air in September.
In a press conference held after the final taping, the 60-year-old Donahue speculated that he may be too old and too dull for today's daytime audience, but he is not about to give up television.
``I still have ambition and energy,'' he said. But Donahue did not announce any plans for the future.
He is interested in politics, though.
``I don't mean to be cute about politics in my future, but I don't know how electable I would be if I ran. Maybe I should run for dog catcher before I run for a seat in Congress. Or try for a seat on city council before trying for a statewide or national office.''
Phil Donahue a congressman? A U.S. senator? What are his qualifications?
``I remember a movie star who became president. What were his qualifications when he first sought public office? Nobody's rights as a citizen should be canceled just because of the work they do.''
Before there was Sally Jessy and Ricki and Jenny and Gordon and Jerry, there was Donahue talking on TV about things that mattered, and he got the ratings. ``We kicked some big tires along the way. We blasted the medical profession, General Motors, the U.S. Government. We took on the self-righteous and the radical right. Our show was born in the heat of the Civil Rights' movement and the Vietnam War protests.''
For years, that was good enough. Then the competition arrived. ``My illegitimate children,'' Donahue calls them. They put on shows about unfaithful husbands, lesbian nuns, cross-dressing truck drivers, men who wanted to be women and vice versa.
Why watch a dry discussion about balancing the federal budget on ``Donahue'' when you can see ``Fantasy Dates with Sexy Centerfolds'' on Gordon Elliott's show? Donahue came late to the sensational topics and looked uneasy dealing with them.
He makes no apologies, however
You do shows about blue-collar studs to get an audience - to ``draw a crowd into your tent,'' is how Donahue put it.
If the host has to put a dress on to pull in viewers, so be it. It was Donahue in drag.
Again, he made no apologies.
``The issues we have dealt with reflect the changes in our culture over the last 25 years. Most of our criticism has come from hysterical lofty moralists who have blasted talk shows without ever watching them. All in all, our talk shows have served the public well. We need more of them, not less, because they often deal with the important issues of the day.''
It was the beginning of the end for ``Donahue'' when stations in San Franciso, New York City and Chicago dropped his show.
``We've got to tap-dance faster,'' he said in the face of the tasteless competition.
As it turned out, Donahue did not dance fast enough. by CNB